Tiny House—almost washed away

Friday night to Saturday morning—apparently it rained. I was up under the eaves fast asleep. I awoke early to write and found the world weirdly silent. I opened the door and even without the drip drip of rain sensed wetness, the smell of water. I grabbed a headlamp which did nothing to penetrate the darkness, but I knew: the backyard was flooded as happens in the spring. Vernal ponding because of the amount of clay underground. We’re also in a little bit of a bowl. The last owners left us with a sump pump—for good reason. We’ve needed it in the spring and after large rain events. This time we had both.

When the sun came up, dreary and bleak weak, I was able to see the edge of the pond licking the fire pit only feet from my Tiny House. At just that moment my daughter called to say there was water in the basement. They have a sump pump but it must’ve failed—just as we have a sump pump in the backyard and at the moment it too must’ve failed. I texted our neighbor to say we were bailing out the basement and she said they were too. Her husband spoke with my son-in-law out in the driveway—where could they direct the water if he went to get a high-powered pump? It was decided out into the street—we do not have storm sewers—but the pavement would at least carry the water down and away. I left for work before they’d got the bigger pump up and working. I worried that my house might wash away.

All Saturday morning at work I heard stories of houses—some in my neighborhood!—that had taken on water. The next street over butts up against the Red Cedar River, which was over it’s banks, already high and not due to crest until Tuesday.

In the end we were lucky compared to some who got hit hard. Cars and houses partially under water. The system the guys set up worked!! A constant flow of water into the street helped almost drain the pond in the back. The stuff in the basement nearly dry. The only casualty: rolls of wrapping paper. The shed took on 3-4 inches but the lawn mower looks like it’ll work and most everything in there was in plastic tubs or up high.

Sunday, Easter morn, I went out on my bike and the river is very high and there is still plenty of standing water; I rode through three big patches on the bike trail, which soaked my feet, leaving my toes icy cold. By the time I got home it was sleeting. I took a hot shower and had a cup of hot chocolate, knowing I didn’t have to go out again in the cold! Safe and sound.

nearby apartment parking lot