Happy Valentine's Day!

-- helen (hearts@and.flowers), February 14, 2002

Answers

Red AND italics? You go girl!

Happy Valentine's Day FRLians.

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), February 15, 2002.

Showoff!

MMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhHHHH!!!!

;-)

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-- Lon Frank (lgal@exp.net), February 15, 2002.

Can Mike the Mule speak italics?

-- R. A. Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (racookpe@earthlink.net), February 15, 2002.

:-(

I opened this hoping it would be a story!

I want a STORY!

:-(

(Who said I was older than 2 emotionally? :-)

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), February 16, 2002.

Helen, I think Tricia has a point! It's about time for one of your stories!! Pleeaazzeeeee???????

-- Aunt Bee (Aunt__Bee@hotmail.com), February 16, 2002.

We're having a story. I swear we're having a story ... but I need some help fast!

Long story. Grandma used to tell about the snake in the jelly cabinet. It was really funny. She always started out with "You know how the dirt washes in under the corner of the pump room?" And we would always nod, so she'd get to the part about the snake in the jelly cabinet.

Well folks, we shoulda said "No, Grandma, how does the dirt wash in under the corner of the pump room?" We were kids, how could we know that someday in our middle age we would be standing there looking at dirt IN the pump room? Dirt washed in over the last thirty years while were chuckling over the snake in the jelly cabinet. After a few decades, the level of the dirt exceeded the height of the floor. Then the dirt came right into the house without so much as calling to see if we up for a visit.

So instead of getting that story out, folks, I've been digging a heck of a ditch on the outside of the pump room while my husband has been knocking dry-rotted wood floors out of the inside of the pump room.

Which is where the I really need some help here part comes in ... do any of you have experience with keeping water/dirt from washing into your house on a permanent basis? I mean, other than moving to the desert? Like, after I finish the emergency ditch, I'm looking at having to remove a 20' by 20' square foot area of dirt about six inches deep -- or do something else to keep the water from rolling down the hill and into the pump room.

It may be time to beg Mr. Fixit himself ... MITCH!

-- helen (dirty@stubby.fingernails), February 16, 2002.

"do any of you have experience with keeping water/dirt from washing into your house on a permanent basis? I mean, other than moving to the desert? "

Um, no Helen, I ALREADY live in the desert! LOL! Sorry to hear ya got another trial on yer hands! Ok, ok, we'll wait for the story! Wish I could help ya!

-- Aunt Bee (Aunt__Bee@hotmail.com), February 16, 2002.

-- nope (not@me.no.way), February 18, 2002.

HTML fixer ;-)

-- Tricia the Canuck (nuh@nuh.huh), February 18, 2002.

Helen, without seeing it in person its hard to say but some thoughts are to remove soil to creat a swail, which is a shallow gentled sided ditch away from the house to divert the water around the structure. A coil of roof flashing metal can be installed vertically aganist the house as a shield. Thick grass will prevent water flow. Mule kissing is still illegal in 17 states.

-- mitch hearn (moopups@citlink.net), February 21, 2002.

Thank you, Mitch! The swail thingy just might work, and the flashing is definitely doable. Mule kissing is illegal because it's so darn fun it had to be regulated.

-- helen (tired@wanna.live.in.the.city), February 21, 2002.