PLUMBING UPDATE

Ok, I confess. I'm gullible. I thought Jodi was serious about the Duct Tape. I tried it and it didn't help at all. ::snort:: In my defense, we recently moved from Alaska where there are yearly stories of hunters/hikers taping themselves together after bear attacks. Duct tape can fix ANYTHING - except, evidently MY SINK!

However, the project is done and seems to be holding. I took it all apart and found the compression ring. The two pipes had come disconnected. I put the compression ring back in, tightened it as tight as I could, and then put Duct Tape on a small crack further down that I noticed while fixing the top section. All in all it saved $60. I've been to nervous to put things back under the sink...but it seems to be holding.

I have a sweet husband who called me long-distance and talked me through each step of the project!

Birthdays

How can I turn 43 and say I'm 44? It's my upbringing and it's given Mike no ends of headaches, because he doesn't like aging two years at once. LOL

In the Philippines (at least the barios we lived in in Southern Mindanao) you are "runnning" your age. On your first birthday you ARE one year old but it IS the start of your second year....and when asked you either say "2" or "running 2" - which means you are living or running your second year....and since the "running" is assumed...it's often shortened so when someone would say, "how old is your one year old?" Instead of running 2, you'd simply answer, "2."

I AM 43 - but this IS the start of my 44th year.... The trouble comes when I forget - as I usually do until about November (Mike's birthday) - and think I'm the bigger number. Mike is faithful to correct me everytime he hears me give out the wrong age. LOL

Also in the PI - on your birthday YOU throw the party in celebration and thankfulness of YOUR life - your friends come to your home but you give them gifts and you handle the expense etc. A bit less self centered than what I've observed in America...but I'm learning the American ways. ::snort::

They also often wake you in the a.m. singing outside your window.

It's My Birthday!

Yes, I was keeping it low key, but it is...and many of you sent wonderful e-cards and notes. Thank you. I began the day on the scale. Would it be to much to ask to loose a lb on our birthday??? ::snort:: Ah well....it's bouncing between two numbers, so I suspect I lost .5 or maybe .3 of a lb this week. I may give in and get a digital scale with BIG numbers...because it is really, really hard for me to read those little lines early in the a.m.

OK to back up - I dreamed about toaster ovens last night. I'm resisting the temptation to go buy one - but the microwave is making ominous sounds. Who knows, maybe when it explodes, I'll replace it with a bright, shiny, BIG toaster oven. I wonder if they make self-timing toasters? Wouldn't it be wonderful to wake up with that yummy bread smell in the house, crisp toast ready to be slathered in butter and honey??? Hmmm...I must be grain deprived today - actually I TRIED to eat 10 - 12 servings of fruits/vegetables today...and I'm quite sure I'm both grain and protein deprived. Shoot - if I ever manage to eat that many servings of produce I won't be ABLE to eat anything else! I am STUFFED and I only managed 6 servings....tomorrow's another day. I was thinking the dietitian had to be wrong. Wouldn't you know I picked up an excerpt from Don Colbert's (md) new book "The 7 Pillars of Health" and he said that the USDA recommends 5 - 13 servings of produce a day! That seems to be a huge range to me.... OK now - obviously FOOD played a big part in my day - counting food. LOL I'm so stuffed I am not even going to be able to eat my chocolate covered almond - my treat for surviving each day....gotta have that dark chocolate! LOL

We got school done...in fact we started next week's.

I got phone calls from Mike, my folks, and the girls. The girls had all the Master's students sing happy birthday to me. It made me cry. I was glad to have someone sing to me. OH, Beverly (SHS) sent a hilarious birthday card....the cake was a big head of lettuce, turnips around the bottom and carrots for candles! Chris sent one with singing chins....::snort:: OK I'm not going to itemize each card - thanks ya'll....And um...the girls made my day by telling me they want to be like me....sort of...

Adrienne and Tricia came over with their children this afternoon. My children were in HEAVEN to be able to see their friends.

I spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to figure out where I'm supposed to put plumbing tape and wondering WHY there are no longer metal pipes...I really thought I needed to hit something with a wrench to make it all work....but nothing seems sturdy enough to give a good whack! ::snort::

Thus begins my 44th year!

Magic Bullet

Tricia and I played today. She had SEEN these before (because SHE watches TV ::snort::). It helped to have someone who knew what they do here to show me what to do.....

I'm thinking the Bosch will be best for making family smoothies and it is has a stronger motor...but this was GREAT for making a smoothie for Stacia and I this afternoon. Only thing I wasn't thrilled with was that they said to leave the leaves on the strawberries and I could TASTE them in that drink. We were going to make an energy drink for Adrienne (watermelon, pineapple, beet, CELERY and broccoli) but she showed up and told us she wasn't going to drink it. LOL

I tried to make some apple/grape juice but it made more of a sauce than juice..... Jen did you grind grain in this???? Because my mill is still being difficult and this may work until Mike gets home. Poor Mike, I'm going to have a wheelbarrow full of broken things for him to repair when he gets home....Maybe I'll make his homecoming real festive and wheel them all the airport. ::snort::

OK the photo below is TERRIBLE of me (didn't remember to SUCK IN...and all the junk in the background is usually under the sink that is now a flood zone...) but here you go proof that I am trying something NEW. LOL

PLUMBING UPDATE

ARGGGHHH!! I thought I had it fixed. The garbage disposal backed up, I turned it on, and stuff went EVERYWHERE.....flooded under there again.

Soooo.....Jamin dragged himself away from his books (he asked me tonight if I thought 4 hours a day working on his biography of Churchill was enough? ::snort:: I suggested an hour a day from here on out), and gave the plumbing a shot. I thought he could get it tighter. He did....but it still leaks....though after I was done with it it was exploding and spraying. ::snort::

We found some tape but we aren't sure what we're supposed to tape. I called the home warranty spot and both the sink and the garbage disposal are covered. I really think it's the O ring thingy....guess I could try that tomorrow....anyway....both are covered under the home warranty and they'd love to send a plumber over.... Yeah - $60...and I'm sure I'll be able to fix this eventually! ::snort::

I thought it hilarious that Stacia had to get right in the middle of things and offer advice....notice the hand on the hip stance....

Preschoolers and Babies in School

I'm often asked, "What do you do with preschoolers and babies during homeschool?"

Mine most often wander in and out of our school sessions. Today they were both content to sit as we read about honey bees and white seals (Jungle Book). They hopped down and went to play while we finished up a few details. We heard CRYING....Stacia came running and her mouth, tongue, teeth were blue and black....Zander had no idea what happened.

"She was sitting in the blanket and started screaming."

We explored. Ah...nestled in the blanket was one of those "Color explosion" Crayola notebooks. AND the corners were soggy with dyes smeared and running everywhere. They are black and the kids etch out a design - colors show under the black....evidently it does NOT make a good teether. Unfortunately, we didn't think about snapping a photo until we'd figured out what was going on and by that time she'd managed to spit and wipe most the ink off.

I was thinking early this a.m., when I heard Stacia up and out of her bed, that it is proving IMPOSSIBLE to Stacia proof. As much as I child proof - she's STILL climbing to the top of the counters etc.

De the Plumber

In an ironic twist this is the first photo taken (by Arielle) since I fixed the camera....and it's me attempting to fix the plumbing. ::snort:: Arielle and I decided to go on a hunt for the camera manual. We checked the manual/warranty file...not there. We checked Mike's night stand...not there. I then went online. I had located the online spot for manuals for D-70's.....when Arielle found the manual - in the camera bag! ::snort:: It works.

I'm determined NOT to call a plumber. I can see what's wrong. I turned the little collar thing. Then somehow knocked it loose so there was water and gunk everywhere. I put it back together and turned the collar as hard as I can and it still is leaking. I'm letting it "rest" while I contemplate the next step. I will NOT call the plumber when I can SEE what needs to happen. I think I may take it apart this afternoon and go to Lowes. We'll see....