The Great Flood of 2010

I took the Girl Far From Home back to the Far From Home place Saturday.  We got out of here late and drove for a long, long time and got there late.  We had a date with a couple of young ladies who had stayed on campus for Thanksgiving because they live so far away.  We all went out to dinner and had a nice time.  Girl Far From Home wanted to do something with me before I got in the car and headed home.  I said I would only do that if we could hurry and get her stuff in her room and then get going.  So we decided to hurry and then we'd go to the bookstore (she has a gift card she wants to spend).

We went to her room and she unlocked the door and opened it.  We were overwhelmed initially by the blast of really hot air that hit us and then quickly realized that the hot air was moist and smelled bad.  We went into the room with the idea of opening the windows to let some of the heat and stink out and as we walked across the room, we heard the splashing sound our feet were making.  There was about an inch of water on the floor near the dressers and closets.  The ceiling was dripping and there was water in the light fixtures.  The top of the counter over the dresser was wet and there were brown stains where the water was/had been.

We ultimately discovered that the steam pipe in the closet had sprung some type of leak and it must have happened right after we left the weekend before Thanksgiving.  There was an abundance mold growing on the closet ceilings.  The puddle did not extend all the way across the floor, so stuff by the desk was ok - thankfully.

This is after the maintenance people had started tearing out the ceiling and I'd gotten some of the very wet clothing out of the closet.

This is the counter - the water came down right through the tv and when I tipped it, water poured out.

This is Girl sorting her wet, moldy clothing into bags.  Notice the rain boots - we really did need those indoors!!!

The ceiling tiles in a pile on the floor.

The proud owner of a huge hole they tore into the closet wall - they also knocked out several shelves.

The hole in the closet wall and the pipe that spewed forth all the steam that did the damage.

Part of the ceiling removed.  Before the room can be inhabited again, all the rest of it will have to be pulled down.  There are stains but there is also a significant amount of mold.

The guys tearing things up with garbage bags full of clothes in front of them.

If you look closely at the light fixtures, you can see the puddles of yellow/brown water in the bottom - there was about an inch and a half in the closer one in this picture.

The brown stains on the counter and the soaking wet television.  Unfortunately, a cd was left in the player.

The wall of the closet in front of the bookshelves - and behind that there is a huge pile of wet and moldy clothing.  The green chair is behind the removed wall.

Some of the wet stuff from the closet.

The wet, stained and ruined green chair.

The yucky reading wedge - so sad after all the trouble I went to finding this.

Both her winter coats had mold growing on the sleeves - the light one is (was?) a down coat.

Everything girl owns stacked on her new bed in her new dorm room.

What's left of the Girl's clothing in her new closet - not much!

The new and very clean dresser - no TV on the counter because I haven't a clue if the TV can be fixed or saved.

The far wall of the new room - lots of shelves, lots of light and the new room is bigger than the old room.

Marilyn is on the new walls, the new desk is put in order, the bed is made, things are looking so much better. But do notice the black trash bags that have all the Girl's clothing in them - some needs to be washed in the machine, some needs to be dry cleaned and a ton needs to be hand washed.  There are four big bags.

The new rugs - that tile is really cold and I think bear feet need some protection.  I found a set of three that pretty much cover all that needs covering.

A new Marilyn poster . . . just because.

The last of the new rugs and a new green chair.  The new chair is not as nice as the old one, but it will have to do. 

The new reading wedge - again, not as nice as the old one but this one came with a little blanket to keep toes warm while you are reading (or watching tv).

Still working on the clothes and the winter coats.  Sure hope it doesn't snow anytime soon!