'Happy' birthday, Matty!

Matt is the hardest worker I know. On his birthday, August 12th, he worked at work really hard in the morning so he could get everything done to come home. He got home around 1:00, took a short break to eat lunch with us and play with Claire, then went back to work at home. We had a project that needed to get done, and as usual, he sacrificed relaxation or whatever it was he wanted to do, for the good of the family. For those of you who know Matt well, I'm sure this doesn't surprise you. Case in point.

I wanted to show off the fruits of his labor. This is one of those 'not fun' projects. You're not looking forward to doing it and you really have nothing to show for it once it's complete, besides, in this case, a continually dry basement. (This is something you only appreciate once you've had a wet basement and/or had to haul about 100 gallons of water up the basement stairs with your lovely wife one shop vac at a time when it's raining cats and dogs at midnight on a particular Sunday night/Monday morning in August...of 2010.)

(For the record, he did get to enjoy a birthday celebration a little bit. On Wednesday, his birthday eve, he and I went out to eat at a restaurant of his choice to celebrate. We had a fun time, just the two of us, while Omi, Onkel Alex, and Jaclyn babysat Claire.)

30 foot run of tile connected to...

the drainage system around the basement window well. No water filling up in the window well = dry basement! Yay!

Claire has a strategy. Walk Onkel Alex around lots and lots. Then he will mess up his back again. Then he will need an adjustment again. Then he will come back to Des Moines for his appointment. Then he will visit again! :)