:: What a Nightmare! ::
As many of you know, we have a 300 gallon aquarium in our great room. 
Along with that 300 gallons of water is a 100 gallon refugium, which is the filter system for the tank. Well, last night one of out worst fears came to be. For some reason the power went out in our neighborhood last night. We’re still not sure why, but it went out around 11:30 last night. Phil went downstairs to check the water level to make sure everything was OK and that the refugium wasn’t overflowing. Everything was fine. The power came back on around 2:30 according to the clocks this morning.
Phil went downstairs when he got up to check on the tank and make sure everything was OK. What he discovered was a huge mess. There was no water left in the refugium! Apparently when the power came back on, it must have stuttered a few times, and the pressure of the water pushed the hose for the skimmer out of the refugium. Then the skimmer continued to suck all of the water out of the refugium and into the floor! 100 gallons of salt water in the carpet!
The first thing I did was call a carpet cleaning company to see if they could get out here today. We have a carpet cleaner, but this was going to take some heavy duty suction to get the water out of the carpet. It wasn’t as bad as it could have been I guess. The water was pretty much contained to the area around the aquarium, and at least wasn’t all over the room. So the carpet company says that someone will be here in about an hour. So we proceed to move everything out of the room that we can. All of the bookcases, coffee table, chair, nick-knacks, and ends tables are now piled in our kitchen!
The carpet guys gets there and we’re all trying to figure out the best way to get the water up. A lot of the water ended up behind the aquarium, which sits about 5 inches away from the way. Of course there was no way to get to that. He sucked up all of the water that was in front and on the sides of the tank. Then we had to pull the carpet up from the corner so he could put a high power fan that blows under the carpet. Then we pulled up the carpet in another coner and put one there. The carpet now looks like wave in the ocean! He also sprayed this stuff on the carpet that will prevent any kind of mildew. Then he brings in a commercial grade dehumidifier to pull the moisture out of the air and carpet. All of this cost $300, but he did feel really bad for us, so when he comes back next week to pick up the fans and the dehumidifier, he’s going to clean the carpet in there and in Jordan’s playroom for us for free.
All the time I’m sitting there watching the room being torn apart, and I’m thinking, “How are we going to have Christmas with the room like this??” The guys said that hopefully the carpet and padding would be dry by in the morning. We still have another dilemma though. All of the carpet on that side of the room is going to have to be stretched and re-tacked. We can just lay it down for now, and hopefully it won’t wrinkle and buckle too much. Then we still have to put everything back in the room and get it back to a livable state. Right now you can’t even really walk in there because the carpet is all billowed up from the fans. What a nightmare! Merry Christmas to us! Maybe we should change our names to Griswold - LOL!
So anyway, with all of this going on, there won’t be a freebie today. I will try and get something up for you guys tomorrow. Hope you enjoy you day - I know I’ve been loving mine so far - LOL!
1Angi Smith
wrote on 22 December 2006 at 15:09
Sounds like we need to leave YOU a freebie! How terrible! Hope all is well by Christmas!
2anonymous
wrote on 22 December 2006 at 15:28
I echo Angi - how terrible! I hope your Christmas goes well anyway! Please keep us updated!
3Carolyn
wrote on 22 December 2006 at 15:32
Oh…my…gosh! You’re worrying about a freebie for everyone by tomorrow with all of this going on? I’d be saying “see ya in the New Year folks” but then I don’t handle stress too well! Give yourself a much needed break from the computer and take care of you and yours, and try to have a Merry Christmas! And may I take this opportunity to thank you for all you do for your fans all year long. Even though I always thank you for each freebie it just doesn’t seem like enough. Happy holidays Traci!
4Sunny1015
wrote on 22 December 2006 at 16:11
Oh no!! What a mess Traci! And the poor fishies too:(
5Jessica
wrote on 22 December 2006 at 18:09
oh my goodness! I hope that everything dries ok and can be put back in order. What a nightmare!
6Carrie
wrote on 22 December 2006 at 18:13
Oh no! I’m so sorry! I haven’t has anything like that happen to me, but I used to work for Culligan and we got calls regarding water damage from equipment. I feel so bad with Christmas right around the corner! I’m sure everything will somehow work out. And I hope the fish are OK? They are so gorgeous.
7Erin
wrote on 22 December 2006 at 19:26
Oh no! I am so sorry. What terrible timing! I hope it all gets dried out quickly. {{{hugs}}}
8sharitas
wrote on 22 December 2006 at 19:50
Oooh Traci - these things only usually happen at busy times!! Well they do to me anyway LOL
Sounds like you are handeling it all really well, hope the rest of your xmas season is PEACEFUL
XX Sharon
9Katt
wrote on 22 December 2006 at 19:54
That is sooooo awful! I really feel badly for you and your family. I wouldn’t worry about doing anything other than coping with the mess.
Katt
10Elaine
wrote on 22 December 2006 at 20:27
Oh, I am so sorry. I feel so bad for you. But try to be positive, like you said it could have been alot worst. You will get over this and have a wonderful Christmas. Happy Holidays to you and yours.
11wendy
wrote on 22 December 2006 at 20:40
I am so sorry to hear about this before the holiday. Hang in there and I hope you still have a wonderful holiday.
12Michelle Adams
wrote on 22 December 2006 at 20:54
Oh NOOOOOOO, Traci!!! That’s aweful!!! Hope that it all gets back to semi-normal state for you before Christmas. Did you lose any fish? I hope not!
13Sharon
wrote on 22 December 2006 at 21:28
So sorry this happened to you at this time of year with everything else going on. Do not worry about us. We will see you when you get everything back together. Hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
14Lisa
wrote on 22 December 2006 at 21:44
Oh my goodness. I can’t imagine having to deal with your situation at all, let alone right before Christmas. I hope everything works out okay and it all drys up very quickly. Believe it or not, someday you will look back on this Christmas, have a great story to tell, and it will all seem so much more humorous than it does right now. Merry Christmas.
15Buffy
wrote on 22 December 2006 at 22:18
Oh no! how terrible! I only have a 55 gallon tank.
But we love it. I’d really love to have one the
size of your fish tank though…I think the bigger
they are the easier they are to keep up with. And
I’ve never done salt water although I’ve played
with the idea a few times!
I was wondering what happen to your fish? I don’t
see any in the picture. If it was only 100 gal of
300 gal there still should have been plenty of
water for them.
Well I hope Christmas is good for you. Take care.
16Deb P
wrote on 22 December 2006 at 22:31
Traci, I am so horrified for you!!!!! Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers during this difficult time! Although I enjoy your shares, I hope you don’t concern yourself with this until you are back into order! Family and friends are what important at this time! I wish you the very best for Christmas and hope you can get things back together for it! God Bless you and your family at this time! Deb P
17Lisa
wrote on 22 December 2006 at 23:18
Traci…What a horrible story!! You poor thing, with everything to do to get ready for the holidays, you have this to deal with!! Hope things get better and you can just relax and enjoy your Christmas.
18Cathy
wrote on 23 December 2006 at 0:07
I feel for you!!! Happened to us too. The hot water tank burst the morning we were expecting company from Germany. We have our own septic system and the yard had to be torn up too. It seems like the end of the world at the time but everything works out in the end. How can it not?
I picked up your template. Thanks, it’s very nice. Hope everything is settled now and have your best holidays ever!
19Krista
wrote on 23 December 2006 at 0:49
Hang in there! This is a nightmare, but it will pass (after a lot of clean up LOL). Sorry for your troubles. I guess the timing could not be much worse…
20Desertmoo
wrote on 23 December 2006 at 2:49
Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry this happened to you at this time…not that there is a good time, but thankfully the worst is over. Wish I could send hugs to you right now but cyber hugs is all I have.
Hope things improve from now on!
21tandrea40
wrote on 23 December 2006 at 3:35
The last thing you should be concerned about is getting us a freebie. It sounds like you have much larger issues right now than doing a freebie for us.
I would like to thank you again for all the beautiful freebies you have provided all year long, each one is greatly appreciated! Have a wonderful Christmas.
22Lil B
wrote on 23 December 2006 at 6:40
Oh my, the timing couldn’t be much worse for something like this to happen. Hopefully you will have everything back together for the holiday. So sorry for you AND the poor fish!
23Jaime
wrote on 23 December 2006 at 10:16
Don’t be even mentioning a freebie! Oh my goodness you are too sweet! I hope that everything works out and that the carpet can be alid back down. hope that you have a better day.
24Leda
wrote on 23 December 2006 at 10:31
These types of things usually happen to me right when my husband deploys for 6 months…the kitchen ceiling caved in from a leak upstairs right around Christmas, the car breaks down on the highway in a pouring rain storm…or something else - it never fails.
I actually thought you were going to say it was the end of your fish! At least they made it through the power outtage? Good luck with your carpet though, it doesn’t sound fun at all!
25grammyscraps
wrote on 23 December 2006 at 10:58
How awful, Traci………I don’t know how these things work..did you lose any of your fish?? I certainly hope not. I always try to look at these things as SOME kind of adventure…sometimes it’s really hard, tho. Take care and thank you SO much for all the beautiful creations you have shared with us this year. I truly appreciate your beautiful work. Please have a lovely Christmas.
26Cindy
wrote on 23 December 2006 at 11:30
What bad timing! I feel for you - we had a basement water leak which resulted in a 2-room “makeover”. Have some Christmas fun in spite of it, if you can!
27Shay
wrote on 23 December 2006 at 11:32
Oh Traci, I’m sorry for you and your family too. Hope your fish are OK and that everything dries and fits back together. Try to think about the worse disasters that some people face — maybe this won’t seem so bad. At least you CAN still celebrate Christmas! The love and prayers of us all are with you. And thank you so much for all the lovely freebies you offer us throughout the year.
28Bonnie
wrote on 23 December 2006 at 12:13
Don’t worry about the freebie, heck, we all understand. what a mess and ordeal, hope it all gets sorted for you!
29Carla
wrote on 23 December 2006 at 12:16
OMG Traci! I feel for you! We used to raise Discus fish a long time ago and it seemed that whatever could go wrong did. Luckily, I persuaded DH that it just wasn’t worth it. Of course I had to do all the work since I stayed at home. He had the fun part of just watching them and occassionally doing water changes. Thankful that we don’t have fish tanks in our house anymore! I do feel for you and hopefully you can salvage the carpet and organize enough today so that you all can have a great Christmas! Take care - you will be in my thoughts!! Merry Christmas Traci, Phil and Jordan!!!!
30Sharon aka Scrapcat4914
wrote on 23 December 2006 at 13:06
Lord don’t even worry about a freebie for us Traci!
You’ve enough to worry about and I sure hope your weekend and holiday go better!
Putin you in my prayers!
Please have a Merry Christmas!
31BettyJoR
wrote on 23 December 2006 at 14:24
Bless your heart for even being able to post a message! You are so generous and I know every one will understand your time needs to be spent at home right now. I will keep you in my prayers that everything goes smoothly putting it all back together. You have a very Merry Christmas and thank you for all the wonderful gifts you give us all year!!!
32Laura
wrote on 23 December 2006 at 14:55
Oh you poor guys. Ugh, ugh, ugh. So glad to hear not too much was damaged, except for your poor carpet. Well, hope your Christmas is merrier than your pre-Christmas. God bless you.
33Leslie
wrote on 23 December 2006 at 15:26
Ditto to everyone els’s comments. Here are some faraway hugs for you!!! O O O
34Kimberly
wrote on 23 December 2006 at 15:27
Oh my gosh! It’s good you got a carpet guy out quickly. Hopefully that will save you from further issues. Sounds like he is on top of getting you a room you can use for Christmas!
I hope you have a wonderful day despite the mess.
35Joanne
wrote on 23 December 2006 at 15:58
I have done the aquarium thing..and we don’t have carpet services here…it ended up out the door..I so hope the cleaner..can get it all fixed up for you before christmas..not to worry about us. wishing you the best.
36matsugirl
wrote on 23 December 2006 at 16:52
Don’t worry about freebies! Just really glad that you and your family are okay. Hope your fish are okay too.
Wishing you and your family the best.
37Tere
wrote on 23 December 2006 at 17:59
OMG I hope everything turns out ok and that you still have a happy holiday!
38Ordie
wrote on 23 December 2006 at 22:52
I feel your pain…you poor dear!
The griswald thing hhehehe way to keep your ho ho spirit up.
may it dry by Christmas
39Joy
wrote on 24 December 2006 at 3:43
Oh you poor things…. oh I just feel so bad.. I wish I could come and do something for you… after all you are going through and you worry about a freebie…. please!!! you take care of you and your family… and dont let that get to you.. Hugs.. Joy
40Carin
wrote on 24 December 2006 at 5:07
OMG Traci, I would go nuts if I found my livingroom like that. I hope Christmas is still gonna be great for you and your family.
41Tammy
wrote on 24 December 2006 at 11:09
Oh my goodness….I would have just passed out by seeing that. Thank God the guys could come over and do that so quick considering it’s the holidays. You need not to worry about the freebie on a day like this. You have shared so much all year long that one day is not going to hurt anyone’s feelings. I hope you still have a wonderful Christmas and just want to thank you for sharing your freebies with us throughout the year. Your an Angel.
42Heather
wrote on 24 December 2006 at 13:51
Traci that sounds like an awful day! I hope all your fish are ok as well. Also, this is an insurance claim ( I am a claims adjuster ). Keep track of your time you spent cleaning up and such. Just an idea for you.
Thanks for the calander pages, they are very pretty.
Merry Christmas!
43cindiaskew
wrote on 24 December 2006 at 23:48
oh my gosh. what a christian heart you have. all that you have on your plate and you worry about others. you need to take care of you and yours first. always. have a safe holiday.
44Demetria
wrote on 3 January 2007 at 11:57
What happened to all the life that was in the aqaurium that you had collected?