Cleanliess Is Overrated Anyway

A couple of mornings ago I sent the boys outside to play in the backyard while I cleaned up breakfast. Still in my pajamas, I heard the tell-tell sound of water gushing through the outside faucet. I rushed to the window and started yelling at Ben to "SHUT THE WATER OFF!!" "DON'T MAKE ME HAVE TO COME OUT THERE!!" Water soaked his shirt and shorts; he started crying about being all wet. Clearly yelling at Ben wasn't getting me anywhere so I changed tactics. "WILLIAM, HELP YOUR BROTHER SHUT THE WATER OFF!!! JUST SHUT THE WATER OFF!!" Being the street-wise four year-old that he is, Will reached from the side to avoid getting wet and twisted the handle. Nothing happened. Finally he looked up at me and said he couldn't turn it off.

I ran to my room and added the appropriate clothing for going outside. Then I hurried outside and turned the handle myself. Again, nothing happened. Water continued to gush from the spigot and I was getting wet. Arrgh!! The faucet had broken and would not shut the water off!

I ran into the house, being careful to close the screen door behind me so Ellie didn't fall down the steps into the backyard. Once inside I rushed through the kitchen, grabbing the phone and dialing Joel's number as I ran down the hallway. Down the basement stairs I sped, careful to close the door at the top so Ellie didn't follow me down. At the other end of the basement I hopped on top of the washing machine just as Joel answered the phone. I gave him a quick rundown of the situation and confirmed that the knob I was currently turning would shut the water off outside. Thankfully, I didn't have to shut the water off to the whole house!

Just another day in the life of Super Momma. You might think that's the end of my story. Boys dried off and changed. Me finally dressed. Joel replacing the faucet at the earliest convenient time. You'd be almost right.

Today Joel's project has been to replace the faucet. Sounds easy enough. But see, projects around here NEVER go smoothly, quickly or inexpensively. THREE trips to Lowe's later the water to my house is still off! (He had to replace the inside cutoff valve also. That required shutting off ALL the water.)

Taking the old faucet off apparently was a piece of cake; demolition usually is. Putting the new one on has proved not to be so easy. I don't understand the ins and outs of it. I just know it's after 10 p.m. and my handyman husband is now tired, cranky and overall put-out because the water won't stay in the pipes where it belongs.

If you see me at church or a baby shower tomorrow and my hair looks a little odd, please don't laugh. It means the water is still off and I washed my hair in the sink with bottled water. Bottled water that I keep on hand because this is NOT the first time our water has been off all day.