Day: July 24, 2004

So I actually did what I wanted today. Now, granted, I did not complete as much as I had hoped but I made a major milestone on a long standing project. Today I got our ice maker working! The initial installation of the plumbing required coming off the main water supply roughly 15 feet. I used a ball value to terminal the feed close to the main supply Then another to isolate the feed to the water maker and yet another to isolate what will become the feed for the washing machines new home. Perhaps we can attribute it to my fascination with submarines but I like ball values! So, the initial attempt at this plumbing ended in a single leak. To fix it required cutting through the pipes and doing some patching. This created a greater possibility for more leaks as well as it didn’t look as pretty. Below are the initial, in progress and final pictures:



I am a strong believer that the right tools make a job go well.



Now for the fun! Have you ever considered sticking a propane torch into your ceiling?



Note the burn marks on the ceiling:



We had no leaks! (At least not yet) and we have made our first ice cubes! This picture shows the freezer connected to the water supply.



I shall finish the game! Of course there is drywall and painting left to do before I can completely write the project off but this completion was a major milestone!

My wife is participating in Project Blog to raise money for The Autism Society. Run over to her blog and help!

Almost just blinded myself in my left eye. So like if you are sweating pipes and standing under the pipe.. make sure you are wearing safety goggles.

I’m 1 or 2 tools short of finishing the work on the ice maker. Now, either this will a) go well, b) I will burn the house, or c) I will have to basically start over again. As we know, sometimes starting over is better than applying patches.

Student: What is a house without children?

Teacher: Quiet.

A New Day!

Let’s start the day off with a PayPal donation link:

This Morning

At midnight Cathy called to say Noah had a horrible nose bleed and needed to be taken to the ER but they got it under control. At 8:15 the call came again and he is off to Children’s Hospital. Poor guy doesn’t deserve it.

I have tasked myself with plumbing today. Unfortunately, to get my tools that may require a digression into cleaning the garage some. That act is so overwhelming and depressing to me that I find it debilitating. Tools that I took such loving care of have rust and are out of other. Items that I would have never allowed to be left to be weathered are unprotected in the driveway. The buildout in the garage is incomplete. The garage represents all my failings with chaos (lack of control), unfinished tasks (irresponsibility), negligence (lack of caring), pack ratting (the inability to let go), and unstarted projects (fear).

Last Night

Sent Amy to the grandparents. Sent Cathy, Sarah, and Noah to the zoo. So Tommy and I went with a good friend of mine to see “I, Robot” (trailer) Fantastic movie! You completely forget that you are watching special effects. Well done! I needed the stress break greatly. It was also the first movie I’ve been too in a long time where I didn’t have to escort someone to the bathroom 🙂 Tommy was on exceptional behavior with only one loud outburst during the movie, “What did he say?”

I would say I slept alone last night if it weren’t for the cat and dog that joined me on the bed. Surprising and somewhat disappointing, Lucy, our older dog didn’t come downstairs until morning when she needed to be let out.