Yesterday morning Dave noticed our toilets were all acting up. He spent as much time as he could trouble shooting the problem to no avail. He left for work with this injunction: Don't use the toilets, they're not working. Hmmm, that might be a bit hard for me and the kids. I went to Home Depot and explained our problem. The nice worker sold me a toilet snake and explained how to use it.
I went home, put the little ones down for naps, changed into my "plumbing clothes" and tried my hand at being a plumber. No luck (surprise, surprise!). But I thought that maybe Dave might have better luck now that he had a new tool. After his noble attempt (all of about 30 minutes since he had to head off to bishopric meeting/mutual), still no success.
When he returned home about 11pm, he woke me to tell me he thought he'd discovered our problem after talking to someone at church. The next morning Drew said, "I've got to hurry and get to school. I need to go to the bathroom." Dave and I went out to the front yard to look at one of the pvc pipes that sticks up in our lawn. We found raw sewage around it. Dave gleefully informed me that we could call the city and they'd come fix it for free!
They came. They said it wasn't a city problem. They said to call a plumber. At that point I called the plumber. Gratefully they were able to come right out. They quickly found the source of our problem. "It's really strange what we found," they said.
"This ought to be good," I thought, "and it will definitely involve the kids!"
A large squirt bottle had been put down the hole and caused all the blockage. The plumber was able to push it away from the house, but then it got stuck at the turn to the main city line. They started fiddling with it the best they could. I asked one of the fellows what they'd have to do if they couldn't get it out. The process he told me sounded expensive; he said it'd run about $1000! Gratefully with a little more work, the bottle pushed around the corner and out of our sewer line. So the bill was only $150. That's one expensive water bottle.
Tonight when the kids come home it'll be interesting to see if anyone knows anything about it.... Whoever designed a sewer line with access as simple as lifting a pvc lid obviously didn't have kids!
This Saturday's project is repairing the wall. The 6"hole Dallin's knee made while playfully chasing his brothers around the house. Such fun.
This dragon costume has gone through quite a few kids.
We've started having several cool days now. It's pleasant enough to sit outdoors and watch the kids play without melting. A five gallon bucket and some tupperwares or fish nets provides endless entertainment.
And my favorite part it going walking with friends on a cool day. Devin seems to enjoy it also.
