That's All Folks

Well, that's it.  They called work tomorrow, and told us not to come back until Monday.  The MHP and Sherriff's department are requesting people to stay home if at all possible, because the roads are still pretty bad in spots.  It's supposed to be even worse tomorrow, because the temps got up into the 40s today and all that sleet started to melt.  Once it dips back below freezing tonight, it'll all turn into ice.  

I'll tell you one thing, I'm about sick and tired of water.  What with the sleet pack melting, water has been dripping from my roof all day long.  My firewood is so wet, I've been bringing a few pieces in at a time and lining them up on top of my wood stove to dry out. 

This carries the added benefit of humidifying the house just a bit.  It gets so dry during these cold spells. 

My next round of fun started yesterday, when I decided to run a load of laundry.  Wouldn't you know it, the only pipes in my entire house that froze were -- you guessed it -- the ones going into the laundry room.  And yes, they were wrapped.  Sigh....They'd thawed out by around 3:30 ish this afternoon, so I was able to wash my clothes, and wonder of wonders, none of them burst.  The pipes, not the clothes.  As much as I've eaten this week, my clothes might burst yet. 

The problem came when I decided to take advantage of those frozen water lines and clean the debris filter which is down at the bottom of the front panel.  

I pulled the filter out, washed it well, then attempted to put it back into place, only I couldn't figure out where that second O-ring gasket was supposed to go.  I looked and looked, and couldn't find anywhere that it would seem to fit.  I finally just put it around the filter and shoved it back into place.   I started a load -- once the pipes had thawed, that is -- but the filter was leaking.  I stopped the washer, pulled the filter back out, dumping water all over my laundry room floor in the process because I couldn't get the cap off of the emergency drain line, and re-seated it.  

It did a lot better, but still leaked a tad.  So, I just shoved a towel under it and let the laundry finish.  While it was running, I looked up a video on YouTube to try to see where that second gasket goes, thinking that was the reason it was leaking.  I found one where a guy was having the same problem as I was.  No matter how much he tightened his filter, it still leaked.   After much trial and error, he'd discovered that you have to line up a mark on the filter with a mark on the housing before you shove it into place and start tightening it up.  That's what worked for him. I still didn't see where that second gasket goes, though. 

I said to myself, "I'm going to have to try that once this load finishes," and settled in to watch a few episodes of The X-Files in the meantime.  About halfway through, that's when it hit me.  That second gasket wasn't a gasket at all.  It was one of my black hair bands.  

I give up.  I just give up. 

By the way, I re-did the filter the way the video showed, and it worked just fine.  No leaks whatsoever. 

As if that weren't enough, while all that was going on, I managed to clog up the toilet in the hall bathroom.  I'm not sure how, because I've been careful not to flush any wet wipes.  I've plunged, and snaked, and plunged some more and can't shift that clog for anything.   I keep pouring water down the bowl, hoping it will eventually break down whatever is clogging it up.  

That toilet has acted up ever since I moved into this house, and I probably just need to on and get it replaced.  

I'll add it to the list, but I tell you one thing, my Dad was right.  Home ownership is for the birds.