So, I’ve been putting this off…
My topic this month is procrastination. Oh yeah, I know all about that.
Sometimes, it can actually be good to procrastinate. Or at least I tell myself that. It gives the brain some time to let ideas mill around before springing into action. This can often lead to those wonderful eureka moments when the solution to a problem seems to miraculously appear in an instant.
Unfortunately, that is not the type of procrastination that is dogging me right now. Right now, I am standing, calf-deep, in an impromptu basement swimming pool. I wish I could say this was my first rodeo, but it’s not. Almost 20 years ago, I had my whole basement redone after a flood. It took one year to fully remediate. I don’t wish that on anyone.
After the first flood, I did take steps to prevent another occurrence. I went from a single to a triple sump pump, had an internal French drain installed along with a new dry well and exterior foundation waterproofing. I kept anything that could be damaged in plastic bins and up off the floor.
Sadly, that was not enough. Now, I have plastic bins in my basement that are full of water. I tend to look on the bright side of things, so I reasoned that the water, thankfully, was quite clean and would at least get into all those dusty crevices. That thought lasted about a minute before I saw an old mousetrap float by. The kind that is like a roach motel – they go in, and you cannot see if it has an occupant. Yuck. I was standing in this stuff. So, I went to my bathroom and washed off my feet and calves. Great, I was adding more water to the drainage problem. Oh well, in the scheme of things, it probably wouldn’t have made much difference.
I congratulated myself on making calls to flood restoration services right away. Not so fast. They were already booked and would let me know when they could fit me in. This was the case with all of the companies I called. Various DIY solutions were sold out at our local Home Depot. The next morning, I hit upon the idea (thanks YouTube) of using a fountain pump. Guess what? Sold out. It really wouldn’t have mattered much – I tried heading out to the store and found most roadways blocked. How would I get this item, even if I had it delivered? So, at the moment, the only solution I could see was to wait for the water to subside.
The worst bit of procrastination regret was that I had spoken to my insurance company about getting flood insurance about a year ago. They had called me to discuss my overall coverage, and when it comes to my house, I have to admit, I will put off those things I did not initiate myself. Well, this was one of them. At the time, I thought I was too inundated with work and other priorities to go through the paperwork to set this up. That was a mistake. With the last flood, my insurance company did pick up the tab in a similar situation; however, my hopes for coverage after neglecting to get flood insurance dwindled. I knew the total cost of the prior remediation. It was about a semester of college. I had not planned for this.
So, what can I say? Especially if I am desperately trying to find the silver lining. I don’t know. I guess you live, you learn. Sometimes it takes a few lessons though before it sinks in.
Her Nexx Chapter invites you to join our free Community where women from around the world are connecting with each other’s stories, exploring different experiences, and transforming ideas.
The Future of Connection for Women
- Hit a Motivation Slump? Silence Your Inner Critic, Speak with Your Internal Optimist and Move Forward - April 4, 2022
- The Regret of Procrastination or How I Wish I Had Gotten Flood Insurance - March 18, 2022
- How to Recognize the Signs of Suicidal Ideation on World Suicide Prevention Day - September 10, 2021
Follow us:
