I haven't had the easiest life.
My eyesight isn't what it used to be. High blood pressure, skipping heartbeat...etc.
But I always had my books.
Nicholas Basbanes once called the love of books A Gentle Madness.
In his book Patience and Fortitude he talks about books ruined by water IIRC.
Thus my story begins. Water and I don't get along, you see. Water always seems to know where my favorite books are.
A long time ago, my Dad once bought me a book on galaxies at a yard sale. I had it propped against the wall up by the bed. Just under a window with an air conditioner. It rained one night, the water found a way in--and soaked the book. I've never heard of a water leak forming directly over a trash can, have you?
After my parents died, I moved to a townhome. Workmen put my simple refrigerator in place of one that had a water and ice maker. After finding a floor full of water, I moved my refridge, to notice that the water hose that went to the previous tenant's reefer was simply tied in a knot.
The poor dear had an aneurysm.
That was leak number two.
Oh, and...by the way---my refer' crapped out about a year ago. No replacement. But I endured.
Leak number three came when a water hose from my washer also suffered a case of atherosclerosis, and dutifully spilled its contents. The following winter, I cut the water off above the replacement hose, so as to not have the problem again. The washer never did anything but buzz when everything was turned back on.
But, I coped.
The fourth leak was the worst...for a long time that is.
The one day of the year I was a hundred miles from home, the water heater went.
The trip was to my Aunt's house. (Sister to my late mother). The only part of the conversation I had with her that I remember, was of her asking me how things were going:
"Annie, everything would be all right if things would just quit tearing up."
Some Bastard up there heard me....of that I'm convinced. I had put some print outs on the kitchen floor, temporarily, before I went on the trip.
Soaked.
My Aunt? Yeah--she's dead too, now.
But the toilets are the worst. The bottom floor toilet gave me fits, and ass-crack plumber never could get it sealed.
But what happened to me this past Monday was pure disaster.
I worked all night Sunday. I took two sleeping pills and headed for bed around Nine Monday morning. Around 1:30 PM (same day) I awoke to the sound of water gushing.
"Is that rain, I said to myself?"
Of course not.
The hose to the upstairs toilet went. The two upper bedrooms have carpeting soaked, and a slow motion collapse of the sheet rock ceiling of the first floor began, and water started ruining my many, precious books...panels landing on my little toy ships---crushing them.
I'm in credit card hell, all but maxed out after health scares and a woman two doors down who left--but whose debt remains with me. I live in a swamp now, hot and humid. Water got into the central heat/AC that I didn't use much, due to freon leaks.
Something similar happened to poor Henry Petroski, who came home to a house full of water.
Ironically, he is an engineer specializing in failure analysis.
I know that because a magazine called AMERICAN SCIENTIST (Sigma Xi of which he is a Member) had an article of his in it: https://www.americanscientist.org/magazine/issues/2019/may-june
At least that didn't get wet.
It was in my car.
My eyesight isn't what it used to be. High blood pressure, skipping heartbeat...etc.
But I always had my books.
Nicholas Basbanes once called the love of books A Gentle Madness.
In his book Patience and Fortitude he talks about books ruined by water IIRC.
Thus my story begins. Water and I don't get along, you see. Water always seems to know where my favorite books are.
A long time ago, my Dad once bought me a book on galaxies at a yard sale. I had it propped against the wall up by the bed. Just under a window with an air conditioner. It rained one night, the water found a way in--and soaked the book. I've never heard of a water leak forming directly over a trash can, have you?
After my parents died, I moved to a townhome. Workmen put my simple refrigerator in place of one that had a water and ice maker. After finding a floor full of water, I moved my refridge, to notice that the water hose that went to the previous tenant's reefer was simply tied in a knot.
The poor dear had an aneurysm.
That was leak number two.
Oh, and...by the way---my refer' crapped out about a year ago. No replacement. But I endured.
Leak number three came when a water hose from my washer also suffered a case of atherosclerosis, and dutifully spilled its contents. The following winter, I cut the water off above the replacement hose, so as to not have the problem again. The washer never did anything but buzz when everything was turned back on.
But, I coped.
The fourth leak was the worst...for a long time that is.
The one day of the year I was a hundred miles from home, the water heater went.
The trip was to my Aunt's house. (Sister to my late mother). The only part of the conversation I had with her that I remember, was of her asking me how things were going:
"Annie, everything would be all right if things would just quit tearing up."
Some Bastard up there heard me....of that I'm convinced. I had put some print outs on the kitchen floor, temporarily, before I went on the trip.
Soaked.
My Aunt? Yeah--she's dead too, now.
But the toilets are the worst. The bottom floor toilet gave me fits, and ass-crack plumber never could get it sealed.
But what happened to me this past Monday was pure disaster.
I worked all night Sunday. I took two sleeping pills and headed for bed around Nine Monday morning. Around 1:30 PM (same day) I awoke to the sound of water gushing.
"Is that rain, I said to myself?"
Of course not.
The hose to the upstairs toilet went. The two upper bedrooms have carpeting soaked, and a slow motion collapse of the sheet rock ceiling of the first floor began, and water started ruining my many, precious books...panels landing on my little toy ships---crushing them.
I'm in credit card hell, all but maxed out after health scares and a woman two doors down who left--but whose debt remains with me. I live in a swamp now, hot and humid. Water got into the central heat/AC that I didn't use much, due to freon leaks.
Something similar happened to poor Henry Petroski, who came home to a house full of water.
Ironically, he is an engineer specializing in failure analysis.
I know that because a magazine called AMERICAN SCIENTIST (Sigma Xi of which he is a Member) had an article of his in it: https://www.americanscientist.org/magazine/issues/2019/may-june
At least that didn't get wet.
It was in my car.
