The Water Story

Thank you for your patience! It wasn't till I posted the last that I realized that this isn't a terribly amusing story. And I like amusing. Dang it. But I'll tell it anyway.

Most of you know about our siding issues. We've been getting quotes, going back and forth on types of siding, blah, blah, blah. So we're pretty focused on that, not to mention a little stressed about the financial end of it. Woohoo. Meaning we missed a more immediate repair which was right under our nose. The upstairs shower faucet.

Months ago the kidlets began complaining about their shower, that it dripped, that the handle broke (the Hunny replaced the handle), that it was annoying. Yeah, whatever. I wasn't using it. Handle replaced. They stopped complaining. Then last week we heard yelling during a shower. It seemed the water suddenly went hot and stayed there. The next child to attempt using it found that the water would only turn as far as hot, never reaching the cooler stage. And the whole dripping thing? When we asked why we hadn't heard it, Maybelline tells us how smart they are. They just tucked the shower curtain under the drip after showering "so it wouldn't annoy you guys." Okay, who taught my daughter to say you guys instead of y'all? Something is seriously WRONG with that.

All three kidlets used our shower for the rest of the week. Yuck. Children shedding in my shower, using my towels when asked not to, using my shower gel and scrubbee when asked to bring their own down, not squeegeeing the water which pools in the corners. I do not like them, Sam-I-Am. We had enough.

I called a plumber, he quoted me a VERY reasonable price of $225-250 to do the job if we bought our own faucet, even knowing he'd be opening up Oatmeal Head's wall to replace the faucet completely, and that the pipes are copper. I was pretty darn psyched. Then the Hunny asked where the money would come from. Stupid Hunny. Squash my excitement and ruin my hopes of ever having my shower and stuff to myself. I had no idea. We have a paintball party to throw this weekend, a climbing party next weekend, not to mention gifts.

So the Hunny asked - nay, pleaded - to be allowed to fix it himself. I had rules. He MUST look everything up on line, including how-to videos. He MUST price everything out completely before I'd say yes, and the cost had to be half of the plumber's price. He MUST promise to have it done in one evening. He promised all of those. And he came through on the the first two.

First, I must tell y'all about my own weekend to this point. I took my last Adderall XR on Friday morning, dropped off my prescription, then didn't get my lazy butt to the pharmacy to pick it up. Saturday without it was fine - I had a large coffee a couple of times that day, climbed, did yard work, enjoyed life. Sunday? Not so much. I wanted to sleep all day, forgot Little Guy had a birthday party to attend (he was very late, and I ran out to get the gift after dropping him off), was horribly grouchy and angry with everyone. The Hunny and I had a final class to attend last night and he wanted to play plumber and let me go alone. I hate going alone. I spent too many years going to things alone when the Hunny was grouchy and horrid, and I refuse to do so now that he's a better man. But his arguments were strong, and the money angle was a good hook, so I said yes and left at 5:45. Without my phone (hello? It's dead).

I came home to a very discouraged Hunny, children who were a little put out that the water was off and they were going to die of thirst, but secretly pleased that they didn't have to shower. It seems that the Hunny had found a wonderful system for cutting and fixing the pipes, but only one major hardware store carries it. The store which closed at seven. About 15 minutes before he realized that he needed ONE MORE PIECE to complete the job. The same store which didn't open until seven this morning, even though their phone system said they'd open at six. The Hunny was not happy, I was really ticked. *sigh*

Guess what? When the water's off, the toilets don't flush. Oatmeal Head (he's not named that for nothing) had to go after the water was shut off, so he flushed both toilets to make sure they'd work. So what does the Good Flea get to do upon her arrival home? I called a neighbor and good friend and asked if we could sneak into her yard in the dead of night and use her hose to fill buckets so we could go potty! Oh yes, that was an enjoyable conversation. About as much fun as actually going for the water.

So I was not a happy camper when I arrived home. I was sweet to the children (I think), and not horribly mean to the Hunny. I even sat in the doorway while he made sure the faucet was going to fit, talking to him. But I was certainly snarly once the kidlets were in bed.

So today? The Hunny came home at 6:15 sporting a QT coffee (didn't bring me one and I still hadn't had my Adderall, so GRR), frustrated with the store not being open. But he went back at seven and had the whole thing fixed, water on, by nine. Hoorah! We have water. And a working shower, complete with new faucet, knob and shower head. See?



Grouchy as I was, I must say that I am very proud of my Hunny. He da man. He was a graphic designer for years, working as a professor and department chair for a long time now. Not really into home repair and improvement. But the man learns well. And he did a great job. And I got a shower. The End.

Until I write again ...

Flea