5 And A Beagle
"Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans." John Lennon
Saturday, December 17, 2005
Yule Logs and Root Balls
Last Sunday I was out shopping with #5, filling any gaps in what she would need to pack for her 5 day trip to outdoor school. How can a girl who is about to embark on a trip to outdoor school be so concerned about whether her gloves match her jacket, whether her toque is pompom free and whether her boots match the gloves and toque? Her brother and sister, who have experienced outdoor school 6 and 3 years prior, keep telling her it's not about fashion it's about being warm and dry. But to #5, it's always about fashion.
We get back from the mall just in time to say hello/goodbye to #3 and his friend. As they head off down the driveway, #3 remarks on the fact that the shower downstairs seems to be having problems draining. I'm thinking I should take a look at it, but I get distracted as soon as I get in the door by the fact that #2 and #4 are busily cleaning the frontroom so that we can start on the decorations.
Thoughts of the shower drain went to the dark recesses of my holiday addled brain while I got out the pastry dough and started in on another batch of mince tarts. It wasn't until a few hours later, that #4 went downstairs and noticed the problem was bigger than just a slow drain.
The toilet was filled to overflowing as was the shower stall with the most disgusting sewer water. The tree, the tarts, everything was forgotten about as the air around the bathroom turned a shade of blue! What the ______!
Picture this, there I am plunging furiously to unclog what I think is a blockage in the toilet only to discover old faithful erupting in the shower stall beside the toilet. Then I run and grab a bucket and old cup and start bailing the disgusting water out of the shower stall and dump it down the laundry basin only to discover old faithful is still erupting. I throw towels on the bathroom floor to mop up the mess then throw the towels and bathmats into the washer only to discover that when the cycle goes to drain, the geyser in the shower stall erupts again. I think it was at about that time that I finally realized the connection between every blasted drain in the basement.
I turn off the washing machine and holler for my husband. (I was about to write that I hollered for #2, but really - I was surrounded by #2 if you get my drift) After much time spent bailing, plunging and mopping, we get the shower and toilet drained. At this time, the main concern for #5 is will she be able to have a shower before she has to leave in the morning. By that time I was quite willing to suggest she go outside and I would hose her down and she could consider that her pre-trip shower. It was nice to see though, that the other 2 kids banded together to look after the forgotten mince tarts and complete making the dinner.
A plumber was called in and with his trusty auger, it was discovered that the culprit was this
It was only after #5 was assured that she could indeed have a hot shower, I was assured that I could finish the laundry and we were $192 lighter in the wallet, that we could joke about yule logs and root balls.
I had originally planned to take pictures of the mince tarts and post the recipe and #4 joked that perhaps I'd like to post recipes for Christmas Yule Logs and Rum Balls.
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We get back from the mall just in time to say hello/goodbye to #3 and his friend. As they head off down the driveway, #3 remarks on the fact that the shower downstairs seems to be having problems draining. I'm thinking I should take a look at it, but I get distracted as soon as I get in the door by the fact that #2 and #4 are busily cleaning the frontroom so that we can start on the decorations.
Thoughts of the shower drain went to the dark recesses of my holiday addled brain while I got out the pastry dough and started in on another batch of mince tarts. It wasn't until a few hours later, that #4 went downstairs and noticed the problem was bigger than just a slow drain.
The toilet was filled to overflowing as was the shower stall with the most disgusting sewer water. The tree, the tarts, everything was forgotten about as the air around the bathroom turned a shade of blue! What the ______!
Picture this, there I am plunging furiously to unclog what I think is a blockage in the toilet only to discover old faithful erupting in the shower stall beside the toilet. Then I run and grab a bucket and old cup and start bailing the disgusting water out of the shower stall and dump it down the laundry basin only to discover old faithful is still erupting. I throw towels on the bathroom floor to mop up the mess then throw the towels and bathmats into the washer only to discover that when the cycle goes to drain, the geyser in the shower stall erupts again. I think it was at about that time that I finally realized the connection between every blasted drain in the basement.
I turn off the washing machine and holler for my husband. (I was about to write that I hollered for #2, but really - I was surrounded by #2 if you get my drift) After much time spent bailing, plunging and mopping, we get the shower and toilet drained. At this time, the main concern for #5 is will she be able to have a shower before she has to leave in the morning. By that time I was quite willing to suggest she go outside and I would hose her down and she could consider that her pre-trip shower. It was nice to see though, that the other 2 kids banded together to look after the forgotten mince tarts and complete making the dinner.
A plumber was called in and with his trusty auger, it was discovered that the culprit was this
It was only after #5 was assured that she could indeed have a hot shower, I was assured that I could finish the laundry and we were $192 lighter in the wallet, that we could joke about yule logs and root balls.
I had originally planned to take pictures of the mince tarts and post the recipe and #4 joked that perhaps I'd like to post recipes for Christmas Yule Logs and Rum Balls.
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