One weekend was particularly eventful and not in a good way. Friday night was uneventful but around 6:30 am Saturday morning I heard a strange creaking kind of noise. Wondering what it was I jumped out of bed and ran to the back door intending to fling it open. It has been sticking for a while and I have to kick the bottom to get it open. So, after the aborted flinging came the kick. The first kick didn't do the trick but the second, harder one did. Nothing to be seen outside I attempted to lose said door. It wasn't happening. Of course this isn't new either, I've had to yank it shut several times to get it closed before. Well yanking wasn't working this time. What the heck was I supposed to do? It's early and I'm still sleepy. I'd really like to go back to bed but I can't with the door open. My sleepy brain races. Maybe I could seal it with that foamy stuff but I don't want to fill up the house for the locks. Some how my fuddled brain comes up with duct tape to put over the holes! Brilliant! I find a used can of foam sealant, it won't come out, too old I guess. I look around and thank my lucky stars as I find an unopened can! Shaking vigorously as instructed I attached the straw and depress the nozzle but I get no joy! Then the nozzle breaks off! Damn! OK, the only thing I can think of is to seal the door with the duct tape. I manage to seal the side and bottom from the outside but I can't reach the top, on well I'll seal that from inside. I seal the inside top, bottom, and side. Whew, well now too awake to sleep. Let's have some tea and play on the tablet.
I'm up early Sunday so let's get something done. After having war with the ants the previous week I decide to burn the trash. Haul it outside, put the lighter to it. Did I mention we're having a flash drought? We had a really wet May, wettest on record for most of the state after a severe drought. So we had lots of stuff (what we firefighters call FUEL) growing and then a really dry couple of months. I step inside the house to do something or another and look out the window to see lots of light colored smoke, ore than my litter trash should have made. I exit the front door and see that I have started a lovely grass fire and it isn't even noon yet! OK, not much wind, got my snake boots on which are almost at thick as my firefighter boots, no need to panic. I look for the hose by the spigot and the grass has overgrown it so much I can't even see it. No problem there is another hose stuck in the fence for the dogs' pool. I grab it and have to yank it out from under the grass that has grown over it. Unfortunately I yank one time too many and break the main water into the house! That hose will no longer be of assistance. I head for the water well and the other spigot. The hose is still hooked up to the cow tank and not the spigot. There is a big frog in the tank however. OK, no water is forth coming so I will have to stamp it out! All the time wondering at what point do I call the fire dept.? And REALLY not wanting to. After doing the Mexican Hat dance all around the perimeter and only getting blinded by the stinging smoke a few time I finally get it out. Well, hell. I take a look at the water main where it broke and took a pic to take to the hardware store.
Monday at lunch I go to Home Depot on Slaughter in Austin. The plumber guy isn't there so I talk to some other guy cause I'm on my lunch hour and can't wait nor easily come back later. I show the guy the pic and tell him the PVC going into the house is copper lined. He says there is no such thing and tells me to hire a plumber! I'm depressed and discouraged and my friend suggests we stop at Lowe's on Stassney on the way back to work. Well, they had a plumber working at lunchtime or at least someone who knew about plumbing. He knew what we were talking about and knew there was such a thing as copper lined PVC and even sold me the adhesive that stated right on the jar that it works on PVC and CPVC! He also sold me an adjustable connector so I wouldn't have to worry about cutting it exact. There was a specific connector for the CPVC that was a sharkbite thing with teeth to grip the copper part after I remove the PVC covering. So, that evening after work I spread a tarp down and crawl under the house to see what I can do. Nothing is what.
Tuesday evening I crawl back under the house and try to cut through the PVC cover but my pocket knife says na da. I'm discouraged again and decide to go the the fire department meeting any way after I begged off to work on the water pipe thinking I will feel better to be around people. At least I was able to pick up my raffle tickets for the annual September fund raiser.
