Last night, just as I was getting into the shower, a loud alarm went off. I went all over the apartment looking for the source. This went on for about thirty minutes.
Finally I figured out it was in the closet where my AC and water heater is. But I couldn’t figure out what to do to stop it.
If it had been a smoke alarm making that much noise, I would have whacked it with my broom.
I called emergency maintenance. But I could barely hear him talk it was so loud.
He asked me to look down at the floor, which had water everywhere, and turn over this white plastic thing. I did and it stopped. Thank goodness.
My AC that is indoors in a closet is setting on a piece of wood above my water heater. It has been shored up in the past, I noticed, with pieces of wood. The wood holding up the air conditioner was dripping water.
He said it was a stoppage in a drain and fixed it.
A Water Leak From Upstairs:
A few days ago Ivy noticed something in the doorway between the dining space and the kitchen.
I finally went over to look and water from the above apartment was slowly dripping down the doorway.
When the maintenance man came, he said he’d go check upstairs to check, because obviously that was the source. I never heard another word from him, but I guess it’s fixed.
It left a yellowish-brown spot on my carpet that I cleaned.
So, to make an everlastingly long story short, what Ivy and I heard was a water sensor alarm.
What Is A Water Sensor Alarm?
What is a water sensor/detector? I’d never heard of it before. A water detector is a special electronic device that sets off an alarm when its sensor detects the presence of water.
Apparently with a water alarm you can find out about a slow leak in a slab, a water heater or a pipe.
Before all this I was outside with my plants deadheading and cutting back long spindly petunias.
And thinking how very happy my plants make me. If my plants were animals I’d probably be petting the leaves.
Putting Things In Perspective:
But all this is rather minor when you think of other sad events going on in the world. There are wars and people dying.
People lose their homes due to natural disasters and end up with nothing.
Lone gunmen walk into stores and churches and schools and randomly shoot innocent people.
Maybe they are mad at someone or just the world. Perhaps they feel marginalized for whatever reason.
But somehow they seem to think shooting people will make things better. Or maybe it’s just their final act of defiance and hatred.
We’ll probably never know why. Because more often than not, they do not live to tell the tale.
My Place Of Serenity
I snipped chives for my mashed potatoes last night. It added a nice little zinger to them.
I pulled sad blooms off the impatiens to encourage more blooms. And then I pulled the long hose down from the other end, attached my water hose/sprayer to it, and watered my plants.
I love listening to the fountain while I gaze at my plants. Can you believe I’m using pink instead of red this year?
I did it because Ron and Pat switched from red to pink hibiscus topiary plants this year. And I wanted things to look cohesive.
Pink, I’ve found, is actually growing on me. I rather like the color now.
I like to sit outside and look at what the neighbors have planted in their yards. And watch the pink petunias wave at me in the breeze.
Brenda, I read your blog earlier and it rattled around in my brain all day. I completely agree with putting things in perspective. I always count my blessings and like you my home is my haven and I appreciate the simple things. I live in a little brick ranch home in a rural community of 36 homes. It takes about 10 minutes to get to the grocery store and one of the smallest Walmarts they built on the East Coast. We only had 2 traffic lights in the whole county when we moved here. I grew up in the suburbs and I am not a shopper so the lack of stores has not been a dealbreaker for the last 28 years that we have enjoyed living here. The people born in this county always had a saying to keep it country and they were right. Unfortunately, the trash from the neighboring more populated counties are coming into the county to cause trouble. So friends enjoy your family, pets, gardens and make your home your haven.
I love pink too! It’s my most fave for flowers, but I do mix in some red, as red and pink geraiums go beautifully together (I think!). I also like to mix in some purples and yellows.. and love my orange and yellow nasturtiams when they come up in late summer…. they don’t even seem to clash with the pink things. it’s all just so bright and beautiful and the mix of colors is just wonderful to behold.. I love mixes of colors! Marilyn
Alarms seem to go off at the worst times…we came home to the fire alarms going off way up on our 12ft high ceilings at about midnight getting in from a cross country trip by air…exhausted!! Fortunately one of them was up maybe 9 ft or so in our bedroom so hubby climbed up a rickety set of things we put together to reach it and took it out…the owner who was way taller than we are, had to bring his orchard ladder to reach the living room one the next day. NOT FUN!! Glad your situation seems fixed…hope the leaks won’t cause a mold issue.
I would hate to have ceilings that high. I can imagine all sorts of things that could go wrong and you couldn’t reach it way up there. Like changing light bulbs!
Glad you had Ivy and the alarm to let you know there was a leak! Your garden is very lovely and I am so glad you can access the water hose – but please be careful w it! There is something very uplifting about being outside in nice weather:-) and I hope your garden continues to give you much happiness!
P.S. I am a pink girl – welcome to the club:-)
I don’t know why I had a thing against pink. Maybe because girls were supposed to wear it. I’m enjoying my garden before it gets too humid to take photos because the lens fog over.
I’m impressed you were able to hook up your garden house and water your plants! That must mean your ankle is feeling much better. Truly great news! Your flowers look lovely. I especially like the purple one, as that’s my favorite color. It has so many blooms! Please show us a picture after they all open. I agree with Jan. Make sure your maintenance man keeps an eye out for mold. You definately don’t want to deal with that! Nasty stuff!
My favorite color outside in the garden is purple. Something so soothing about seeing purple against green back drops.
Glad to hear the leak was resolved. Be careful pulling on that hose! Your gardening skills are amazing.
I think it’s because I love it so much.
If it had been me just getting out of my shower and an alarm inside the house went off, I’d know it was a smoke detector, that’s the only alarm in the house.
Even so that would be enough to give my old heart a big jolt, geez! I hope your complex’s maintenance people will be checking at least a couple of times over the next month or so whether there is mold growing in the walls both in the closet where the AC was leaking and in the wall(s) where the leak was coming from upstairs. If the weather holds here, I’ll be heading out with a friend on Friday to visit a couple of nurseries, I’ve got a list ready.
Oh, there’s nothing more fun than walking around the nurseries!
Good morning…I have to admit I had to look up cache to see what it was. I googled how to clear the cache on google because that is where I go to get your blog…I hope it helps.. I never had trouble getting all the pics before…thank you for taking the time to try to help me.. planting flowers today and marveling at how much we love Spring…I am so happy you can do soIme puttering outside now…it sure is good for the soul…continued blessings💕
Are you getting the photos okay today? If you have trouble, just let me know.
The alarm would have driven me crazy – Ugh! I’m glad the issue was resolved for you.
My home is my place of serenity, as well. Your outdoor space with all its beauty is your oasis just as my sewing spot is for me. I truly love my very simple life just as I know you love yours.
Enjoy your Tuesday, Brenda!
Enjoy yours, Darlene. I was choosing a photo for Saturday’s Notable Mentions and I thought of you. When you see it I think you’ll know why.
Oh, Brenda I can’t wait to see it. Thank you so much for thinking of me.
So sorry to hear about the leak. At least they were prepared.
You are so talented with selecting and growing plants.
I hope you continue to heal and have no pain.
Pain is part of the process. And I just deal with it as it comes. And try to rest more with my foot up high.