The first thing on my birthday morning was realizing I had a bathroom drainage problem. Last night's last shower water was still grey in the bottom of the tub. I thought I'd fixed it the afternoon before but clearly I'd have to spend some serious time on the problem, a recurrent one but suddenly very pressing with four adults who regularly want to wash.
So my son in law and I got to work. First, he upstairs and I down, we worked the snake. Trap closed. Water on! Draining? No. Coat hanger from above. No obstruction, but why not draining?
The problem was perplexing, potentially expensive. This is when you, son in law. took the lead and suggested removing a spliced section of the drainpipe and flushing it out with water. So, after our excursion downtown to show grandson the new statue of E.A. Poe, and the perennial favorite 'Make Way for Ducklings' statues, son in law and I went to the plumbing store where the pros shopped to get new gaskets. You were great; ready with the right names, the right sizes. I look like a greenhorn, but you with your hoodie, full black beard, and confident, professional manner, got us exactly what we needed.
Down in the basement, we started to pull things apart, poke around and pull stuff out of the bathtub drain pipe, orange, fibrous chunks and slurries, not nasty but certainly awful looking. This is when you suggested that we can hook the garden hose up to the washing machine inlet and flush out the pipes. Reassembled, the tube drained with a loud gurgle and visible whirlpool. Success! But wait...
Suddenly, you pointed out there was water dripping from the cold water faucet every time we turned it on. A leak in the water pipe? A faucet malfunction? House water off, we pulled the ole and decrepit faucet and disassembled it, noted a old gasket, re-assembled it, re-installed it, and watched it leak again.
Now he and I were off, faucet in hand (and house water turned off; sorry, family) to to get a new gasket. So many options: will this fit, or that? Oops, we just stripped the stem handle thread. Hey, it's all cheap, buy one of everything, and throw in a new stem that looks sort of like the old one and maybe will replace the old one completely.
Working with you on this two-act domestic maintenance drama, I can see why you are so good at what you do, work with volunteers to rehab houses for low-income families. You listened; you thought out loud; you cooperated in testing my ideas, and suggested your own: 'Why don't we try.' You consulted with knowledgeable people,came up with innovative ideas, calculated and took risks, and, through it all, accepted the project as your own. Working with you was so smooth and pleasant, though the job was dirty and confusing.
People who work together regularly find a satisfying rhythm that they grow to love, but you have the gift of facilitating that camaraderie that makes work light. We're so happy you and and your family are visiting us, and, I assure you, I didn't schedule this plumbing failure to coincide with your visit. But I do have some pictures I need hanging...
So my son in law and I got to work. First, he upstairs and I down, we worked the snake. Trap closed. Water on! Draining? No. Coat hanger from above. No obstruction, but why not draining?
The problem was perplexing, potentially expensive. This is when you, son in law. took the lead and suggested removing a spliced section of the drainpipe and flushing it out with water. So, after our excursion downtown to show grandson the new statue of E.A. Poe, and the perennial favorite 'Make Way for Ducklings' statues, son in law and I went to the plumbing store where the pros shopped to get new gaskets. You were great; ready with the right names, the right sizes. I look like a greenhorn, but you with your hoodie, full black beard, and confident, professional manner, got us exactly what we needed.
Down in the basement, we started to pull things apart, poke around and pull stuff out of the bathtub drain pipe, orange, fibrous chunks and slurries, not nasty but certainly awful looking. This is when you suggested that we can hook the garden hose up to the washing machine inlet and flush out the pipes. Reassembled, the tube drained with a loud gurgle and visible whirlpool. Success! But wait...
Suddenly, you pointed out there was water dripping from the cold water faucet every time we turned it on. A leak in the water pipe? A faucet malfunction? House water off, we pulled the ole and decrepit faucet and disassembled it, noted a old gasket, re-assembled it, re-installed it, and watched it leak again.
Now he and I were off, faucet in hand (and house water turned off; sorry, family) to to get a new gasket. So many options: will this fit, or that? Oops, we just stripped the stem handle thread. Hey, it's all cheap, buy one of everything, and throw in a new stem that looks sort of like the old one and maybe will replace the old one completely.
Working with you on this two-act domestic maintenance drama, I can see why you are so good at what you do, work with volunteers to rehab houses for low-income families. You listened; you thought out loud; you cooperated in testing my ideas, and suggested your own: 'Why don't we try.' You consulted with knowledgeable people,came up with innovative ideas, calculated and took risks, and, through it all, accepted the project as your own. Working with you was so smooth and pleasant, though the job was dirty and confusing.
People who work together regularly find a satisfying rhythm that they grow to love, but you have the gift of facilitating that camaraderie that makes work light. We're so happy you and and your family are visiting us, and, I assure you, I didn't schedule this plumbing failure to coincide with your visit. But I do have some pictures I need hanging...
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