My Cup is Overflowing...And so is my Toilet

A few days ago, we discovered that our septic tank was overflowing. Into our basement. Fortunately, it was contained to the basement bathroom, and after having the plumber and septic pumping people out, it appeared to have been resolved.

Jimmy wasn't too happy with this whole scenario. Oh, he seemed to take it all in stride, as he does most things. But every once in a while, he would make a comment that indicated that he wasn't really taking it in stride.

"B, what did O flush down the toilet lately?" he'd ask pointedly.

"Just Spiderman, Dad", B informed him with a shrug. "I sink it was Spiderman. Cause I haven't seen him in a while. But it could have been the green guy. I don't know where he is either"

I consider adding that it could have also been a toy car, because O has developed a fondness for flushing those down the toilet lately, too, but I decide there's probably not much to be gained by relaying this information.

Personally, I was just happy that someone was flushing.

So of course now Jimmy is convinced that Spiderman is the cause of our septic back up.

I, on the other hand, know the real reason.

Our septic backed up because, just a day or so earlier, the mom of one of N's friends told me all about her own recent septic issues. A flooded basement. An expensive visit from the plumber. New carpeting. And then, she asked how I was. And I, in all my stupidity, said

"Well, my septic hasn't backed up lately, so I guess I'm pretty good".

So, then, you know, my septic backed up.

We thought we had it resolved. And then, yesterday, we noticed a little water in the basement bathtub. And it wasn't the kind of water that would have been there after someone used the bathtub.

Unless that someone was really, really dirty.

So we figured our septic issues weren't really resolved, though they seemed much better than they had been.

Then today, I took O to Caca's, and N to school, and  B and I went to the "meet and greet" at his preschool. I checked the basment before I left. In spite of the fact that I took a quick shower this morning (sorry, septic issues or no septic issues, I was not going to our first day of preschool smelly), there was no water in the bathtub.

So we went to preschool, where B apparently hid in the corner for an hour while I went to the parent orientation across the hall. When we were done, I peaked in to see how B was doing. I couldn't see him anywhere. After a few minutes, the kids lined up to leave. Still couldn't see him anywhere. Eventually, as they were all filing out into the hall, he appeared, and hugged me, and told me he only cried for a few minutes, which made me want to cry for more than a few minutes.

As we left, I mentioned how nice his teacher seemed. She is a retired kindergarten teacher who came out of retirement to teach pre school part time. She has a wealth of knowledge and many years of experience. B looked at me and said "She's nice, mom, but I wonder where the other lady is. The one we saw the last time".

The last time was the day we signed him up, when we met with the director, an attractive, fortyish woman with long blonde hair.

"You know the one I mean, mom. The one who's hair falls down when she moves her head"

I tell him that was the director, and ask if he liked her, too.

He nods.

"I liked her mom, because she was really pretty".

Forget nice. Forget experienced. And forget knowledgeable. I now know exactly what kind of teacher this child needs.

A hot one.

I make a mental note to go through N's yearbook to find the most attractive kindergarten teacher for next year.

We pick up O from Caca's and head home. I put the boys down for a nap, and Jimmy arrives home a few minutes later, though I don't recognise him at first. In fact, I think he has the wrong house. I look him over. Looks like Jimmy. I look around and make sure I'm in the right house.

Yup, no one's cleaned the kitchen yet today. Must be ours.

I look at Jimmy again and accept that it must be him...even though he has flowers in his hand and is holding them out to me.

I eye the flowers suspiciously. I know I'm not supposed to do this. I know I'm just supposed to say thank you, and take them, and put them in a vase. But well, he just doesn't do flowers. In fact, the last time he brought me flowers was when our septic overflowed two years ago. That time, it ruined our carpet.

In other words, I generally have to put up with a whole lot of shit before I get flowers.

In spite of my suspicions, I did remember to say thank you. I smelled the flowers. I told him they were beautiful.

I wondered where the hell I could find a vase.

And then I said "What did you do?"

Because it's really just not like him to bring me flowers for no reason.

A few scenarios came to mind.

He found the flowers on the side of the road.

He needed change and decided to ask the guy selling flowers at the intersection rather than go into a store.

There really is a reason for the flowers, and I just don't know what it is yet.

Of course, the other scenario is just that he loves me, and he was thinking of me.

I decide to go with that one.

As it turns out, Jimmy only came home to give me the flowers. Then he had to go back to work. But first, he wanted to pour acid down our basement bathtub to hopefully clear whatever small clog remained.

So he went downstairs, and I immediately hear a slew of cussing which tells me that the clog probably wasn't as small as we thought.

In fact, while we were all out, the septic system had been overflowing into our basement. This time it got the carpet in the family room.

Again.

He asked me what happened. I reminded him that we weren't home.

He asked me if I took a shower.

I reminded him that he was still here when I did. And the water didn't overflow then.

He tells me someone had to put something down there.

I tell him that all two year olds, four year olds, and spidermen were accounted for.

He doesn't laugh.

Instead, he tells me that he's sorry, but he really has to go back to work.

And he does.

Which means I'm the one left to mop up the basement, and the one left to decide that Jimmy was probably right when he said we should have just put tile in the basement instead of putting in new carpet the last time this happened.

I think I should go get towels to clean this mess.

And bleach.

And I wish I hadn't left that pile of dirty clothes on the floor near the washer, since I probably need to throw them out now.

Or at least wash them.

If I actually had a septic system that would let me use my washer.

I'm thinking about all of this, as I walk upstairs and sit down at the computer. And decide to blog about it all instead.

At least I got flowers today. And I was right. There was a reason I got them.

I just didn't know what it was yet.

But now I do.