I am thankful for... a flushing toilet.

Happy Thanksgiving! I know, you want to know why I am writing about toilets this morning, instead of the meal I am helping make, and the family who will be gathering here soon. My first time to hostess Thanksgiving, and the one toilet in the house is being repaired as I type...

It all started a week ago. The old toilet had a flapper-valve go, and then something else, so we were flushing with a bucket. Not fun. The plumber was due to show up for several projects, so we waited... Yesterday, I pleaded and got BoPop and Dad to install the new toilet. Yay! flushing potty is soooo good.

Last night, as the kids got home from church, and I got them ready for bed, I went to check on Johann and discovered the sounds of rushing water. "Dad! the toilet's leaking." Here come Dad, and Mica, who had come over for a cuppa and a chat... I think he qualifies as family now, since he helped repair the toilet! They get the water out of the tank... there's a hole in the bottom of the tank, about the diameter of a pencil. Dry it up a bit, and we have no epoxy where we know where it is, so let's try the silicone. It has to set for at least 12 hours. OK, now we are back to flushing with a bucket, but at least it will be ready for family tomorrow. Oh, wait, where did the hole come from? Well, it turns out Johann had taken the lid off the toilet tank to see what was inside, and when he tried to put it back on, the lid fell into the tank, and the corner of it impacted the porcelain and broke a conical hole in it. The adults in the living room didn't hear it, because of the water in the tank.

Cue this morning... I walk into the bathroom to find Johann with the bucket, and a glass of water, with the tank lid off, trying to refill the tank. Oh, boy. Send him to his room... "Dad!"

And here we go again. He'd knocked the silicone plug out. So Dad runs out to walmart for epoxy, and finds some that dries to touch in five minutes, and will finish set underwater. Whew. Heat gun into the tank for a while to dry it out nicely, and plug of epoxy, and Johann under strict orders not to go into the bathroom without a potty buddy.

So Happy Thanksgiving to all, and to all... a good flush.

Something different, Now that I am renewed and lifted up on wings of eagles...

Poor sad soul

Thou unfortunate fool,

Lost your way

In life's cold school.

Now there's no

Going home in sunshine

Only the gray to

Hide your soft whine.

Fog your mind

And chill what's left

Of your bloody,

Battered life weft.

May there come

A day you may see

Woven there

The whole you can be.

Until then

March on, head bowed.

Soul tatter'd

Bare, shamed, and cowed.

(written 9/28/08 - a year and a lifetime ago.)

Kitten on my lap is keeping me from moving! Halp!

I’m tired, and more or less biding my time. I can feel a story being born in my brain, but it is too young to have any shape yet. I wrote one this morning, all 4500 words of it, from beginning to end. It’s the first time in two years I have finished a tale, and I’m pretty pleased about it. I’ll let it cool for a couple of days before I edit. In the meantime... I have a sleepy kitty on my lap, buzzing his heart out. The kids are quietly playing in the living room. Dad is trying to shovel out his room - I’ve helped where I can, including hoiking a 12 foot stainless-steel counter into the garage with him. For some reason it triggered my cough to lift that, so now I’m sitting waiting for the inhaler to kick in. I really hope i’m not developing asthma.

So I have broken an 18 month case of writer’s block. I’ve had company over for a meal... my friends Ed and Wendy are working on rebuilding a house after it burned down last winter, and Dad helped with hauling today. I had everyone over for lunch after, so Wen wouldn’t have to cook. Turkey and Rice soup from scratch - very warm and yummy. Jake (I can’t believe he’s almost 18! He was 4 yesterday!) came with them, and took a walk with the kids, then they showed off the Wii to him - he’s a good kid to play with my young’ns. I reconnected with some old friends on Facebook - some of my earliest writing mentors, hence the boost in my embryonic story. It has been a good day - and it’s not over yet!

Tomorrow may be harder - who knows? But for now I feel rested and relaxed. Music on the computer (Judy Pancoast, I mean you!) and the happy talk of kids in the other room - no fighting at the moment. Kitten is asleep now. It’s been a good day.