2002-10-25 - 9:49 a.m.
Well now...wasn't *that* special...
We had a plan for last night, really we did...we were going to pack the loom into the truck, and then see about getting everything else together for the demo this weekend, and hopefully get to sleep a bit early, so as to be energized for today.
HA! The Gods laugh at my foolish mortal plans...
So we get home and put the loom in the back of the truck, all is well there. Heck, we even put it up on some 2x4's so that if it rains and the truck bed gets an inch of water in it the loom won't be sitting in the water (smart person my wife is...)
So then it's time to check messages and whatnot.
Problem...the portable phone in the kitchen is dead...okay...the cleaning lady came, perhaps she accidentally unplugged it or something, no big deal, we'll fix that later on, once all the demo stuff is taken care of...but first, let's get dinner going...
So the water is boiling and the sauce is warming and it's time to microwave the frozen meatballs...but the microwave doesn't work either...it's plugged into the same outlet as the phone...hmm...weird, as the dishwasher works...perhaps a circuit breaker was blown...let us go and reset the breaker, and all should be well.
So we traipse outside (in stocking feet, since it's a quick trip) into the utility room.
Hmm...the grass here near the utility room seems very damp...well it is starting to sprinkle, maybe it rained earlier this evening and the drainspout is right here and all...
Open the utility room door and the floor is covered by 1/4" of water...and there's a spurt in the pipes behind the heater...well crap...
OKay...first, check the breakers...no, none are tripped...hmm...okay...turn the water heater breaker off and the water pump breaker off...
Water is still going through the pipe...why is this? The pump is shut off...climb under the crawlspace (after getting shoes on) and see that there's still 40 lbs of pressure in the line...that would have that effect, wouldn't it? (on the plus side, means the well ain't nowhere near dry...)
So we turn the water line off at the little turny thingy near the pump (handle?)
Okay...I know how to fix this...it's a simple application of solder and heat and all should be well...excellent.
WHere's my solder and blowtorch? Crap...can't find the solder or the blowtorch...
In the meantime, let's take care of getting the meatballs recooked by dumping them into the sauce and turning it up a bit while we're gone...it'll only be 15 minutes or so.
Run to the Home Depot, get a new propane torch and solder kit...get back.
Hmm...dinner smells burnt...well, that would be because it was burnt...(&%(#&...I hate gas stoves, I can't control the heat at all. "2" doesn't stay lit, "5" stays lit, but it boils things way too fast.
Alright...Gina's going to sort out dinner while I resolder the joint that came lose in the elbow.
Lalallallla...propane takes a long time to heat a pipe, especially when the pipe is full of water...lalalalalalalala
And, of course, the split in the solder joint is on the MOST INACCESSIBLE point on the pipe, because the water heater is in a corner of the utility room, and the pipes are behind the water heater, and this is the further of the two pipes, and it's the backside of that pipe, and the bottom of the fitting...ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay...the solder might be on the joint...maybe...let's turn the water back on...nope...still spurting...turn the water back off, swear a little and try again...
Lather, rinse, repeat...
Okay, that plan obviously isn't working...must think...must ponder...
OKay...I remember back when I had to fix a small hole in the radiator of the Mazda...there was a epoxylike stuff that was called...JT Weld...JB Weld...something like that...it worked on the radiator...wonder if it'd work on the water pipes...it should, so long as it isn't toxic...
Wow...miracle of miracles...I actually *had* a tube of it (okay...two tubes, one of part A, one of part B...but it's epoxy...you knew that)...perhaps my luck is turning...
Or perhaps the Gods are laughing at me in a teasing fashion.
It must be harmful to use on water pipes...oh..nope, it says it's good for them right here...excellent!!!
"Takes 6-8 hours to set"...well...okay...it's 8:30 now...means if we turn the water back on at 6 AM all should be fine...if it works...here's hoping...
So...back out to the utility room and let's mix the stuff up...but first, let's put on some rubber gloves to protect our hands...
Hmm...the stuff wants to stick to the gloves more than it wants to stick to the pipes...this isn't good...
Well...I can just use my fingers to spread it around...yeah, it'll be messy, but I'll just wash my hands afterwards.
(Hey...you in the back snickering like you know something...pipe down!!!)
OKay...this is working...it's messy...but generally okay...I think I've got enough on there...certainly have enough on my hands...
Okay...job is done...now to go inside and was...well sh%t...
"Honey...your husband is a moron..."
Thankfully we've got bottled water on the porch, and a loving wife to pour it over my hands so I can scrub.
Dinner...yum...good stuff (and I'm not lying here...Rhi can cook very well when she puts her mind to it!)
OKay...now let's settle in for the evening.
Oh, the dog needs to be let out to go potty...okay...Gina lets her out the front door and watches her...she's been very good lately...
Oh hell...there she goes bounding into the woods.
And it's dark...
"Hooooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy"
(lather, rinse, repeat for five minutes)
Okay...here comes dog bounding back out of the woods looking very pleased with herself...ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sleep time...ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
(BLEAH) 6:00 AM comes way too fricking early.
Get up, find jeans, go turn water on.
Water work? Good...
Turn water heater back on. Turn pump back on...try to remember which way turns water on to go into water heater...hope counter-clockwise is right answer...can't remember if that nozzle was ever turned off or not.
Go into bathroom, see sink...see hot water work...run hot water run.
Gorm go back to sleep...sleep Gorm...sleep....snore Gorm...snore...
Alarm go off again at 7:15...grump Gorm...Gorm...grump.
Gorm grump at Gina...bad Gorm...bad.
So then it's into the shower, make myself zestfully clean, and head into work.
Except that the tarp we put over the loom was flapping in the breeze, so we had to stop on the side of I-95 in the drizzle and tie it down better.
Bleah. This demo had damned well better be WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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