Wednesday, September 26, 2012

PSA: plumbing

It may seem completely obvious to most people, but when four how-to videos didn't mention the need to shut off the water, I certainly wasn't one to go for that extra step when it came time for some basic home plumbing work. I'm pretty sure the Dos Equis guy could have handled the situation. I, however, am not the most interesting man in the world.

Let's just say that what ensued was akin to those scenes of kids in New York City playing in the jetstream of a fire hydrant. Or, considering my reaction, the scenes of protesters being fired upon by high-pressure hoses. All that was lacking was tear gas.

Fits of screaming, 12 beach towels, half my hair dripping wet and a complete wardrobe change later, I marched down to Ace Hardware with my arch-nemesis-of-the-moment: the valve from my kids' bathtub faucet.

This was only hours after Gemma replicated the exact thing Donovan did 4 years ago. It goes something like this:

   mom in shower
   child on their own
   dreams of being a gymnast
+ towel rod
------------------------------------
   gaping hole in wall

You can still see where I patched the wall from 4 years ago. And then put it a foot higher. You know, out of the reach of a 3 year old. But not out of the reach of a 4 year old, apparently. So now I get to patch another hole and raise the bar again. I'm too annoyed to love how literal and figurative that was.

This also occurred a day after the shelf on Joel's side of the closet totally ripped out of the wall. I didn't realize his shirts were made of chain mail.

So there I was walking into Ace Hardware with my faucet valve in hand. And there I was, returning home and reassembling the faucet. And there I was, turning around and observing that one of the sink faucets is dripping.

I can't win.

But this time I'll turn off the water.

5 comments:

Alice said...

HILRIOUS!

Sarah Burgoyne said...

It still gives me a chuckle when I think of Gemma asking you if you were happy on her way out the door for preschool :)

Melin said...

home ownership is the american nightmare.

wanda said...

This is a trick to make me call you for details! I'm not sure I understand the connection between the towel rod and the bathtub faucet.....

Angie said...

Call me!!! I think plumbing is always more fun with back-up:) And my dad on the phone:)