If you were a raindrop...

...where would you go? Into the Wallace home, of course. Houston's had one of its rainy spells with the subsequent flooding of streets, some homes and the opportunity to discover if your roof leaks.

Tim climbed up there yesterday and is pretty sure he discovered the reason for our leaks. A poor roofing job. He commented that his "roofing mentor", Mark, back when Tim did roofing would say "you have to think like a water drop." The valley in the front of the house was not done correctly (we believe from a previous conversation that cousin James put this second roof on) and so the water takes the path of least resistance. As Tim joked it's like the shingles are saying "come in this way, here's a nice opening" (I paraphrase). So, the water does and into the attic and down the beam and off into the ceiling and then soaking the sheetrock and out into the entry hall.

The other leak is from a bad job around a vent. Tim had already done some caulking after last Thursday's heavy rain but it was Monday's deluge that revealed these new leaks. Another round of rain is coming today and so I expect more interaction with nature inside. Hopefully tomorrow or Friday we'll get it fixed. We emailed our landlord and cousin James last night that we are pretty sure we know what the problems are. I called cousin James on Monday to let him know the roof was leaking.

I was reading in 1 Peter. Chapter 1 verse 6 says " In this you greatly rejoice even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trial.."

The whole chapter is good reading. I'm so thankful I have that living hope, that inheritance, that salvation to greatly rejoice in. I pray that through all these distresses, the proof of my faith "may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (second half of verse 7).

The "Water-Box" #3

Ok, look at the pictures from #1 to this one. What is this thing, you ask? Look at the roof. There is no guttering. After pricing guttering at Lowes we invented this. When it rains and especially with a heavy rain, the roof drains into the front bed here at a tremendous rate. I placed a 35 gallon trash can under here on Thursday and it filled up in about three minutes, then tumped over (yes, tump is a word, ok, not really but I'm using it). The bed washes onto the front porch and it's a muddy mess. So, on Saturday, in anticipation of the torential rains we've had, we made this. The water hits the box, drains through holes into the sluices and out to the yard. It works. If the landlord will pay for guttering and supply the paint we'll hang some, in the meantime pray the neighborhood association doesn't notice our invention.

The "Water-Box" #2

Here's a front view.

The "Water-Box"

This use to be the broken picnic table on the back deck. On Saturday it was turned into the "water-box." I tried to upload three pictures at once but it wouldn't let me. So here is #1 of our new, make-shift, improvised gold-mining sluice.

Who am I kidding?

You didn't really think I could get the whole family to pose for a picture, did you? So here's one with Daisy and I taking a nap. It's posed. She was at the foot of the bed and I invited her to come next to me and this is what she'll do if invited- take over the pillows.

If and that's a big if, I can get the family together, I will post a picture.

Last week was hard. Too many 'little things" needed my attention to fix. Problems with our old rental management company, letter from our Allstate agent congratulating us on our new teen driver- Francisco Rodriguez, who would be added to our policy on Oct. 7, dealings with the bank etcetera. Problems that were other peoples fault and yet I had to fix them. I confess my attitude was not pleasant. It finally got to me and I had a good cry and ate a handful of chocolate chips as that was the only chocolate in the house.

We had to communicate in writing to the management company so we sent a certified letter (we also mailed our October rent certified as the last correspondence didn't make it to our landlord). The DMV notifies the insurance company of whoever they have on record for an address and since it's us now we got the notice. Francisco is the old tenants son, by the way. I called our agent and asked for confirmation that he would not be added to our policy which I didn't receive until today.

So, you post a pithy quote on your blog (see previous post below) and then WHAM! you get to experience it. I long for a "normal" day. I kept preaching to myself through my crying jag "momentary light afflictions, momentary light afflictions- see 2 Corinthians 4:17 & 18).

Ok. One thing at a time. I did some touch-up painting today and hung some pictures and that helped the house to look more home-like.

Until the next adventure...