When it rains, it pours (into our basement)

There's been a pile of bricks in the corner of our garage since we've moved in - collecting cobweb, dirt and dust. I've passed by them numerous times, wanting to toss them to the curb but never doing anything but thinking about it and going on with my chores. Today it's providentially obvious why I've passed them by - and its seeping in our basement. Its no Katrina flood, but in our household its pandemonium. I'm not sure a heavy rain will ever have the soothing effect it once did. Around 12pm today I went to the basement to watch the finale of Entourage and walked on a spot that was quiet damp. I thought "Hmm, Sonya must have cleaned that spot this morning" and proceeded to watch the show and then went back upstairs to work. Around 4:30 Sonya called and I mentioned the wet spot in the basement. She told me she hadn't done anything, so I walked back down to smell the spot ... then notice more and more and more "spots" all over the basement. After several loud expletives outbursts I checked the sump-pump (turned the fuse on and off, unplugged and replugged to no avail), went to Home Depot for a portable pump and started draining. 3 hours later it seems under control - though I'm a mess. The carpet is drenched, but the couches and other items down there seem ok. Our insurance will actually cover the damage (with a $1000 deductible) and send out a team clean, repair and install a new sump pump (and perhaps new carpet). Not the day I expected when I woke up today. UPDATE I just finished installing the sump pump myself (and let me tell you, its "easy", but not fun - especially when dealing with a radon detection system built on top of the sump -- Ugh. Ugh.) since the repair guys will not do that (I was mistaken). The repair people will be here tomorrow to rip up the carpet and check the walls for damage, I'm assuming we'll also be at Home Depot (or wherever) to schedule new carpet to be installed. Ugh. Tomorrow can't be worse; unless I screwed up installing the sump-pump, which is a distinct possibility