Fixie Drippie

Saturday, I had my first EVER successful plumbing project. Allow me a moment to make it more dramatic than it really was.

Our kitchen faucet had developed a drip. No problem! After all, Dad gave me a "How your house works" book for Christmas. There was a whole page of overview on how to fix my exact problem (the plumbing problem, that is).

So, I dismantled the thing. No worries, right up to the piece that wouldn't come out. I found a very detailed "how to" online, which helpfully said, "I removed the next piece. I don't know if there's a name for this piece of plastic."

Whoa! Information overload. Go easy on me there, buddy.

Eventually I pried it out with a screwdriver (which was a *little* less violent than it sounds). Finally, I had all the rubber bits that needed replacing, so it was time to wipe off the black grease, pick up the pieces, put them down, wipe off the black grease, pick up the pieces, say bad words, put down the pieces, wipe off black grease, put the pieces in a zip-lock, wipe off more black grease, and then go to Lowes.

At Lowes I had the immeasurable joy of pressing the "Assistance Needed" button. Seriously, if you have any excuse at all, press one of those buttons. I was suddenly in charge of the magic voice. "Special Assistance needed at Plumbing Repair." Every time the message repeated, it was louder and more urgent. "Code 107 at Plumbing Repair." If the guy hadn't gotten to me when he did, the voice probably would have started threatening. "I see you in the break room, buddy! Get your hinder over to Plumbing Repair, NOW!"

So now I have a reasonably dramatic adventure of a minor plumbing miracle that I can share with my grandchildren one day. "See this thumb? Grandpa's thumb is *still* slippery from all that dang grease."

Of course, I'll have to say I walked uphill both ways to get to Lowes, 'cause that's what's Grandpa's do. :)