A Serious Problem

As the boys and I turned to walk down the street today Jaxon brought a very serious problem to my attention. Water. Everywhere. Our front side park strip was completely flooded. Water was running over the curb and down the gutter. Brian had just finished wiring the last of the sprinklers early this morning and was now headed for an interview in SLC. Ah, rats! Not only was it flooding our park strip, but our neighbors grass was just as flooded in his park strip. Immediately I called Brian.

"Does it look like it's coming from our box?"

"Uh, I think so."

"Okay. Grab my wrench from the toolbox. You're going to have to shut off the water."

Leaving Ryker on the sidewalk in the stroller and Jaxon watching the water, I dashed inside to grab the wrench.

With the wrench in hand, I put the phone on the curb and waded into the murky, muddy water. I couldn't see anything inside the secondary water box so I just had to feel around through the mud until I located what I thought must be the turn off valve.

Meanwhile, back on the side walk.....

Ryker is crying in the stroller and Jaxon is yelling, "Mom! This a serious problem!"

With water past my ankles, feet stuck in the mud, reaching in past my elbow I tugged and pulled at that valve and it wouldn't budge. Cell phone on the curb, Brian giving directions, Ryker crying, Jaxon continuously yelling, "Mom! We are having a very serious problem!"...I'm feeling a little helpless.

Brian finally has to go into the interview so he tells me to call Hooper Water, because it's not a problem from our sprinklers. When the nice man knocks on my door he says, "Um, yeah. It's not our problem. We are in charge of the good water. You've got a bad water problem." Great.

Luckily he went ahead and called West Point City whose problem it actually was....or so we thought. The boys and I were able to mellow out a bit after a nice peanut butter and honey sandwich while we waited for the water guy to show.

Two city trucks and 3 city workers came to the rescue. After successfully shutting off our secondary water the workers realized that the source of all the water might just be coming from our next door neighbor. Sure enough, upon further inspection it turns out that the neighbors backyard is completely flooded and running into the front yard.

Not exactly my idea of a mud bath, but I suppose it will do.