Jack hammer headache

Actually, I don't have a jack hammer headache yet, but it's probably just a matter of time.  Today I'm at home since they began work to repair my slab plumbing leaks.  They're currently jack-hammering through the slab foundation in the front bedroom to reach one leak and attempting to reach the second leak by digging under the house from the outside.  I'm praying they can reach it that way and not have to jack-hammer through the bathroom floor in the back of the house in the master bathroom too.  If they do have to go through that bathroom floor, I'll have to move the cats to the garage.  They are currently hiding in the closet back there.

This is a messy, disruptive, NOISY process.  I was going to see that they got started and then go into work.  But since they don't know yet whether I'll need to move the cats to the garage, I decided to take the day off and stay here, both to monitor and reassure the cats and to follow the worker's progress - and move the cats if necessary. 

It's hard to watch someone tear up your house though.

The picture in this post is the two gigantic, ancient cottonwoods at Capital Reef National Park.  I'm seriously wishing I were there. 

There's now a hole in my bedroom floor, about 2 1/2 feet in diameter and 4+ feet deep, going through the foundation and into the soil underneath. He says he's gotten TO the pipe now, just needs to clear around it to be able to cut the bad section out and replace it with a new section.   Don't know how the outside work is progressing.   

Just a minor time lapse here.  I started this this morning, and it's quitting time.  The guys have left for the day.  They say they have about 2 - 4 hours digging time left in both holes, outside and inside before they can make the repairs.  They're still not 100% sure they won't have to go through my bathroom floor and foundation to reach the leak there, but it doesn't look like it right now.   And they still have to dig to the leak in my front yard and repair that.  Then once everything's repaired, the City of Arlington has to come out and inspect it before they can fill in all the holes and repair the foundation hole.  So probably at least two more days work.  *sigh*   When they're finally done, I'll be able to get all the damage to the house fixed. That's what I'm really looking forward to.

The cats are out of hiding now, but I've had them shut in the master bedroom/bathroom all day.  I've been working from home, ignoring the work guys here as much as possible.  Tomorrow I'm going to get them started and go into work, leaving the cats shut up again.  Now that I know what to expect of the work I don't feel so uncomfortable doing that.  Plus they should be done jack hammering. 

Anyway I'm guessing it's going to be a long week.  I'll be glad when it's done.