Well, the clearing out is done. It turns out there was more to be cleared out than expected, and very little that survived. We’re definitely at a point where I can apply my mantra, “I’m taking charge of my life and creating my own success” to getting things straightened out here now.
Oh man! When it rains it pours. Sorry Tom. I’ve been through some plumbing nightmares too and it sucks. I hope yours goes well. I am gifting a TCinLA subscription to my niece. Take care.
'It’s always something…' and you sound so good through it all. That's not only because we missed you, TC; it's your writing that makes us laugh; make 'good trouble' and try to curse as convincingly as you do. _ _ _ _ _ _ _!
That's actually a laugh and a chuckle and a big smile, but substack doesnt hve the emojis for all that. Thanks Fern!
TC, I hope it goes more smoothly than I think you are expecting, and I especially hope that it doesn't put a significant dent in your finances.
We'll all miss you, but I'm sure we all have empathy for your situation. IF I lived nearby, I'd bring you coffee, and tell you stories to make you laugh, or do whatever helped you get through it all.
I guess I wrote what I just wrote because I hadn't read a few messages down. you're very fortunate if it's not coming out of your pocket.
and on top of that, a REALLY reliable plumber...plumbing problems will be fixed. period.
I know about those old washing machines. I've had the same "illegal" one for as long as I've been here ( a few timers and something replaced) and the washing machine repair guy says to never get rid of it. he well might have said it was "built like a tank."
I feel ya, TC. I have a cousin in Downey, same era of home... same plumbing issues... far less financial stability... I am very concerned about her. I hope everything goes smoothly... no unpleasant surprises. It will be worth it in the end. Also, I will be sorting through 💩 to the end of days ... how? why? 🤦🏼♀️
Even though you have plumbing issues, I hear a lightness in your tone that comes from clearing out stuff...good for you. It opens your heart and mind. Be open to all the support that will come your way.
Ah, so sorry for these issues Tom. Indeed, it does seem like a cascade of house problems always comes in waves. Hopefully, things will smooth out soon, altho those plumbing issues do take time and money to resolve.
To all you readers and lurkers who aren't subscribed: do it! If you like Tom's writing, demonstrate your respect and appreciation. It's a great and worthy investment.
I hope your repairs go smoothly without unpleasant surprises.
To your 2000 free subscribers: if just 10% of you become paid subscribers it would go a long ways towards helping this great writer with his plumbing repairs. He is more than worth it folks!
Oh, TC. I wish now that I hadn’t become a paid subscriber a couple of months ago! But I can encourage others to join in the fun of contributing comments to this community you have created.
I truly appreciate the thoughtful, ribald, grounded-in-history comments you provide, tempered by the felines. You voice the opinions I share in language I don’t typically use but feel deeply.
I know one thing, you don’t want the cheapest plumber you can find. The last plumber I used was trained in the Navy, she wasn’t cheap but she knew what she was doing. Good luck
Many years ago I was renting a small house. We had a little problem with the kitchen sink draining. When I looked beneath the sink where the pipe is located, it turned out to be a paper exhaust hose that is normally used in car engine!
Good luck with the project, Tom. I hope a few subscribers pony up for you.
Soon after we bought a house in 1983 we discovered a garden hose was draining our diswasher into the crawl space. Bought the place from a plumber, who was working on construction of the new nuclear power plant just outside of town. Luckily, a contingent of hippie lawyers got the plant plans sunk.
Oh, sorry it happened. But looking on the bright side, your house is cleaned out, you DON’T have a person in a hospital bed in the house, and the only person you have to worry about with all the chaos that goes into a major plumbing project is yourself. Take care. Know that we’ll miss your writing and your very unique take on all that is happening and will be looking forward to your return.
I wondered about them. Smurf heads for her room and her carrier anytime someone walks in the door! Having multiply visitors for whatever reason would really blow her mind. Axel of course would love it - as long as it was small, loud children!
Oh man! Yes this has been the season for heating elements crashing, pipes deciding they did not want to drain, and mice liking the way things feel in our house now that we have no cat! Knock on wood-I am so glad the frig is still working at our house and that the mice can't get into it! Take care and be not worried. It is always something. Thank you to the Great Gilda Radner for these words. They are always true. And just to prove it, my hubby decided we needed to have chickens AGAIN (although I swore off them once they had all passed on to the Great Chicken Roost in the sky). So he will be picking up chicks tomorrow and the new worry will be keeping them alive and my husband from going mad taking care of them. Oh boy!
Yeah the mice thing? I have a doublewide on a pad - no cellar & after listening to chewing noises in the winter I finally found a successful answer. Its called Rat Magic - get it at my local feedstore & it doesnt kill anything only deters them. I sprinkle it all around the outside of the house & it appears that it works. I guess it could be chipmunks too but since they ae rodents technically seems to be successful all round.
I dont want rodents underneath the house but I also do NOT want little bodies all over. Know what I mean?
Good luck with the chicks - and keeping them alive.
Thanks for the tip Maggie. We have been live trapping but if there is something to put out that won't kill them (or other critters) that seems perfect. We'll look into that for sure. Fortunately they're only field mice but goodness, they love our house!
Wrote & lost an entire reply! Now if I can just remember what I said... the gist was this stuff I bought claims NO-NONE danger of killing other creatures whether wild or domestic. Many years ago I made the mistake of putting out D-Con because of all the large rodents attracted by various chickens, ducks & rabbits wasted food. Once was enough - no matter how I feel about rats I will NEVER use stuff like that again. But it took years to find something that actually did what it said - at least I think it does!!
As I am fond of saying, "This, too, like last night's dinner, shall pass!" I love the plumber's reply to your landlady about the "years of neglect"....
Oh man! When it rains it pours. Sorry Tom. I’ve been through some plumbing nightmares too and it sucks. I hope yours goes well. I am gifting a TCinLA subscription to my niece. Take care.
Thanks!
'It’s always something…' and you sound so good through it all. That's not only because we missed you, TC; it's your writing that makes us laugh; make 'good trouble' and try to curse as convincingly as you do. _ _ _ _ _ _ _!
That's actually a laugh and a chuckle and a big smile, but substack doesnt hve the emojis for all that. Thanks Fern!
TC, I hope it goes more smoothly than I think you are expecting, and I especially hope that it doesn't put a significant dent in your finances.
We'll all miss you, but I'm sure we all have empathy for your situation. IF I lived nearby, I'd bring you coffee, and tell you stories to make you laugh, or do whatever helped you get through it all.
Fortunately the landlady is covering it since the plumber (who she knows and trusts) told her it was long-term neglect (i.e., her fault).
Very glad to hear that!
I guess I wrote what I just wrote because I hadn't read a few messages down. you're very fortunate if it's not coming out of your pocket.
and on top of that, a REALLY reliable plumber...plumbing problems will be fixed. period.
I know about those old washing machines. I've had the same "illegal" one for as long as I've been here ( a few timers and something replaced) and the washing machine repair guy says to never get rid of it. he well might have said it was "built like a tank."
My washing machine is probably at least 30 years old, and might be a lot older than that.
😲🐟🚣🏼⛏️🤿😲🛠️⚓🚱⚠️😿🎣🛶🐾🐀
You had me at crying cats!
I'll happily take you 😻
S**t happens, but it's a real bummer when it won't drain away.
I feel ya, TC. I have a cousin in Downey, same era of home... same plumbing issues... far less financial stability... I am very concerned about her. I hope everything goes smoothly... no unpleasant surprises. It will be worth it in the end. Also, I will be sorting through 💩 to the end of days ... how? why? 🤦🏼♀️
Even though you have plumbing issues, I hear a lightness in your tone that comes from clearing out stuff...good for you. It opens your heart and mind. Be open to all the support that will come your way.
Ah, so sorry for these issues Tom. Indeed, it does seem like a cascade of house problems always comes in waves. Hopefully, things will smooth out soon, altho those plumbing issues do take time and money to resolve.
To all you readers and lurkers who aren't subscribed: do it! If you like Tom's writing, demonstrate your respect and appreciation. It's a great and worthy investment.
Yes, do it!
I hope your repairs go smoothly without unpleasant surprises.
To your 2000 free subscribers: if just 10% of you become paid subscribers it would go a long ways towards helping this great writer with his plumbing repairs. He is more than worth it folks!
Oh, TC. I wish now that I hadn’t become a paid subscriber a couple of months ago! But I can encourage others to join in the fun of contributing comments to this community you have created.
I truly appreciate the thoughtful, ribald, grounded-in-history comments you provide, tempered by the felines. You voice the opinions I share in language I don’t typically use but feel deeply.
I know one thing, you don’t want the cheapest plumber you can find. The last plumber I used was trained in the Navy, she wasn’t cheap but she knew what she was doing. Good luck
This guy the landlady knows came across to me as excellent.
Ouch. Nothin' comes easy these days, does it?
Many years ago I was renting a small house. We had a little problem with the kitchen sink draining. When I looked beneath the sink where the pipe is located, it turned out to be a paper exhaust hose that is normally used in car engine!
Good luck with the project, Tom. I hope a few subscribers pony up for you.
Soon after we bought a house in 1983 we discovered a garden hose was draining our diswasher into the crawl space. Bought the place from a plumber, who was working on construction of the new nuclear power plant just outside of town. Luckily, a contingent of hippie lawyers got the plant plans sunk.
Oh, sorry it happened. But looking on the bright side, your house is cleaned out, you DON’T have a person in a hospital bed in the house, and the only person you have to worry about with all the chaos that goes into a major plumbing project is yourself. Take care. Know that we’ll miss your writing and your very unique take on all that is happening and will be looking forward to your return.
Trust me, the kitties are totally freaked out. They have dealt with more strangers in the past five days than they have in their lives before.
I wondered about them. Smurf heads for her room and her carrier anytime someone walks in the door! Having multiply visitors for whatever reason would really blow her mind. Axel of course would love it - as long as it was small, loud children!
I know you will take care of them, but I can just imagine how mine would be freaked. Hope they can find a safe corner
When my new denture’s installed I should be able to bite my fingernails.
Your ship's leaking a wee bit and the bilge is clogged? Am glad you're landlocked these days and the swabbies can tend to righting the ship. ❤
First thing I read this morning and I get a good laugh. Thanks!
Oh man! Yes this has been the season for heating elements crashing, pipes deciding they did not want to drain, and mice liking the way things feel in our house now that we have no cat! Knock on wood-I am so glad the frig is still working at our house and that the mice can't get into it! Take care and be not worried. It is always something. Thank you to the Great Gilda Radner for these words. They are always true. And just to prove it, my hubby decided we needed to have chickens AGAIN (although I swore off them once they had all passed on to the Great Chicken Roost in the sky). So he will be picking up chicks tomorrow and the new worry will be keeping them alive and my husband from going mad taking care of them. Oh boy!
Tell him to join Joyce Vance's "Civil Discourse" substack - she's very seriously into chickens.
Yes she is and hers are really beautiful! As I said before (I think) I like chickens,.
Yeah the mice thing? I have a doublewide on a pad - no cellar & after listening to chewing noises in the winter I finally found a successful answer. Its called Rat Magic - get it at my local feedstore & it doesnt kill anything only deters them. I sprinkle it all around the outside of the house & it appears that it works. I guess it could be chipmunks too but since they ae rodents technically seems to be successful all round.
I dont want rodents underneath the house but I also do NOT want little bodies all over. Know what I mean?
Good luck with the chicks - and keeping them alive.
Thanks for the tip Maggie. We have been live trapping but if there is something to put out that won't kill them (or other critters) that seems perfect. We'll look into that for sure. Fortunately they're only field mice but goodness, they love our house!
Wrote & lost an entire reply! Now if I can just remember what I said... the gist was this stuff I bought claims NO-NONE danger of killing other creatures whether wild or domestic. Many years ago I made the mistake of putting out D-Con because of all the large rodents attracted by various chickens, ducks & rabbits wasted food. Once was enough - no matter how I feel about rats I will NEVER use stuff like that again. But it took years to find something that actually did what it said - at least I think it does!!
When it rains it pours.
Indeed it does.
Apparently from every place imaginable!
As I am fond of saying, "This, too, like last night's dinner, shall pass!" I love the plumber's reply to your landlady about the "years of neglect"....