the trouble with the basement

My office, (and another co-worker's office) is located in the basement of our "office building" as it were. I get sensitive when my office is referred to as the "basement" I'd rather just call it "their office, downstairs" or something else more positive. Sometimes, it is even very negatively called the "dungeon". I am not okay with this at all. It sounds like, well a dark dank cell where prisoners and dragons are held. Not a lovely room where ideas are brought to life! (Which is what my office always is, of course.) Sure it's dark and only has window wells that let in natural light. But it's a great place... really. I haven't come up with a better name for these basement offices... but I've been thinking about it.

But the truth is, no matter how you dice it, my office is beneath the ground and by definition, a basement. The reality of the basement in this 70 year old building built by the bay, is that when it rains a lot, flooding is a threat. We've already lost most of our carpeting in the basement office from the great flood three years ago. And today, it was getting close to a similar situation. The pumps couldn't get the water out of the basement quickly enough and the water level continually rose little by little.

Rain in the window wells, being held back by these old windows... stay strong!

The water in the other portion of the basement was up to my ankles. Good thing I wore my wellies!

We put important things and power cords on higher ground and hope for the best. Much of the basement did flood, but luckily only the section that is concrete flooring (our office is set up higher just by a few inches). Our trusty maintenance man came to check frequently keeping an eye on the impending doom of our little office space.

The water started to seep through the plywood (I mean, fancy hardwood) flooring of our office.

Luckily, the torrential downpour let up and the office seems safe... for now.