(Update is at the end of the original post)
First of all, hello everyone. Pigpen's announcement came while I hadn't had time to be online much, so it took me by surprise. Thank you to all who were involved in the discussion and efforts to make sure that our little group would continue. You are all very much appreciated. I certainly understand the concept of needing to move on. I was one the chief admin of a very large set of discussion forums, and I too recognized when it was time.
SS saved my life, and that will never change. I will always be grateful to Pigpen, Kimmy, and all of the active gang of SSers who supported and encouraged me.
OK, now to the subject at hand.... some of you may recall that I recently had a plumber come give me an estimate on replacing all of the plumbing in my attic and walls due to corrosion causing leaks. It took me another week and a half to get him to pin down a date to get the work done. I don't know how it is where you are, but around here, it is HARD to get a good plumber. There is so much work for them that you practically have to promise your first born child to get them to commit to a big job. And since I have no plans to bear children, well, I am at a major disadvantage.
So anyway, I nagged him almost daily during that time, and he finally said he'd be here tomorrow. So tonight I have been cleaning out the cabinets around the plumbing outlets, and the rooms they will be working in. Most areas were at about a 1.5, but some crept into a 2.
It's a good thing... there are areas I rarely look at, so this is making me face them. The bad news is that I don't think he'll be able to do my kitchen sink, which I really wanted. It turns out that due to the age of the house, the old sink was in a dimension no longer used, so I couldn't find a replacement the right size. He is going to look at it, and if he is able to modify the opening in the counter, he'll install it. If not, I will need to wait until I can save the money to have the countertop and cabinets done before I can get the sink done.
No matter... whatever happens tomorrow, I am getting a MAJOR home improvement, and that is a good thing.
I am pretty stressed out at the thought of 4 strangers poking around all over my house all day, so I have had a couple glasses of wine to wind down before bed. But facing that is a good thing too. I have to get more used to having people in my house.
Once I have working plumbing again, and continue to work on maintaining, I hope to have a friend come stay here overnight. She is the only 3D friend who I told about my situation, so she would understand, but she also knows I have to be ready.
Oh, and after the plumbing, I will be getting insulation to reduce my electric bills. Then I need a new front and back door, and I will be trying to refinance again for a better rate and maybe some cash out.
Onward and upward!
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UPDATE
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I WANT TO MARRY MY PLUMBER(s)!!!!
O, this feels SO GOOD! They were here from 7:30am to 7pm, and didn't even take a break! These guys worked their butts
(edited) off, and it was in the mid 90s today, with a non-climate-controlled attic to work in. Thankfully they got most of the attic done in the morning, but they still had to go up several more times throughout the day. They were SO NICE, personable, hard working, cheerful, etc.
They got everything done, and then refused to leave without cleaning up, even though I swore to them that I planned to sweep and mop anyway. The work was excellent. My new shower fixtures ROCK!!!!! I no longer have to carry buckets to the backyard to water my garden. My washer has hot water again (that line was clogged)!
The only thing they couldn't do was install my new sink because my old one was so old that the sizing was wrong, and I will have to have the counter top cut right to put the sink in. But even then, they hooked up the new sink and then set up new connections for the style of the new sink so that it will be a piece of cake to drop it in once I have the countertops ready.
They were actually employees of the master plumber. He was the one who did the inspection, quote and plan. Then he came and set them up and left, and they did all the heavy work. I gave them each an extra $20 just for being so diligent. They probably got paid very well for the day, but the service was just so over the top that I had to do it. It was without a doubt, the best experience with any repairmen that I have ever had. I plan to send a thank you card to the company as well.
I have already taken my first shower with the new fixtures, watered my garden with the sprinkler, and washed dishes. I ama sure this new obsession with cleanliness wil be shortlived, but I'll take advantage of it while I can.
