Day Three: The Funky Nasty Stank House

Yesterday after we finished gutting our first house, we got an early start on the second one. The ACORN guys told us the second house had furniture can personal property inside, which would take longer. Moldy furniture? No Problem. Clutter? Bring it on. We were feeling confident and ready for anything. We had absolutely no clue.

House 2 was at 1716 Feliciana near DerbignyWE opened the front door and saw junk everywhere. Some of it had floated around in the flood I guess, but it was pretty cluttered anyway. We wrestled out a sofa to the street and started shoveling the small junk it wheelbarrows to dump on the sidewalk. Hauling off personal stuff takes some getting used to. There was clothing in the closets, medicine in the bathroom, and family photos scattered around.

The house was small and narrow, so I got the back door open to get a second front in the battle against the flood damage. About that time people in the kitchen started squealing over a rat. Then someone did the unthinkable and opened the fridge. The reek that rolled out is impossible to describe. We called this the "stinky house," but that's not strong enough. By the time we spilled stagnant, putrid liquid from two refrigerators, several plastic totes, an electric fryer, and a dishwasher throughout the house, this stench was everywhere. We went back this morning to gut the walls and the funk was still there. In fact, it had thrown open the doors, had a party, and invited its stanky friends. Eventually the smell it invaded our pores so deeply only a hot shower with antibacterial soap would get rid of it.

While we were working, Jerry got a text message that a dead body was found today by cadaver dogs.