Turn off the water!!!

If you are currently in a tiff with your spouse and it regarding listening to the other, this post will not help win any cases...stop reading now if you can.

I've almost been married eight (8) years to Lise and there are situations that come up often that remind me that she recalls the past much easier then I. Lise has this ability as well to take one situation and see a pattern and can foresee events happen before they actually do. Perhaps she does not so much see them, but has the deep feeling on how an event will end. I will take the time to tell you about such a time that happened not so long ago. I can tell the story now because about a week ago we reached the point that we can laugh about it.

About two weeks ago our family had the pleasure to welcome Janyse, Dennis and their children into our home. You can see their blog from the attachment on the right. I was given plenty of notice that they were coming to stay for a short time and I wanted to get somethings done in the home for their arrival. For example I wanted to make sure that rooms had doors on them and other odds and ends. One of the "odds and ends" was the shower in the main bathroom upstairs.

Now many of you know that I live in the home of my Grandparents and had the opportunity to live here many times. The shower/tub has always had a small secret to it. The secret is that the knob that controls the water flow and temperature is backwards - turn it hot and it will get cold and vice-verse. I thought it was high time that this be corrected and I had spoken with folks about this over the past few months and learned that the "thing" behind the handle is 180 degrees off and needs to be turned around. Sounds like something I can do.

The Saturday before their arrival, remember I want to do this so my inbound friends would not have any issues, I went to make this "simple" correction. Well, something happened and all I got done was removing the handle and the decorative trim.

Sunday arrives and we have had a comfortable morning and it was about an hour and half till church is to start and Lise and I decide the boys should get a bath. Lise yells downstairs that it would be nice if the bathtub was usable. I suddenly recall that I left it in pieces and tell Lise to give me a few minutes and I will get it fixed. This is where the wife comes up to me and puts her hands on my chest and says, "Honey, just put the handle back on, it will be fine, the Frerichs will be fine, you are dressed for church - just leave it alone."

So, I did hear what she said, but I felt so sure it would be but a mere moment. I tried to ease her concern and she walked away with the her hands in the air saying something about her frustration with me (Oh, Lise is just wonderful).

Pulling out a "C" clip I was left to wonder what exactly needed to be turned around. With my needle nose pliers I started to grab at a "thing" and twist and pull. Suddenly, the "thing" was being held in the pliers and water was now gushing from one wall to the other. Panic set in and my thoughts went immediately to Lise...what will she do to me!?! I tried to push the "thing" back in and this was only like the silliest thing that I could do as this made the water become like a fire sprinkler. My slacks were wet and I was in shock not knowing what to do for a brief moment. I hear Lise yell, "You've got the water going?" As if I was drawing water from the boys. I yell back, "Don't come in here!" Well, that was only a magnet for the boys and wife to come running in. I grab a towel and tuck it in to my pants under my belt to shield my pants and try again to push in the "thing." This still did not work. I was trying to hard with the palm of my hand that I learned only later that I was tearing up my skin and to this day I still have marks healing on my palm.

To quicken the story (but it gets better) I remember that the water shut off is out side and that a special tool is need. I strip in the bathroom, run and get shorts on and head to the garage to grab the tool. At this time I turn the water off that leaves the hot water tank and Lise yells down that that slowed that water down a bit. The tool is where it should be and I go sprint to the edge of my front yard. I find the water box and open it up to only find that it is full of dirt. Panic again!

The neighbors this spring brought in a large tractor and was moving dirt and the filled the shut off for their water and mine with thick, wet dirt. I ran back in the house to see how the tub is doing and see that the water level is high and the drain in trying to keep up. I try again to push the "thing" and hold it there for a few seconds to slow the water down. The pressure simply would not let me push it all the way back in. Should I join a gym?

Now I am back outside, kneeling down on the ground and digging the dirt out of this hole. It is a warm day and sweat is dripping down my face like nobody's business. Dig and dig and I am finding nothing - I begin to question myself because I have never in the past actually went out to the box to see what I am looking for. Finally I find the top of the meter and not I can see and hear the needle on the meter going, "Tick-tick-tick" just as fast as one can say the words "tick." At this point I am pretty "tick"ed - I only have me to blame. Dig - dig some more - find the what I need and turn the water off. The cry from the house confirms my actions, "You did it! (I sure did).

At this point the tub is still apart and church is nearing the starting time. I am in no condition from the dirt, water and sweat to go to church. I tell Lise to get ready with out me that I will need to re-shower and meet them there. I also did not want to come home to this, so I was determined to put it back together - but not in the same condition as it originally was. By this point I had no idea which way the "thing" was in originally. I studied the piece and was able to pick up a small blue mark and determined that it must be for cold. After a few other mishaps the Frerich's in the end had hot be hot and cold be cold. I only wish you could hear this story told audibly - what a mess. I don't think to this point the Frerich's know about this.

I thought I would include some pictures of the boys and Lise - they went to the zoo today. I like the sequence of Reed face in a couple of these. Lise and I are off to San Francisco at the end of this week; I won a trip from Toyota to see the NASCAR race in Sonoma. More to come...