Self Reliant

There are times it's not so easy being a single woman.  Sure sure sure, you're thinking, being a single woman has to be the most awesomest wondrous thing in the world... and yes, well you'd be right on most fronts but I gotta tell ya, it's pretty rough when something around this place goes wrong.  I could go into details about how, when the ex left, he also left a pretty big mess of unfinished projects, but that's not the point - I only bring it up to say - the ex left a mess of unfinished projects, which makes me feel sometimes like I'm living in a perpetual work in progress.  There are floors without moulding to cover the space between the hardwood floors and the baseboards.  There are three interior doors we replaced before he left the house for good - that left closet doors and the bathroom doors with the same old partical board brown.  The faucets in the bathroom weren't replaced and finished properly.  He didn't run any caulk between the toilet and the floor.  He didn't screw the vents into the baseboards.  Get the picture? 

Well, like I said sometimes things go wrong around here.  The toilet thing - I caulked it :-)  I read about it, bought the proper materials and ta-da!  I have single handedly painted every room in this house.  I think I will check into replacing the vents again - they are looking rough - and this time I think I can screw them into the baseboards.   Joshua has helped out some too - he and I replaced a broken light switch in the bathroom when the toggle part stopped toggling.  He put up a new ceiling fan in his (former) room.  I've called Dad a few times to get advice.  I've even called a plumber when I thought we(thank goodness didn't) have a leak.  I discovered though that the lovely little plumber dude, who came out and checked for me one afternoon, cost $65 for the five minute use of his expertise.

So lately I've noticed a drip. drip. drip. coming from the faucet in the bathtub.   Yeah, awesome.  It wasn't bad... not really... at first.  It started to get worse though... I was catching the water in a pitcher and using it to water the plants on the front porch  and fill the dog's bowl... but it got worse.  I talked to dad and he said it was probably a worn something or other and probably no big deal.  Ok, well today it was bad... started to trickle and trickles are bad news.  I called mom to see about dad looking at it - I unscrewed the handle and looked at it - turning some little plastic thing and finally, some how, some way turning the metal pipe part and making the trickle go away - and then making the drip go away... and now, well at this moment there is no leak.  But Rebecca is showering and who knows what will happen when she gets through.  But hey, me, self reliant me, fixed the leak.  I, of course, no idea what I did, or how I did it but I'll take the fix.  Saved me at least $65.  Yeah me!

Tonight I walked with my buddy, the sadist, and I was telling her about the leak - how on earth could I have fixed it and she said she had signed up for a women's basic intro to plumbing/electrical basics - she asked me if I wanted to go with her.  Uh, yes!  I' d love to!  Pretty great timing on that one huh?  I can't wait!  I need to learn these basics I suppose, especially if I plan to remain so self reliant!  LOL!