When It Rains Here in Dirtymon - Land, We Celebrate

Here in Dirtymon Land we're finding new and low-cost (for us anyway) ways to celebrate the pending graduation of Heir II from high school. Who needs to buy celebratory balloons that will pop and be nothing when you can have self-sealing bubbles that re-appear each time we get an inch of rain.

This first one arrived several weeks ago when we were in the beginning of monsoon season. We caught it just as the weight of the water was too much for elasticity and the remnants flowed down the wall onto the fireplace hearth, thus no photographic memory.

The second appeared yesterday during the height of our latest storm and we saw it in time to grab the camera and get this neat photo -- as if we needed physical evidence to show our landlord. Moments later, it too burst and flowed along the inside bricks of the chimney, down the safety screen before puddling on the hearth.

We informed our landlord the first time and will show him photos this time. He's been busy of late what with providing us with a good kind of water. We know he'll find the source in due time, though he may have to wait for another heavy downpour to pinpoint it.

In the interim, we'll keep the camera ready as the Heir's date with destiny nears. We wouldn't want to prevent H-II from any less acts of celebration.

It Always Comes in Threes

First it was no water because someone clipped an electrical utility pole in half. It took Dominion Virginia Power almost seven hours to fix.

Next, no water because there was a leak in the cistern. It took the landlord three days to get someone here to fix it.

For the past week or so the kitchen sink would back up whenever we drained the water after washing dishes. I was planning to buy a chemical to unclog it but after talking to my dad, he said to check the P-trap, which I did when I got home Tuesday evening.

The trap literally disintegrated in my hands.

I immediately called Dad. He arrived within the hour and off to Lowes we went for the repair parts.

Unfortunately, the drain baskets also needed replacing and now Lowes was closed.

We scheduled time yesterday afternoon to finish the task and, after two more trips and six more hours, the sink is back to normal.

We also found the real reason for the original problem -- the drain pipe in the basement was completely clogged. It was worse than the suspected cholesterol clog in my arteries; I mean there's no wonder any water was flowing.

We also cleaned the P-trap for the tub while we were at it and now, we believe, there is nothing else that needs to be replaced.

At least that's the thought right now.

Thanks to SisIggy for allowing me to copy her photo of the sink. In all the excitement of the past two days I forgot to snap a single photograph of the escapade.