I am sitting down after half a day’s battle with a cancerous area of the wall behind our washer/dryer. The misbegotten parts appear to have been original construction, with some “almost good enough” work without fixing the original errors. The holes are mostly filled; tomorrow I will seal the seams with mesh tape and hot mud. Then skim coat, texture, paint and ta da! Tonight I am too pooped to rant. Wasn’t I retired or something?
I spent the last week repairing electrical items. It’s a good thing I retired so I could continue my career at home in my spare time. It seems everything gets smaller and harder to see though.
Growing up where most dads were craftsmen, contractors, or builders, we learned all the home stuff was just another job, no big deal. Used to watch a lot of This Old House, later HGTV, and now YouTube for advice.
Still enjoy memories of my father-in-law swearing in Italian during his battles with squirrels in his fruit trees, though.
Which is why I’ve bowed to the inevitable and now hire pros to do certain jobs. Yes, it’s more money but I save 6 trips to the store for the right part and avoid what Arlo’s going through.
Shortly after moving, I replaced the non-working “instant” hot water system. Even though the tap was very different, my wife didn’t notice I had to show her. And she was the one who wanted it fixed.
this happened to me once. i thought I was alone in the house and it sounded like a portal to hell had opened in my bathroom but it was just my husband trying to fix the sink
He’s not angry. He’s practicing the art of “immediate venting” to prevent anger from getting a foothold. Don’t know why Janis and my spouse can never figure that out…
I used to work on my cars in my 20’s; mufflers, oil changes, transmission tec. There was always ONE bolt that would refuse to budge. Sometimes, if General George S. Patton was standing nearby, even HE would have blushed at the torrent of profanities that emitted from under my car!
A friend wants me to help fix a loose rocking toilet. Toilets don’t rock. There is going to be a floor, framing, and plumbing disaster in the hole under that toilet.
alasko over 1 year ago
Ode to a sink trap.
Tyge Premium Member over 1 year ago
What a great idea!! I think I’ll try that next time.
flagmichael over 1 year ago
Plumbing will inspire such gritty prose.
I am sitting down after half a day’s battle with a cancerous area of the wall behind our washer/dryer. The misbegotten parts appear to have been original construction, with some “almost good enough” work without fixing the original errors. The holes are mostly filled; tomorrow I will seal the seams with mesh tape and hot mud. Then skim coat, texture, paint and ta da! Tonight I am too pooped to rant. Wasn’t I retired or something?
Da'Dad over 1 year ago
Be it the kitchen or, heaven forbid, the bathroom, I’ve always said plumbing problems are the test of a marriage.
SpacedInvader Premium Member over 1 year ago
I spent the last week repairing electrical items. It’s a good thing I retired so I could continue my career at home in my spare time. It seems everything gets smaller and harder to see though.
C over 1 year ago
Plumbing the depths of his vocabulary
Muzi54 over 1 year ago
It’s called ‘maintenance language’. It is the arcane spells used by mechanics too loosen rust parts (learned mine in the USAF)
nosirrom over 1 year ago
I hope Janis has band-aids on hand.
Alias1600 over 1 year ago
Growing up where most dads were craftsmen, contractors, or builders, we learned all the home stuff was just another job, no big deal. Used to watch a lot of This Old House, later HGTV, and now YouTube for advice.
Still enjoy memories of my father-in-law swearing in Italian during his battles with squirrels in his fruit trees, though.
GentlemanBill over 1 year ago
Out, d@mned clog!
PoodleGroomer over 1 year ago
The correct tool for disassembling old plumbing is a Sawzall.
jarvisloop over 1 year ago
Sam Clemens would be impressed.
ElVez2 over 1 year ago
First full day of fall and Janis isn’t all covered up?
Ignatz Premium Member over 1 year ago
Arlo is better than me. I always that if we need to hammer some nails or build something fairly simple, I’ll do that. Plumbing is somebody else’s job,
Uncle Bob over 1 year ago
This has to be the best depiction of ‘toon profanity I have seen in quite some time!
mourdac Premium Member over 1 year ago
Which is why I’ve bowed to the inevitable and now hire pros to do certain jobs. Yes, it’s more money but I save 6 trips to the store for the right part and avoid what Arlo’s going through.
david_42 over 1 year ago
Shortly after moving, I replaced the non-working “instant” hot water system. Even though the tap was very different, my wife didn’t notice I had to show her. And she was the one who wanted it fixed.
ScullyUFO over 1 year ago
Ha. You want to test a marriage? Try partnering as driver and navigator in a car rally.
Parrothead over 1 year ago
I’m a plumber. My best customers are the ones who tried to fix it themselves first.
driver1602 over 1 year ago
You can but it requires 16 penny nails and gorilla glue not supplied in the kit. I know this first hand.
ms-ss over 1 year ago
Fixing a drain and putting up a light fixture are both simple in theory and use basic parts. In practice, nothing that comes up is predictable.
Emperor Rick over 1 year ago
Leave plumbing to the plumbers.
Cincoflex over 1 year ago
Look at all that grawlix!
ChessPirate over 1 year ago
“To [BONK!], or not to [BONK!], is not the question:
Whether ’tis more hurtful on the head to suffer the bends and angles of outrageous pipedom;
Or to take tools against the mass of metals, and by unscrewing, end them…"
The Orange Mailman over 1 year ago
What is the difference between a soliloquy and a monologue?
David Huie Green PrepareBeforeOrRegretLater over 1 year ago
Inanimate objects are out to get us!
(Even more so if you hurt their feelings.)
viniragu over 1 year ago
Why is he wearing a baseball hat, while working under a sink????
caring55 over 1 year ago
this happened to me once. i thought I was alone in the house and it sounded like a portal to hell had opened in my bathroom but it was just my husband trying to fix the sink
tiomax over 1 year ago
“Whoever said indoor plumbing was a blessing never had to work on it.”
annefackler61 over 1 year ago
My husband lets me do all the plumbing and electrical work around the house…I call the specialists.
darthnul over 1 year ago
He’s not angry. He’s practicing the art of “immediate venting” to prevent anger from getting a foothold. Don’t know why Janis and my spouse can never figure that out…
Marvin Premium Member over 1 year ago
Sweetie. He was a Professional Potty Mouth long before you met him.
moosemin over 1 year ago
I used to work on my cars in my 20’s; mufflers, oil changes, transmission tec. There was always ONE bolt that would refuse to budge. Sometimes, if General George S. Patton was standing nearby, even HE would have blushed at the torrent of profanities that emitted from under my car!
PoodleGroomer over 1 year ago
A friend wants me to help fix a loose rocking toilet. Toilets don’t rock. There is going to be a floor, framing, and plumbing disaster in the hole under that toilet.