Update on the Clean-up, I'm still alive, LOL

Just wanted to give an update on the flood clean up. For those of you that have e-mailed me and I haven't responded... my appologies. We had to disassemble the computer for a few days while ripping up the house.

We have most of the floors, walls, my new kitchen cabinets :( etc ripped out of the lower level of the house now and it's actually starting to dry out and not smell so bad :) I just hope we can rebuild quickly so I'm not living in chaos like this for long.

I spent the entire weekend in the garden. The greenhouse has been cleaned out and sterilized along with every pot and tool in it. whew! I contacted a couple of expert plant people about what to do about the plants. I had to rinse them all with fresh water (no easy task since I couldn't use the well!) Then they had to be rinsed with fish emulsion to bind the oil/gas from the flood water, then rinsed with clearex which is a salt leaching solution because of the salt water. whew again! There is no guarentee it will save them of course but was the best course of action I could do for them. Already many in the ground have died, forsythias, all my butterfly bushes are almost dead some of my hostas and many others. Without digging them up and getting them out of the saturated contaminated soil there isn't much hope for them. But all the leaves were rinsed as instructed above. At least most of the tropicals were in pots and I was able to really rinse the roots as well as the leaves so hopefully most them will be ok, only a few have parished, a few in pots but mostly the ones in the ground like cannas etc. Today I'll start putting them in the greenhouse until spring. I've got to go buy a whole lotta water to keep them watered though.

I've cleaned up the pond a little at a time. A lot has settled to the bottom and I don't want to stir it up, so I only clean a little at a time. I cleaned out the pump/filter and added some nylong bags of charcoal to the filter that I've been changing every couple of days. All the koi and shubunkins are gone but the commets I found in the back yard and put back in the pond are swimming, active and are even starting to come to the top to eat again.

I guess it's a good thing it's fall and once I finish putting away the tropicals I won't have think about the garden again until spring (other than taking care of the tropicals/greenhouse). It will be a surprise to see what may come up in the spring.

I'm working at gettting a rental car now so I can get back to my both jobs. My car was only 9 months old with 7000 miles on it. The !%@#$! ins co. wants to give us 10,000 less than what it cost. You can't tell me that in 9 mos/7000 miles it's depreciated 10,000 bucks!!! Sigh.... It's really sad when all your life you pay and pay for ins, homeowners, cars, boats etc etc and the first time you have to file a claim the screw you as much as they can. If we had just put all that money into a savings account instead of paying them we would be better off, we'd certainly have more money than they are willing to give us! Ah well, I won't get on the soap box this morning, LOL.

I'll be returning e-mails soon.
Thanks everyone!
Love and Hugs

God bless you sweetie. Wish we could help. We were all talking about you and how much we all love you at the roundup. Jim

It's good to see you post Jody. I was thinking about you yesterday. You sure have made great progress with the greenhouse. I think a task like that would have taken me a whole week!

Jody, I wish you lived closer. I'd love to be able to help you. I really didn't think about the salt water being a problem, but I guess I just forgot what it was like living there. I am so sorry. I hope God blesses you richly and you are surprised (happily) with how much comes up next spring.

Now I understand why I didn't hear from you in a couple of days.

Boy, you got a lot of work done! I'm sure that it was a big help to have your Mom & sister to help out too!

I'll send you a personal e-mail this evening after work.

Hang in there! It will get better!!

Hugs ((((( )))))

You are tougher than anyone I know of and you sound like you are forging ahead in spite of the devastation and ins. Sounds like a lot of tough work, but you just hang in there and you'll be surprised come spring, flood or no flood there will be something that surprises you that you didn't ever think would make it.

Sorry we can't do anything to assist, but have been thinking about you a lot. So good to hear from you!
Candee

I just deleted my message, will just edit and say good luck and I hope that things get better soon.

Jody,
I couldn't start to imagine all the problems a flood with salt water would cause. You have given me a small idea. What a task. Hopefully, most of your inground plants will make it. If not, I'm sure there are hostaholics here that will help you out.

I know all about those Ins. cos. They didn't start to cover the cost of replacing my PC, 3 TVs, 2 VCRs, the Satelite reveiver box or the portable phone that were taken out in a storm in July. Real pain in the ...
Jan

Jody,
Sounds like a uphill climb and you are a alpinist!
I cant even begun to imagine being over the sobbing yet!
Come spring I can send you plants-i will try to get some butterfly bushes going over winter for you too!

It will all come together!~
dori

Hi Jody,
Sorry to be saying hi to you in such an awful situation but, I think you have inspired many people with your determination to save your plants.
I also would like to send you something in the spring when you're (hopefully) into planting stuff again.
I suppose you may get several packages showing up on your doorstep then.
God bless you and your family.

Wow, Jody - you've dug right in and done what needs to be done. I admire you guys so much!

I wondered about the salt water. Now you have shed some light on what damage it can do. I'm so sorry. I too wish that I lived closer to help clean up. I can send starts of my hostas in the spring. You were so kind to send me a couple for my strawberry pot this year and I'd love the opportunity to send some back to you. Remind me, 'kay?

Thanks Jim! Love you too!!!

Cheryl, without help it would have taken me a month! LOL

Carla, yes unforutnately the bay is salty, it is somewhat diluted from all the rivers but none the less... still salt :(

Shirley, I'm sorry I haven't emailed ya. "life just gets in the way" LOL. Yes, having my mom and sister to help was great! Just wish they could have stayed longer than just the weekend :(

Thanks for the thoughts candee and marcia!!! candee hope your getting your properties cleaned up too.

Jan you know I might be looking to the hostaholics for some replacements ;) Thanks! It's funny, some of the hostas are dying and some look as though nothing happened to them at all.

Dori I would love some new butterfly bushes!!! I had 3 in front the deck, and a row behind the garage of pink, light blue, purple and varigated pink :( I had already lost the honeycomb this spring. I sure would love any you might be able to start for me! Thanks!

yardgirl I need to save as many plants as possible. I've a lot of time and money in them, not to mention that they are my babies afterall, LOL. Besides, I can't do anything more in the house until it dries out completely and I need to stay busy until I get back to work on Friday.

Thanks Kim and Joan!

I might have tropicals to trade for replacements in the spring :) I've got to get a new heater for the greenhouse though, it got flooded :( But I insulated it this year before putting all the plants back in :) If they all live, I'll have lots :)

Thanks everyone!!!
Love and Hugs to you all

Jody,

You don't need to apologize. I was just getting worried when I didn't hear from you. Glad that both you & Ed are safe & well. Your house, car, greenhouse & gardens will get fixed, it will just take time.

Hang in there! We are all praying for you & sending our very best wishes.

Hugs,

Shirley

I have you a honeycomb. Let me know when you want me to send it to you. I rooted a white butterfly also for you but it is really small.

Jody I will send you a variegated, purple flowered Buddleia in the spring. You've been through so much and a shrub seems such a little thing to offer. ((Hugs))