October 17, 2007
The Best Laid Plans o' Mice and Men Gang Aft Aglay
Plan A ~
Spend Sunday evening having a leisurely meal at one of our favorite Italian eateries, celebrating our 21st anniversary. Sounds nice, no? But unexpectedly and abruptly, I was felled by a cold, which meant that we segued on to…
Plan B ~
Spend Sunday apart at our separate hobbit holes so that (a) I would rest and (b) we would not start Year 22 by sharing the first of the many winter colds we are guaranteed to share this season. To make up for this, we would spend Monday night—which was our real anniversary anyway—together. Also sounds nice, no? What I did not count on was…
Plan C ~
Early Monday afternoon, I propped my snuffle-headed, cotton-brained, wheezy-nosed self up in my shower stall and took a long, hot shower…only to watch aghast as the water level in the shower rose higher and higher, with a distinct lack of swirly activity at the drain…only to watch even more aghast as, after I got out of the shower and flushed the toilet, toilet paper bubbled up in the shower (I know—euw, right?), and water gushed all over the bathroom floor from the base of the toilet. (In the dictionary, next to the phrase, “That can’t be good…” you will find a picture of my bathroom at that moment.) Which meant that, far from resting and far from spending a romantic evening with TMK, I spent the afternoon and early evening with Marcus the Plumber, as he pulled tree roots out of my sewer system. And wrote up a long list of Things He Thinks I Need to Have Done, not one of which will cost less than 1,000 simoleons. Exit Marcus, enter a night spent washing and drying a large pile of towels, the bath mat, my shower curtain, and any clothes that had been on the floor, and sanitizing my bathroom and shower on my hands and knees, Kleenex in one hand, scrub brush in the other. But that’s okay, because I hear caustic chemicals are good for the lungs.
So, uh, well, Happy 21st, TMK. Shall we try for a Plan D?
I received a couple of questions about why I think I need to frog the Four-Acre Sweater. Which made me realize that I probably didn’t need to frog the whole thing, just the armhole. But the thing is, see, the Southwestern design/motif on the sweater—which is what I fell in love with and made the project a "must knit"—and the armhole are inextricably linked: The motif starts at the bottom of the armhole and ends at the top, 11.5" later. Which makes for an armhole that, when you are short-waisted, ends at your waist. So not haute couture. Which’all means that I need to, in essence, redesign the motif. Or the armhole. Or the whole sweater. Or something. Whatever it is, it involves frogging. And a Plan B. And we know how well that works.
Plan C actually made me want to cry. Somehow, plumbing problems are the scariest thing that can happen in my house. Heater not working in December? Leaky roof during a very wet spring? Power outage? I can handle these things. Something Wrong In The Drains? Oh Lord help us. I hope Marcus was able to render much assistance!
On a cheerfuller note - Happy Anniversary to you and TMK! :)
Posted by: jules on October 17, 2007 01:23 PMHappy Anniversary! The romantic anniversary dinner can wait - I don't think TMK is going anywhere without you. I hope your plumbing problems are lighter and less expensive than they seem. Plumbing and electricity are my nightmares.
Posted by: Elaine on October 17, 2007 01:48 PMWish I could have sent over Art the Plumber (sounds like an enforcer for the mob, doesn't it?) who cares for my stopped up drains whenever I call. He's efficient and cleans up after himself very nicely. I'd have been down on my knees wielding the Lysol too.
Happy anniversary to you and TMK!
Posted by: Barbara on October 17, 2007 02:27 PMI have a really hard time believing C was planned.
Tree roots in plumbing SUCK! Good luck to you getting that sorted out.
Happy anniversary, and here's to many more, but cleaner, anniversaries.
Posted by: picadrienne on October 17, 2007 02:48 PMSorry you're anniversary sucked in so many ways. Hope you're feeling better.
Posted by: Jessica on October 17, 2007 02:58 PMOuch!
One of my friends just after buying their place found out that a tree was going through their pipes. It resulted in a very expensive fix. Not the thing anyone ever wants to hear.
Posted by: Seanna Lea on October 17, 2007 02:58 PMTree roots in plumbing is not good, but on the other hand, I don't have to water my two giant ash trees out back, and I'm pretty sure it's the fifty year old plumbing in my house I can thank for that. (One of these years a tree root will actually come out of my sink, tap me on the shoulder, and ask me to please turn on the faucet cuz it's thirsty.)
Posted by: Carrie on October 17, 2007 03:20 PMIt'll be nice when this week is past, and you can honestly say that you put in your fair share of suffering. If only that wheel of karma would turn a bit faster...
Don't frog that sweater yet! My problem was exactly the opposite of yours: armholes measured 12" (which I wanted), but shortened up to 10" when the sleeve was picked up. Clever, clever knitters helped me figure out the solution. I'll bet you could manipulate that armhole depth with the sleeve pick up rate.
Posted by: Gail on October 17, 2007 04:22 PMOh, urgh! I had this sudden chilling sense of how horrifying it would be to watch water rising all over my bathroom. Ack! And, of course, watching anniversary plans go right down the drain instead of the water. I hope things are flowing more smoothly now (get it? get it? I crack myself up), and you guys get to have an evening out. Happy anniversary!
Posted by: Jocelyn on October 17, 2007 04:46 PMAwww....well, Happy Anniversary! the thing to do is, wait exactly one month (to November 15 which is a terrific day anyway on account of it's my daughter's birthday) and have a One-Year-and-One-Month Anniversary Dinner at your favoritest place in the five-state region. By then the grumblies will be gone from your head, the roots will be gone from your pipes and the biffy floor will be dry. Rock on!!
Posted by: dale-harriet in WI on October 17, 2007 05:53 PM21 years? That's practically forever. Good for you two -- congratulations!
Posted by: kmkat on October 17, 2007 06:04 PMCongratulations to you two! I'm sorry everything was going wrong--I hope things take a turn for the better soon.
Posted by: Emma M. on October 17, 2007 06:12 PMWow, you stuck around and cleaned up the evil plumbing problem rather than decamping for drier ground? Talk about pulling up your grownup pants and dealing... I hope the much-belated celebration is delightful.
Posted by: Becca on October 17, 2007 08:29 PMAnd another happy anniversary wish to you and TMK!
Plumbing problems, on top of a cold and best laid plans, truly suck!! Sounds like you've come through it though.
Posted by: Alotta on October 18, 2007 05:28 AMWow. Happy Anniversary! I think I would have cut and run for the nearest restaurant.
Posted by: Lee Ann on October 18, 2007 07:16 AMWhen I read your entry on the Bathroom Nightmare, I must admit I said to self, Holy Shit. How fitting!
Happy anniversary ladies! That is another Holy Shit moment. I've only got 4 years served of a life sentence!
(oops. Did I tell you I'm trying not to swear so much - you can see how well that is going)
Hope you are feeling better!
Posted by: Naomi on October 18, 2007 07:52 AMI hope you're feeling better and belated congrats on the anniversary.
Posted by: emma on October 18, 2007 12:32 PMHappy Anniversary! Let's hope you got all the bad times for the next year over with at once. And that the follow-up care for your plumbing system isn't too expensive. I'd hate to have to spend all my yarn money on unromantic things like that.
Posted by: Joan in Reno on October 18, 2007 01:23 PMHappy Anniversary! I hope you (and your bathroom) are feeling better! I lived in a crappy place once where I had the tree root problem too...my scum-landlord left me w/o plumbing for 3 days!
Posted by: Meg on October 18, 2007 09:09 PMComing in late - but HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to one of my favorite couples around. xo
Posted by: Rachael on October 24, 2007 08:26 AM