No worries about retaining walls - there is a sump pump in the crawl space but the creek is far enough that it would have to be a massive flood for it to reach the house. The house sits up a hill from the creek.
I am so excited - and so relieved....so relieved. This is my path (thanks again HP!) and it feels right. Good energy! Now...onto replacing furniture that I gave away to marry an alcoholic...luckily that seems like the easy part of this whole mess!