Mountain Lane Homesteaders

Why halloween reminds me to be thankful...

October here in Northwest Montana seems to be the month for rain.  This year we are still trying to finish our septic system before winter sets in.  Last year it was THE ROOF.  We finally had all the wood for the decking ready and were doing our best to get it all assembled so we could put on the metal roof.  We had almost half of the boards nailed on and were steadily working away at the rest.

I mentioned in my last entry our frustrations with rain constantly coming inside the cabin.  It made no difference to me whether it was coming from above and leaking through the tarps, often coming in around the area where our chimney went through the floor and dripping down onto the wood stove, or whether it was blowing in under (or through) our homemade door.  Rain in the house is rain in the house no matter HOW it got there!  Mostly it was a nuisance and somewhat aggravating. 

At some point during the month we got the 2nd half of our cabin cleared out of all the tools and were finally able to move our bed in.  The kids were still using the mats and sleeping bags since the loft wasn't yet complete.  The addition of our bed right near the wood stove made everything a little easier simply because there was finally someplace cozy to be in our otherwise mostly bare necessity living quarters.

Changing subjects, but not really, what images come to mind when you think of halloween night?  Maybe cold and windy or quietly eerie with leaves blowing frantically while a drizzle starts to fall?  Yes......and more.

Last year, halloween day started out with the drizzles.  As was typical for us, some places were leaking and I had several pans playing a musical ensemble of various pitches of drip noises.  I phoned Sam at work and left a message with one of his co-workers to tell Sam that it was raining in the house again but just the same old drips.  I was cheerful and Darlene commented that at least I was laughing and said she would pass on my message.  Then I went to my bible study and afterward stopped at the grocery store and found some plastic buckets on the dollar shelf.  I was excited to go home and reclaim my kitchen pots by replacing them with the buckets.  Well, let's just say that by that time I was not replacing pots but rather adding the buckets to the new areas that were now leaking in.  I went about my afternoon and emptied the pots or buckets when they started to get full.  The kids came home from school, and we started talking about the Harvest Festival that we were planning on going to that night.  I spent some time fixing my daughters hair and for a time, forgot about my bucket dumping routine.  When I finally turned to look, the rain was no longer dripping steadily into the buckets but rather running in.  We all started dumping buckets but by this time they were useless.  To say I panicked would be an understatement.  I grabbed the phone and called Sam.  Darlene answered the phone again and all I said was, "I'm not laughing any more." 

As Sam related this part of the story to me later he said that Darlene came to his desk, looked him straight in the eyes, and in a most serious voice told him that Darcy was not laughing ANY MORE!  Sam phoned me up and I made my plea for him to DO SOMETHING.  I was thinking gobs of towels.  When Sam hung up the phone, he said he turned around and both Cathy (his boss) and Darlene were pointing at the front door.  In other words, these ladies were right there putting themselves in my shoes and there was no question in their minds of where Sam should be at that moment.  Yeah for girl power!!!

There was nothing the kids and I could do.  There was absolutely no containing the water.  Sam called a neighbor who came by with some more buckets and a bunch of towels but it really just didn't matter.  Ultimately her being here had more to do with keeping me sane than drying up water.  When Sam got home he says he remembers us all sitting at the dining room table singing.  I have a vauge memory of that.  I think I was trying to make the best out of it all and if I had been able to find my umbrellas we would have been sitting there underneath them while singing but at least we could all join in a hearty "SINGING IN THE RAIN, JUST SINGING IN THE RAIN........" to greet Sam as he walked in the door.

That night, I looked around and knew that it was going to be nothing but miserable for myself and the kids to sit there watching the rain come in while an emergency roofing crew gathered from our church to help get the last of the decking in place.  So, as planned, the kids and I went into town and attended the harvest festival at a local church.  We arrived back home a couple of hours later in the rain and darkness.  The guys had every single lantern, flashlight, and generator lit spotlight outside so there was no light to see by in the house.  There was also no place dry.  Except one.

As I looked around at soggy box bottoms, wet clothing, and even wetter sleeping bags, the one place of refuge was our cozy bed.  Of all things, the one area directly above our bed was completely dry.  So I blew out the candle and told the kids to climb in.  We all just stayed there until Sam came in too and moved a couple of them out and onto the areas right next to the bed into the driest sleeping bags we had.  The decking was finally all in place and new rain was no longer getting in.  Now as we drifted off to sleep it was only the sound of the water that had already gathered on the loft floor that was continuing to find it's way through. 

I woke the next morning to a small hand in mine saying "Mommy...I'm wet" and I knew it had a different meaning than it did during those toddler years!  The leaking in had ceased, but with the morning light I could see the results of the previous day's devestation.  Absolutely everything was soaked......except our bed. 

It was a week day.  A work day.  I turned and looked at Sam with wide eyes and said, "I can't do this alone."  Then came the slow nodding of his head and the most comforting words, "I know.  I'll call Cathy."

So this year, as halloween approaches and we scramble to finish our septic and gather our firewood, we are grateful to be dry as we remember back with thankfulness the friends that helped put the rest of the decking on that night, the friend who sat with me while the rain poured in, the boss who cares about us as a family, the ability to laugh and sing during the trial if only for a moment, and also the angels of mercy that stood on the floor of our loft all night long holding up some kind of covering just over the area of our bed.

May we always be so blessed.

Untitled Comment

11:47 AM, Tuesday, October 17, 2006 .. Posted by southernbelle

Well I can't read this without just saying praise the Lord. I'm thankful too for a nice dry home. I hope you get your ceptic tank finished asap!

Beautiful!

10:31 PM, Tuesday, October 17, 2006 .. Posted by Ashli

I have read a lot of your posts, and tried to catch up the past few days, and I am just enjoying your writings and thoughts so, so much. I'm so glad that this year you get to celebrate what you have, and that you can remember the blessings that have come along. You and your family are truly an inspiration to me and my family. Thank you for that, and God bless you all!

Okay, no more complaints from me

9:23 AM, Wednesday, October 18, 2006 .. Posted by teapots66

Darcy, when you said "been there, done that," you really meant it! Your rain story definitely trumps my rain trauma. Thanks for reminding me to be thankful for all things, including dry beds at night (which we had, too). Thank GOD for those emergency church crews! They are the best blessing of all. -Hugs, Chris

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12:28 PM, Wednesday, October 18, 2006 .. Posted by BuzyMumof3sons

Hi Darcy,
Well, I'm very happy that you will have a dry Oct. 31st this year. I pray that your septic gets completed before the end of the month! I do enjoy reading how things are going!
God Bless your family!

Priceless memories

9:13 PM, Wednesday, October 18, 2006 .. Posted by MissionaryMom

Darcy, that is the best thing I have ever read about Halloween. You have a sweet dh, and those memories are priceless.

Carol

Edited by MissionaryMom on Wednesday, October 18, 2006 at 11:14 PM

Wow

2:10 PM, Thursday, October 19, 2006 .. Posted by bethsbrightside

What a challenging time! I *almost* envy you, for your family will never forget the hard times and bonding that takes place as everyone works together and pitches in.

I won't feel dreary on this rainy day...lol. At least the rain is outside! Best wishes to you all in your homestead building. =-)