So there we were It was a grey, overcast day and rain seemed imminent. Everybody was happily doing something in different parts of the house. People were taking turns having baths as we ususually did in the morning. I was downstairs working on the computer hoping to get my assignments done in time to play with the kids once they had all got through their morning routine.
Hubby heard the bathtub running again and was happy that the eldest was finally in the tub. Aiden was in the kitchen helping his dad with breakfast dishes. After a while I could hear the rain pouring heavily outside. We could really use some rain after this dry spell we've been having.
The eldest, who was in fact downstairs, suddenly let out a yell from the laundry room. When that happens it's usually important and we all rushed to look. I didn't even get to the doorway when someone said something about the bathroom. We looked around to see the entire family gathered at the basement door. Who was in the bathroom?
Actually, not a soul was in the bathroom in spite of the locked door. As he scrambled to find something to unlock it I realized that the rain I had been hearing was in fact water pouring through the bathroom floor into the basement. After just a few seconds, we got the bathroom door open and the pent-up inch of water on the floor washed out onto the freshly laid carpet in the corridor. The taps were turned on full in the bathtub and evidently the overflow wasn't working as the water was flowing freely over the side of the tub onto the floor and down the heating vent.
Hubby quickly went off by himself to try to cool off his rising temper while I started barking out orders. It's a wonderful thing to see the kids who are so often at odds with each other work together so well. Aiden must have realized this particular stunt hadn't gone over well as he stood by the door still as a statue. When you get to know him you'll realize that "still as a statue" is not something he does often.
While kids #2 and #3 were helping me mop up the bathroom, kids #1 and #4 helped mop up the basement. I heard later that the eldest was using an umbrella to keep from getting wet as they mopped. It must have taken a full half hour to clean up the flood with everyone, except Aiden of course, working feverishly. He stood by and watched all the activity while trying not to get knocked over.
When it was all over, we had at least 20 bath towels washed and hanging on the line and a large piece of carpet from the basement draped over the patio furniture to dry. We were very glad to note that the 20 lb bag of flour, usually stored on the floor near the freezer, had escaped the flood as well as just about all other things that seem to be allergic to water. (you know, like appliances, etc.)
Aiden was promptly taken over to the sitter that day so that nothing else would happen before this latest event got cleaned up. It could have been a whole lot worse, like the time he poured juice down the vent on the other side of the house and down into my monitor in the basement... but that's another story.
In the meantime, we are enjoying his sweet smiles and warm hugs. At the moment he is sitting beside me on the floor quietly tucking his baby doll into bed. He can even carry a tune.
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