Saved from the Flood

Did I tell you about the flood just before Christmas? In case I did, I'll just do a quick recap. A couple of days before Christmas, Mikki was having trouble using the shower. It was very cold and we suspected a pipe may have frozen. In the afternoon, she was walking outside the garage and heard a strange noise. She opened the door and - woosh - water several inches deep flooded out.

Yes, a pipe in the garage had burst (well, actually, come apart at a join - so it was easy for the plumber to fix). We had only one night without water or heating.

The big job then was to rescue as much as we could of the things in the garage that had got wet. Fortunately, lots of things are in plastic crates (no holes) or on shelves but there was still a lot to move and dry out - and quite a bit that had to be taken to the tip!

I was most worried about some large Disney cutouts. These are cutouts of various characters. I think they were sales material used in stores. There are things from Snow White, including a complete cottage with the seven dwarfs and some brooms with Mickey from Fantasia. You won't be surprised to know which is my personal favourite - it's shown in the picture.

Fortunately, all the cutouts were saved. They had been in boxes and we got to them before any lasting damage was done. The spent a week or so combining drying out and enhancing the Christmas decorations in the house.

Some of the cutouts - including Snow White's cottage - will be going to a Disneyana sale we are planning to attend in Birminghan (England) at the end of April. Figaro will, of course, be staying with us.