Man, that sounds like a total mess. My buddy had a similar thing happen when his rain barrel overflowed. He ended up gently forking over the wet soil to let air in, and then he mixed in a bunch of dry compost to soak up the extra water. It saved most of his peppers. Have you tried adding something like that to help it dry out?

Always get a broker to run the comps for you before you even call a lender. Those online numbers are just for looking, not for planning.

Ever feel like you chose the safe road over the rocket ship?

Actually think @tylermurray is onto something. People hire an artist then try to do the art themselves. That larkspur was probably the best part.

Wait, you dyed the leather yourself? That's a whole other level of commitment, man. Getting the color right even once sounds tough.