Monday, May 30, 2016

A Classic "Awfulizing" Event

The term "awfulizing" was introduced to me by
my cousin Sarah.
I feel that you will find it most useful if you are
 anything like me (and Sarah.)


"Awfulizing" probably needs no explanation, but
I shall go ahead and explain anyway.
It involves mentally making the worst out of any
situation in which one finds one's self.
I found myself with a grand opportunity to
awfulize last Saturday night.


As usual, I was headed to bed a leetle late.
I walked into my closet and...uh oh!
The carpet was wet right down the middle.
I mean really wet.
I consider myself quite good (I rarely am) at
figuring out what the problem is.
But this one had me totally stumped.
It was too late to call anyone, so the
only thing left to do was go to bed and...
you guessed it...awfulize.


Here I go...
The first and worst scenario was a slab leak.
That happened in the kitchen a few years ago,
and it was truly AWFUL.
Yes, jackhammering up the floor in the closet
where my best clothes are.
All that awful concrete dust.
Would I just cover the clothes, or would I have to
take them all out?
Where would I put them?
And cousin Sarah is due here Thursday to
see "Dolly!"
Ohhh!  The mess would be worse than awful.


At some point I attempted to go to bed.
Five minutes later I remembered that I had
glanced up at the ceiling of the closet
and noticed a long water stain.
Had it been there before?
I didn't remember ever seeing it.
So I got up and went upstairs to make sure
the water heater pan was not overflowing.
Nary a drop in it.
How could water get from the upstairs to
the middle of the downstairs closet anyway?
I went back to bed.  But not to sleep.


Back in bed I wondered:
Would the ceiling in the closet collapse, 
(water from above) 
or
would I wake up and step out of bed
into ankle deep water in the whole house
(water from below)
in the morning?


Back in bed again--this time I think:
I am such a dummy!
I just need to turn the water off!
 I could get by without water tonight.
Only problem--I DON'T KNOW HOW!


After having thought of every possible bad scenario,
I somehow, some way drifted off to sleep.
 I awoke to an intact ceiling, and I
stepped out of my bed onto dry ground.
The closet carpet was significantly squishier,
but I was able to get ready for church and go!


As soon as I left church, I called my #1 line of defense:
Rob, my beloved son in law.
Rob has built houses, but I was just sure
(still awfulizing) that since I could not figure
this problem out, he would not be able to either!


Oh me of little faith.
Rob came.  In short order, Rob conquered.
All while I was in Granbury enjoying Hello Dolly!
I still do not understand, but it had something to do
with a drain in the water heater closet upstairs,
but having to do with the air conditioning,
 being stopped up.
I think.
Rob had even found a fan and had it busily
drying the carpet when I got home.
What a relief!!!



All that anguish.  All that wasted sleep.
I am just NEVER going to awfulize like that again!
(I somehow sense that none of you are believing that...
as well you shouldn't!)