Plumbing Age

Yesterday saw high controversy at the homestead. The sink in the master bedroom bathroom has had minute cracks ever since we moved in; it’s one of those sinks molded as part of the entire counter top. As part of getting the house ready for sale we decided to have it replaced. My wife unfortunately left this coordination in my hands, at least that’s my opinion based on her running commentary yesterday. The plumber was supposed to show up before I left for work but I had to call him to remind him and this was his first strike in my wife’s strict score card.

The Countertop That Was Replaced

When he made the estimate he said he could get the new countertop based on what we wanted. My wife had groused to me that we should buy the countertop since we would care about the price. I replied it would be better to let the professional buy it since he would get a discount. So, what’s the first thing he says upon arrival? “You know, it probably makes more sense for you guys to buy the counter top yourselves so it’s what you want.” (cue a look of daggers directed in my general direction) She was getting ready to do this herself but I said I could handle it since it was on the way to work. She grudgingly allowed the plumber and I to leave to make the purchase. She was adamant about not having to pay extra for the travel time for the plumber when he wasn’t actually working (she’s read some horror stories about plumbers taking advantage of this – go figure!).

I was just finished checking out from the Home Depot when I received a frantic call telling me she wanted a different color. Luckily it was too late for this as the plumber was already headed back and I told her it would involve more travel time we’d have to pay for. I escaped to work and an hour later she called to report the plumber still hadn’t returned (it’s a fifteen minute drive). When I told her he should have returned long ago I secretly wished him luck upon his arrival.

He eventually did arrive to some very serious questioning and dismissal of excuses (got that t-shirt myself). I received periodic updates (complaints) for the rest of the time he spent making the repairs. My hyper vigilant wife reported every issue she had with what she assumed were his attempts to jack up the cost. She indignantly reported that he claimed the drain was clogged and offered to clear it for $75. She asked if liquid plumber would do the job which thwarted that dastardly plan. I was genuinely worried by the end of the day if the poor guy would survive intact as she ruthlessly invoked her prerogatives. I know what it’s like to fight an entity well above your weight and class. He did a beautiful job and we paid more than $400 less than originally estimated. Oh, and he cleared the drain, free of charge. She is impressive.

The Office Cat in my Daughter's Lap

We’ve finally received updates from our far flung progeny. My favorite son resolved the issues with the impending house sale and will now close on the sale upon our return from Bermuda. He sounded a little gassed from moving his and the ABFA’s personal effects into storage until that date as they have to be out of their apartment tomorrow. My daughter reports California life proceeds apace with her office cat monitoring all business activities. The Wingman heads to England and Belgium for a week long series of concerts shortly.

The Roothugger Ladies in Texas Last Weekend

Reports are also trickling concerning the latest Roothugger reunion which was conducted while we were in Panama. The Dallas area survived the intrusion of these dedicated partiers relatively intact. I haven't heard from all which may mean they haven't been bailed out of incarceration yet. I was really sorry to miss out on what is usually one of the highlights of the year.

Standard Roothugger Seating Arrangements

We were back on the date night trail last night and took in a serious chick flick masquerading as science fiction – The Age of Adaline. Blake Lively plays the lead as a woman who does not age nor act. It doesn’t help that the movie makers included a totally unnecessary voice over narration that implied viewers weren’t smart enough to figure out what was going on.

Liveley’s usually very good but comes across as wooden and less sympathetic than she should. This is starkly exposed when she shares screen time with either Ellen Burstyn or Harrison Ford. One of my favorite cities, San Francisco, should receive billing as a supporting actor which helped a lot. They could have done a lot more with her time passing through the entirety of the twentieth century but decided to go a simpler plot with a U-turn ending. My wife loved it but I’d classify it as a near miss.