Stone Soup by Jan Eliot for May 18, 2014

You’re right. My parents did and raised four very self-sufficient children (two boys and two girls.) We call the experts when we need to, but we can all do electrical work, plumbing, carpentry, sewing, etc. It makes life easier and a lot less expensive. Back before cars were computerized, I did most of my own car care.

What is this ‘Get off the Couch’ of which you speak?

Yes, it’s harder to get the kids to sleep than it is to do plumbing.

Agreed Wally.

With two little ones sleeping so soundly and Walt relaxed I say call the plumber, why wake of the kids unless the kids do wake up then Wally can check the plumbing.

One of these days, you’ll be able to remember that the baby’s name is Luci with one “c.”

But she’s just the right age to cause a leak in her plumbing.

Once I had to come home from work when there was a bad leak under the sink and my engineer husband kept skooshing the overflow through the dining-area carpet and out the back sliding door. I asked him whether he’d turned off the water to the house. He’d just turned off water under the sink.

Turned out that the people who built the house had put a little dimple in the copper pipe in the wall when they were driving something into the wall. The weakened pipe gave way, and damaged the carpet and its under-carpet thingy. Insurance replaced it. So, Wally, give the leak a look-see, and you may well have to call a plumber!