Let's Swim in Our Basement

Good morning, readers! It's Saturday. Rainy, yet refreshing. Everything is green again and looking great. Hubby Mac and I are going to take a drive through the beautiful national cemetery today to snap some photos of the vibrant fall colors displayed in trees and bushes. I love the colors fall brings. Hopefully there will be deer frolicking through the grass while we're there. 

Yesterday brought about a bold yet scary action on my part. I have been connected with my business for years and finally separated myself from it, permanently. I know I reported a while back that I had been selling what was left of inventory. Well, yesterday I followed that all through by letting go completely. I deleted my Facebook page for the online store. 

Now is the time to move forward, to release the old and bring in the new. I am not finished with my jewelry journey, however. Designing and making my own is a hobby I found years ago that I genuinely loved. I posted a few pieces I had made on Facebook and several of my friends began to claim their favorites. I sold the pieces I had within a couple of days. Right after that, I began to sell jewelry for Paparazzi after my oldest daughter suggested it for me. I loved it and did have fun, but it's not the same as being able to create your own and see the smiles of those who buy it. It gives me great joy to see others around me happy. Isn't that what life is about, after all? 

The shop I want to open will come to fruition soon. Nothing huge. Simple and laid back. I have the name and a few designs in mind already. It will be a new adventure and that is always fun. 

My sweet man is very supportive of the things that make me happy. I adore and love him for that. He is genuinely the kindest, most thoughtful and loving man I have ever known. In return, I love to see him happy as well. While it sounds like a perfect union, the true test will be when I begin beading and having supplies in large quantities in the office. The shop is a simple thought, a design, a fantasy at this point. But if you follow the blog, you know I'm the queen of procrastination. We'll see in the end if it all comes to fruition. 

Now, back to our Saturday. Today is the Oregon Ducks, Cal Golden Bears game. Can't wait! It has been pouring down rain today. Enough that we chose not to go to the cemetery to take photos. Can't get out of the car to take pics because the rain is coming down hard. We are balking at the thought of taking them through the window and we are definitely not going to stick the phone outside the window to get photos either. The car would get drenched. 

It has rained so hard today that I heard the sump pump kick on in the basement. For those of you in Oregon, a sump pump is an odd commodity. Typically basements are not a thing in Oregon as well, but the sump pump is definitely a unique item in those basements, although a great idea. The basement in this house has small "trenches" built around the concrete flooring that run along the walls. I giggled when I moved in, as it was strange to me to consider the concept of raining so hard the trenches would be needed. I examined the sump pump a few times and could not understand how that would work should it rain. It's Oregon for weather's sake. It rains. 

Well, today I learned what that entire set up is for. Oh, my, did I figure out what it was for. During and after the Oregon game, I heard the sump pump kick on several times. I opened the basement door very slowly, not sure what I would run into. There is a river running through our house!

The pump cannot keep up with the amount of water rushing into the basement. Pumping the water out, the pump seems to be spraying the water into a hole in the wall and onto the dirt in behind that wall. Now, I'm not a genius or anything, but I am watching the water flowing into the pump, getting sucked up into the pump hose, being sprayed out onto the other side of the wood and concrete brick wall, and then watching it flow back into the trench on this side of the wall where it began. Call me ignorant, but does that not defeat the entire purpose of pumping it out if it flows right back into the basement? Hey, but I'm just a girl. I guess I'll leave the genius up to the men in charge. 

I have a fountain of sorts in my basement now. Awesome. The electricity has cut in and out a couple of times along with the water running through the basement area. I like rain storms, but this isn't fun. Our hope is that the electricity remains on throughout the night. I didn't realize the storm was that bad. Typical Oregon weather actually. Either that or the city electric just cannot handle any type of weather. Interesting, to say the least. 

So the Oregon Ducks won again. Unfortunately, the game had a gruesome turn of events. Cal's Javian Thomas was tackled and then fumbled the ball. Once everyone got up, he remained lifeless on the field. He didn't move the entire time both teams gathered around him and medical team members began to investigate how deep the injuries may lie. He was taken off the field wearing a neck brace and still no movement. Sending good healing vibes his way and hope that he is not injured permanently. Like I have said before, love the game but hate the harsh reality that it is a dangerous sport. Bless his heart and here's to his health and return. 

Oregon finished the game with a good lead of 65 to 13, Cal. Final score. While it is a win, my heart is hurting for the young man who was injured during game play. Hats off to you, Javian. 

Congratulations, Ducks. 

Until the next post, please take care of yourselves and love those around you. 

My granddaughter, Madison, taken many years ago.