Anyone that has anything going with OhioBreezy

Here is one of the walls that was cracked and "bellied" from the flood, the holes are where they will insert the support beams to lift the house

just one of several piles of dirt and junk which used to be nice grass and flowerbeds :(

Laurrie, it sort of looks like This Old House came by for a visit. I sure hope you're back in before a month's time.

LOL Elsie, it feels like it too, only I think "This Old House" won't be quite as fast as an hour show, or is that 30 minutes, can you tell I haven't seen much tv since Jan. 6th? I miss that show too!!!! My friend and I were just chatting about those shows!!!!
Thanks for the smile - and if they keep moving at the rate they are going, it may be another week and I could go home, won't get my hopes up too high just yet though.

Laurrie,
Did the inside walls get wet upstairs,if so watch carefully for mold.
It can be toxic.I don't want you guys sick on top of all the trauma you've already been through.I hope your back home soon,poor dear.If you need anything let me know.Jody

Jody
Just the laundry room and a little in computer room, but we have already totally removed the laundry room structure (they needed it off to raise the house) and the drywall and flooring in the puter room will be removed as soon as the house is back down and we can get back in.
Today I believe they are raising the house, they had it all prepped yesterday with holes to insert the beams into. So after hubby gets home we will go out to get more pictures :)
Nothing much new except we are buried under snow right now, I am just thrilled that didn't stop the workers LOL
............more later
~Laurrie

It's sounds like the workers are working.lol.How long do you think it will be before your back in your home?I saw the dirt piles on your flower bed and the mess around the foundation.I bet your sick about your flower beds.You might be suprized how hardy plants are, you might have lots of goodies left and you just don't know it yet.I'll be praying you have some good surprises coming this spring.Hang in there.Jody

Laurrie, are there many people in the same predicament as you and your family? Just curious. I am continuing to pray for you and your family. I'm adding more prayers for your workers.

They are working away as I type, I will be heading out there later today, I pop in once and again, but hate to get in the way, plus each time I see the mess I just want to cry, but I know it will be all better when it's finished, I guess I will just look at it as a clean slate to start my gardens all over LOL

We are the only ones right in my area, several others lost furnaces, things in basements, etc. but none in Dundee or any immediate surrounding areas have had this mess with the whole basement needing totally redone. I guess I am the lucky one LOL

Here is a pic from yesterday with them putting up the "cribbage" as they call it to support the beams that will lift the home

and in photo up a couple you see the holes in basement, here is what those were for, these large steel beams are sticking out of the house as of yesterday, today I hope to get photos of the house up before they rip out the basement walls - will try to post more as time permits.

They think by possibly next weekend if the weather holds, that they will be finished, then we need the furnace, plumbing, water, etc. all that plus electrical wires all need totally replaced, so not holding my breath, but hoping very soon to be back home :)
~ Laurrie

Wow!

Just got back from snapping photos from today, later after kidders are out of school will take more, probably the walls will be down by this afternoon.

ok update time again :) we have some photos, here is with walls down, the plastic you see was for them to "heat" the basement enough to start laying the block as it was pretty cold out

and wallaaaa here are the new walls, the spaces you see left open are for the beams that are still holding up the house, and the empty ones are the reinforcement spots that will be filled full with rebar and cement for extra strength, something that wasn't done in 1958 originally when this home was built

here is a view from under house now looking at the new walls, the dates are on photos, I haven't done well in keeping posted as there has been so much happening so fast, those "X's" you see on walls, are the spots they have the rebar and were waiting to fill with cement

Looks like they are making a lot of progress! I'll bet you are starting to get excited?
You sure are up early! Are you too excited to sleep?
-Taylor

LOL YES!!!!!! they are moving along nicely, and Yes!! I am just sooooo excited, I lay awake at night dreaming of when I can go back home and what all I need to do and what I could be doing if I were home ;)

Laurrie, that looks so encouraging! I bet I'll be able to hear that great sigh of relief in NJ when you are back in your home.

Yes Elsie, I am sure you will, they are saying by THIS weekend!!! It will be quite the muddy mess for awhile, but in time it will all be back to normal. The house was put back down today onto new foundation, electrician was there putting in the new breaker box in basement, by friday they say they will pour the new basement floor as well as garage floor, saturday the glass block and furnace guys will be there,and hopefully by sunday the plumbing will be done YEAH!!!!

Whoopee!
I am SO happy for you! Let me know when the dust settles, and when you'd like for me to mail you a package!
-T

It's been awhile, but I am home!!!!! some things are blooming too in my gardens, I am so excited. Wanted to share that all is well and even though it was a long time to be gone and I lost all of my houseplants, exotics, etc. I couldn't be more thrilled to be back and getting back into my business!!!!!!!!!! Finally opened the store here up again and added inventory FINALLY!
Have gotten more seeds from Japan of some gorgeous Morning Glories and am so ready to plant them!!! Hopefully this year will be a wonderful year for all of us.

Thanks again to all of you wonderful DGers who offered prayers and encouragement, it really helped.

T - I am ready for a package whenever you are ready, let me know also if there is anything yet that I failed to send to you with all this confusion please and thanks!!
~Laurrie

Laurrie,
Snap us some photo's and if I can help you with your garden please let me know.Thanks,Jody

Laurrie,

I had forgotten that I was "watching" this thread and when it popped up I started reading and thought, "Oh no, not again!!!" Then I realized the same thread as before. I'm so glad to hear you are back in your house and things are going well. Would love to see some pics.

Mendy

Laurrie-
Can you please email me your address so I have it handy?
Thanks!
-Taylor

Welcome home, Laurrie (doing happy dance). What a long strange journey it has been.

Joseph

Laurrie -- I'm delighted to hear you're back home & settling in! (joining Joseph in happy dance for you) Thanks for letting us know how you're doing. Hope you have a splendid summer!

Jill

Thanks everyone! took some pictures a few days ago of the cheery blooms that survived the flooding out in front of the house, I will try to get some pictures of the actual house when the rain stops to share with you, not alltogether done, but getting there slowly!

I will try to take as many views as possible, but the only good looking part is the front flowerbed LOL, they missed it when they bulldozed the rest of the stuff over the banks :(

These greet me when I pull in to the house

and these pretties

Oh, I'm so glad at least a few things survived! I'm amazed at how the grass has come back -- nice & green -- lovely!

Laurrie,
What all did you lose? If I have anything, I'll be more than happy to share with you?
Jan...

Laurrie, I'm so happy you are back in your house. Your flowers look lovely. If there is anything I can send you please don't hesitate to ask. I have some daylilies that need a good home if you are interested. And... the ROS are showing some growth!

Hi all, yes the grass is coming back nicely, there are spots in front yard that are missing alot of soil that are slowly trying to come back, but in the very front of the house beds, there is lots of green grass and I love it.

I so far don't seem to have actually lost too much outside, amazingly enough, alot of the bulbs are even coming up and I was so sure they would have been rotted from all that water!!! The only plants I truly was sorry to loose were the Dat's and Brugs that I was overwintering, which froze (inside house) and a few shrubby bushes outside, oh I know there were little things, but no worries I will be fine!!!! Thank you all for your kindness and generosity. You are all truly wonderful folks here and I am thrilled to be a part of DG community!!!!!

Photos will be taken tomorrow when I am off work, and will post the progress, sorry everything has gotten so far behind here I think somedays I just moved here from the gitgo.

Laurrie

Well, I got finished at work earlier than planned, no rain, so took some photos to share today. Remember this is still a mess so don't think these will be real pretty LOL

Here are a couple of photos of the front of the house, elevated now by one extra basement block, still quite the disaster area, had a landscape company out to quote me a price on a new patio, we used to have a deck there that had to be removed for the rennovation. So going with pavers this time.

ps - I started painting the front door and storm door, as you can see I couldn't reach quite to the top so half isn't painted green yet :( When the rain quits I will finish that up.

This message was edited Apr 30, 2005 1:47 PM

Here is the right side, new garage door, stil need to replace the walk in door and we are putting on new siding (not positive what kind yet) the old is white and totally messy from the flood and all the muddy rain splattering

Left side of house, still haven't gotten anything started there, what a hog pen! BUT you can see some of the flowers that came back in the front bed, they brighten my day (if I don't look further at the mess LOL)

This part of the landscape sure leaves alot to be desired! But the only good thing is I start with a clean slate and after it settles I can put in some beds and get planting and transplanting, I am leaving some spots open on this end of the house for some brugs, less wind here

pond area, this did get some dirt and debri from the workers shoved into the pond, I still need to clean it all out, all my fishies escaped, they seen the opportunity and fled har har, I added a few more to it, and see that my pond plants did stick around and are coming up :)

here you can see some of the lower front yard, alot of bare spots where the dirt eroded from the flood, I will have to run one of those heavy thingies to level a little and throw down more grass seed mostly there in the front yard, nearer the house which wasn't under water quite as long, is looking really good

right side of house and garage, this will get some flowers put back there and seeded, I had a walkway down the center to the backyard before, but as you can see the stones, bricks, stepping stones and all the flowers just were run down and shoved who knows where, so this is another spot that is "start from scratch" What fun huh? LOL

This is where the front patio will eventually be, right now I am using my old pavers to outline the flowerbeds and pond area and trying to get a nice layout going, someday I will have all this finished and we will be able once again to use the front entrance. I want to add a small firepit somewhere there just for cozy evenings around a fire. It's a really big mess and it drives me crazy pulling into the house and seeing this first, so this and the new siding and roofing are high on my priority list as you might guess, after that we will pour the concrete driveway partway, then new gravel the rest of way (would love to do the whole drive but its pretty costly as long as our drive is, so hubby agreed for at least part way) yeah!!!!

OK hope you enjoyed seeing a little bit of what I see everyday, I promise as we progress, I will add more pictures!!!
Laurrie