Plumbing Woes, Redux

This seems to be the year of plumbing issues.

Look at those pretty new pipes!

In spite of replacing the toilet, the pipe, and the plumbing out of the house to the septic tank, we STILL had a leak in the basement.  After calling out 3 plumbers, we finally found a plumber who was able to find the source of the leak that was filling a large trash can every day.  Now there's a story - the first plumber is from the company we have our home warranty with.  He told us to replace the toilet.  Since the toilet was new, we called the company that redid the bathroom and installed the toilet.  They said "It's not our work, we're not fixing it."  The third plumber is the same one who replaced the line out of the house this summer.  The whole thing sounds a little like a retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, doesn't it?


The third plumber spent an hour tracking back through the plumbing and finally found a hairline crack in the copper plumbing just below the toilet.  In addition to that leak, he found three other leaks.  (OH BOY!  More leaks!!!)


Keep in mind, it took over a month to find a plumber who was capable of finding this issue.  In the meantime, we were turning the toilets off when we flushed them, and then turning them back on again after we used them in order to fill the tank to flush the toilet.


Let me tell you, the fun never ends in this house.


Another $1,000 and I believe that we are leak free.  I've got my fingers crossed - because this house is full of copper plumbing, and I know that it can go at any moment in time.

In the meantime, I'd really like to put money into something other than plumbing.....

3 Months Later

How do I keep getting more books to read?

3 months ago, I accepted a full time job.  After 25 years of working part time, I decided to pursue full time work. 

It's been an adjustment, to say the least.

I've been struggling to get laundry done.  To get the house clean.  To get dinner on the table.  To get gas in the car (before I'm headed to work and the tank is almost empty), and to go grocery shopping.  How do women who work full time with little kids do this?  I have always been impressed by them and their superhuman ability to do it all.  I can now say that I am completely in awe of anyone who can work full time while raising kids.  You all have my complete adoration.

I've slowly been adjusting.

I've gone back to doing laundry the way I used to do it when the kids were little.  I run the clothes through the wash at night - I put it in before I go to bed.  Once I'm up and running in the morning, I move clothes over to the dryer.  If the weather is nice, I'll hang it outside before I leave for work.

I work Monday nights from 1 until 9.  I go grocery shopping on Monday mornings.  Lines are short, and while the stocking might not be all that I wish, I do manage to get most of what I need.  I've also been scheduling my appointments on Monday mornings.  It's nice, since I don't have to use my minimal leave in order to go to the dentist!

Dinner - I've gotten the hang of the Instant Pot and I've always had the Slow Cooker mojo.  I've been cooking enough for at least two meals, or enough to have left overs to take for lunch for a couple of days.  It's been years since I've done the "Cook Once Eat for a Month" thing - but I see that in my very near future.

Figuring out how to get to the gym has been my biggest challenge.  I have a tough time getting myself back out again after dinner.  It's dark and cold.  I know, that's a poor excuse.  I've tried going in the morning, but I just can't quite get myself over there and off to work, with breakfast in my stomach and lunch in my bag in a timely manner.   Figuring out how to make this consistent is going to be my "thing" for the next year!

Blogging has fallen by the wayside.  I am beginning to pick this back up again!  Having our Wi-Fi go down two weeks ago definitely put a damper on things.  Blogging isn't going to be regular again for a while, but I do intend to blog.  If you check in once a week, you'll see at least one new post! 

Instant Pot

Disclosure Notice: This post contains Affiliate Links.  

Do you have an Instant Pot??


I bought one a few weeks ago, and it has changed my life.  Since beginning to work full time, dinner has been hit or miss.  I get home from work around 5:30, and dinner has been as late as 8 recently.

Since picking up this most wonderful of appliances, I have been able to put dinner together before I leave for work - or even the night before.  I cover the inner pot with foil and put it in the fridge.  When husband gets home at night, he pulls out the pot, removes the foil and puts it into the pressure cooker.  By the time I get home,  dinner is ready!  Even better, there's left overs for the next night's dinner.  Success!!!!

I really am enjoying this gizmo.  Not only is it a pressure cooker, it's also a slow cooker.  You can also saute your stuff - IN THE POT - before you set it to pressure cook or to slow cook.  And the insert is stainless steel and goes into the dishwasher to clean.  No ceramic insert to wrangle into the sink and hand clean.

My Mom had a pressure cooker that she used frequently when I was growing up.  However, I remember many battles with the rubber gasket and the counter weight on the top.  The "chick-chick-chick" sound that it makes as it reaches it's target temperature and weight is one of those constant memories of my childhood and family dinners.  The Instant Pot doesn't make that "chick-chick" sound, but it does flawlessly and quickly cook just about anything.

Book Review: Horrorstor

Disclosure Notice: This post contains Affiliate Links

Hendrix, Grady.  Horrorstor.  2014.  Quirk Books.  Philadelphia, PA.

Imagine a store that is much like your local Ikea but named Orsk.  Imagine that this store is the same in almost every way except one – every fake door and window is actually a real door and window.  At night, once the lights go down and the people go home, the store becomes part of a different world.

Located atop a former prison known as The Beehive, Orsk is the new nighttime home of the house of horrors located within its walls.  The prisoners come out every night to continue the work they began as penitents so very long ago. 

One fateful night, a group of employees stays behind in the showroom to find out who has been breaking in during the night and trashing the store.  As the store transforms into an unexpected horror, the employees struggle to retain their sanity and escape with their lives. 

If you are looking for a unique horror story wrapped in an appropriately modern package, this is the book for you!

Author’s Website:

http://www.gradyhendrix.com/about/