Another Day (More creative titles coming soon!)

Okay, let's try this again.

6 a.m.

Neomom is working night shift and will be home in an hour. Sonwun sleeps. Sontoo has been up for half an hour and is watching Curious George. I've been up for an hour and am drinking coffee.

Now you're up to date.

Last night was baseball and soccer for the boys. Sonwun's in baseball and Sontoo in soccer. They both love their respective sports and, I think, are well suited for their choices. Unfortunately, they both play on Tuesdays and Thursdays, at the same time. 

Fortunately, they play at fields pretty close to each other. So, on nights like last, when Neomom's working, I can load my bike in the back of the truck, drop Sonwun off at baseball, drive to the soccer field and park. I watch Sontoo play soccer for about half an hour, then bike over to the ball diamond to watch Sonwun play for about half an hour. Then I bike back to the soccer field, pick up Sontoo and we both drive over to catch the end of Sonwun's game and all drive home together. 

Sometimes we stop for Slushies.

And tonight, it's swimming lessons. Sontoo at 6 and Sonwun at 6:30. Each time I sign them up, I hope against hope that I can get them both in the same time slots. It's possible, but the planets have yet to align in my favour.

So, to summarize, baseball and soccer on Tuesdays and Thursdays, swimming on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Today's festivities will include washing swim shorts, baseball and soccer stuff so it's all fresh and fluffy for the next two days. 

I also have to pick up, and begin installation of, three new interior doors as part of the ongoing renovation festival. It is nearing the end. As usual, by the time we are transferred to our next fun-filled location, the renovations will be complete for the next owners of this home to enjoy. Such is the life.

Anyhoo, that's all I have for this morning. Have a great Wednesday.

"You're not going to like my answer."

Okay, here's something I didn't know until yesterday. Apparently I'm not qualified to say where the plumbing in my house is leaking . . . even if the water is squirting out of a very specific place like, say a valve.

No, no. It's true. I found that out yesterday when I called the City of Portage La Prairie's "After Hours Trouble Calls" phone number. Turns out that connects you to the fire department. Didn't know that either. 

Anyhoo, the reason I was calling the City of Portage is the leak in the plumbing is on "their side" of the water system in my house. Everything before the water meter belongs to them. Everything after the meter belongs to me. Did you know that one?

**Edit: Found out Monday that the city is responsible only to the shut-off valve at the road. Not the meter inside. Different than other cities I lived in and apparently news to the guy I spoke to on the After Hours Trouble Call line. **

So, the valve used to shut off the water to my home is on "their side" of the meter. So, if it is leaking, it is their responsibility to fix it. That's why I called them yesterday. It was leaking. And, depending on where on the open-closed spectrum the valve was turned, it would leak a little, a lot, or not at all. And I don't like that. I wanted it replaced before it went WHOOOSH all over my basement.

The kindly gentleman who answered the "After Hours Trouble Calls" phone, and listened to my problem, told me I was not going to like his response. He was right.

See, this is where I learned that I'm incapable of determining where the leak is. I was told that I had to call a licensed plumber to come to my house and look at the leak. If the licensed plumber agreed with my lay assessment, he would, in a very professional manner I must assume, call the City of Portage La Prairie back and let them know they had a leak on "their side" of my household plumbing. Action, again, I must assume, would follow.

So naturally, I asked if the Mayor's brother was a plumber desperately in need of work. Don't really know of another reason for such an asinine policy.

But hey, policy is policy. It's a great thing to hide behind and ensures no one has to think or make an actual decision. Just follow policy. And it frightens me, just a little, when I think about what would have happened if this was a major leak, spilling gallons and gallons of water into my basement during this conversation with the fire department.

Where was I?

Oh yeah, I was calling a fully trained, licensed and professional plumber to come to my house, after 5 p.m., on a Saturday, to determine where the leak was. Might surprise you to learn it's not easy to find a fully trained, licensed and professional plumber to come to my house, after 5 p.m., on a Saturday. But it's true. The one I finally reached, after making several unsuccessful calls, said he was very busy. He asked me if the handle on the valve was blue. I said that yes, it was. 

He said a lot of them leak in certain positions on the open-close spectrum. He advised me to find a position that didn't leak and maybe call the City of Portage La Prairie on Monday. 

See, that's why they get the big bucks. I had already found a position on the open-close spectrum that stopped the leaking. I still wanted, and want, a new valve. I do not like water in the little space under the stairs where I store stuff. And I do not like it when water shoots out of a valve any time I open or close it. Seems a little counterproductive to me.

Anyhoo, that's what I learned yesterday. On Monday, I'll be phoning the good folks at the City of Portage and I'm almost positive I'll have more to tell you after that.

Have a great, dry Sunday!

House of Cards

So, back to renovations.

I forget where we were last I spoke of them. But currently underway is the bedroom/laundry room downstairs. The rec room is on hold pending flooring funding. And, with Neomom taking a few days off, we attacked the bedroom yesterday. Tore out studs, pulled out wiring . . . all that good stuff. Sure, half of the downstairs is dark right now, but it won't be long because we're putting in a concentrated effort to complete this area.

At least we were.

Another area in need of some work is the upstairs bathroom. But that's on the back burner because it just doesn't seem critical.

At least it didn't.

Yeah, after making a fine start to the downstairs demolition, we returned home last night to find the upstairs toilet was leaking a little. And thus, the house of cards that is renovations, has shifted.

You see, I think all the toilet upstairs needs is a new wax ring. But it also needs a new floor (always has, nothing to do with the leak). So, why take up the toilet and NOT put in the new floor. Oh, and the countertop on the vanity needs replacing as well. So, if we're taking up the toilet, we might as well do the floor. And if we're doing the floor, we'll have to move the vanity. And if we have to move the vanity, we might as well replace the countertop. And the green grass grew all around, all around and the green grass grew all around.

This is the renovation house of cards. I learned about it shortly after I bought my first home. 

Again, it was a bathroom. And the tub needed recaulking. So, I ripped out the old caulking and thought, you know, this needs a new tub-surround. So I took it to the next level and began prepping for the tub-surround. I then learned that the drywall around the tub area needed updating. One thing led to another, and soon I was pulling off the baseboard behind the toilet. The hammer slipped and shattered the toilet base. 

Before I knew it, a simple caulking job became a complete bathroom renovation - new toilet, new vanity, new sink, new tub surround and the green grass grew all around, all around and the green grass grew all around.

I'm hoping . . . and praying, that I can end this one with JUST a new floor, wax ring and countertop.

Will let you know.

Have a better Thursday than I will.