The Mysterious Leak

I know you don't all possibly believe this crazy stuff happens to us every day, but believe me, it does.

Today, I had the joy of uncovering the mysterious leak.  I got home to the hotel from school with the kids, and of course, they are STARVING.  So me, being brilliant, took the second half of the amazing homemade chicken soup I made Sunday night on the stove to reheat it on this rainy day for an early dinner.

By the way, I recently found the most amazing "alphabet" pasta for the kids last week.  I cooked up some and added it to the soup.  It's made here locally in Naples and I cannot believe how nicely it cooked and holds it's shape.  I made chicken soup to keep everyone healthy in this time of season change when everyone around us is sneezing!  And the family had the most beautiful homemade alphabet soup ever!

So, I'm in the kitchen and my shoes are squeaking on the tile.  I knew that our housekeeper just cleaned today and figured the floors were just a little wet still.  But eventually I look down and notice a big puddle of water!  Not quite sure what to mop it up with, I go get one of our beach towels out of the closet (no more swimming for us anyway) and mop up the water.  I look to see if I can figure out where it was coming from but I can't.  So I go on to serve my babies their early soup dinner.

About an hour later I go back into the kitchen and alas, the puddle has reappeared.  Now I know something isn't right!  So I go to the office and tell the manager that the apartment has a leak.  She said, "Yes, this is entirely possible."  (Greaaaaaaaaaat! I moan to myself)  I figure it can be one of three things, the pipes going in, the pipes going out (yuck) or the rain water coming in the walls (Uh oh!)

So the helpful handyman comes over and investigates.  He moped up the area and said, "I don't think there's any more water."  I say, "Yes, there is!  I cleaned it up and just an hour later, there was another huge puddle!"  He said, "Well, just come get me anytime if there's another puddle."  REALLY????

So an hour later, I hit the pavement, in the rain, to knock on his hut and let him know, alas, there is another puddle.

He comes back over and investigates again.  He now tells me that my sink drain is probably clogged and that is causing the leak and he'll check again tomorrow morning.  He asks, "Will you be home in the morning?" I answer, "No, I have to take the kids to school."  He said, "OK.  When you get home we will check."  By then I will need an ARK!!!

So, he leaves and one hour later?  Another puddle!  But now I open my fridge to take the italian sausages out of the freezer and into the fridge for tomorrow's sausage and pasta dinner (one of Hubby's favs) and I notice that the ice buildup inside the fridge is melting!  Alas!  Have I found my leak???

I spend the next hour removing sheets of ice from the fridge walls and also scraping ice out of the freezer.  I notice that the dial in the fridge was set at 3 and I believe it was at 4 before.  Maybe I knocked the dial the night before and the fridge is just defrosting onto the floor?  Well, I cleaned up the fridge, cleaned up the puddle and will wait for morning to find out if I need to get a raft at Decathlon on the way home.  (Did I mention I can't WAIT to get out of this hotel?)

Frost-free refrigerators are something that I'm not sure exists in Italy.  It at least hasn't existed in either the base housing we started in or this hotel.  All of the appliances seem a bit different here.  I'm pretty sure I already complained about the washer and dryer.  But man, they sure can engineer a coffee maker!  :)

Here's a picture of that beautiful pasta.

It's shapes were just amazing, it didn't stick at all and it tasted delicious!  Molto saporito!

Good news on the housing front!  Our home we have been waiting for in Avellino is gaining momentum!!!  We may be in pre-contract next week!  Stay tuned for a proposed move-in date sometime soon!!!  (We are praying hard to be settled in so we can have a very thankful Thanksgiving in our new home!)