Flushed With Gratitude

WE HAVE PLUMBING!!!

Lent's not done yet, so I'm rather conflicted about this announcement. However,as one of my OFJ (Off-Farm Job) co-workers pointed out, we gave up plumbing long before Lent began. Calculating the time since we moved into the unplumbed new house and the pipes froze in the old one, we seem to have fulfilled the requisite forty days of de-privy-ation.

Our first functional fixture was, thankfully, the privy. A genuine porcelain throne, (purchased "gently used" for $50), now graces our little loo. We are, you might say, "sitting" pretty. We couldn't have done this without our Princely Plumber, (pictured above), and we are truly flushed with gratitude. I felt like crying with joy, a feeling about which I'm unapologetic. Hey, it's my potty, and I'll cry if I want to!


Next in was the shower, and we confirmed that cleanliness is next to Godliness when water streamed down from the Holy Spigot on high. (Of course, our shower wouldn't have had a prayer, had we not received a free second-hand hot water tank late last year. It came from our Infamous EX-Plumber, about whom we're still in a lather... If we ever track him down, it'll be curtains, for sure.)

But enough stalling. Next we went on a reconnaissance mission and marched the washing machine over from the old house. We hooked it up in our tiny utility room, then, with a triumphant roll of the drum, we loaded up and soldiered through lights and darks, then hung our colours proudly.

After a bit of R & R, we went off and explored the counter culture. The Piper's Son worked with us to cut and install our donated kitchen countertops. (A friend of a friend was redoing her kitchen and begged us to cart them off.) They came with a used stainless steel sink. It took a couple of days for us to get caulky enough, but eventually we achieved that old sinking feeling. After that, we happily washed our hands of the matter.

Some places boast of bells and whistles, claiming to offer "everything but the kitchen sink." For us, it's the bathroom sink that's left out of the picture. (According to The Piper's Son, there's something complicated about the wall-mounting process that he plans to tackle at a later date.) We do, however, have all the requisite water lines installed and operational nozzles and hoses in place, carefully positioned above one of those ubiquitous farm accoutrements, a five-gallon bucket. We don't mind this rustic handwashing station, after all we've been through. It'll work just fine, as long as nobody kicks the bucket!


Our deepest thanks go out to Katie for the counter/sink, Habitat for Humanity's local "ReStore" for cheap bathroom fixtures, #@%$&! for the hot water heater, Alan and Justin for septic system excavation, Bruce & Kevin for tools and advice, Dan for his incredibly generous gift of professional skills and labour, and especially The Piper's Son for his long hours of construction and contractor support.

(I apologize for all the bathroom humour, but we just feel so plumb lucky!)