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It's a big one!
Since I haven't truly updated for the past week or so, here are my latest adventures:
Last Saturday afternoon, as I was about to wash a dirty pot, I noticed that the water wasn't leaving my kitchen sink. In fact, something seemed to be blocking the pipe. I called my father, who suggested to check the gooseneck, which I (or rather, G) did. There wasn't anything in it except gunky water, so something further down was blocking things. Since my landlords were away, I called the man whose number they'd left. He said he'd try to get hold of a plumber. In the meantime, I took some dirty dishes to G's to wash them.
Monday evening, the plumber came by. He fiddled around some, tried to use his drill, before coming to the conclusion that the pipes must be frozen, a problem he was not equiped to deal with. He put salt in the pipes, saying that was the only thing he could do, and left.
Another phone call to the man looking after things while the landlords were away. He said he'd call some specialist plumbers and that he'd get back to me. Later on a date was set; the specialist would be by on Wednesday. As I had ballet class, I asked G to be there. He kindly obliged.
When I got home at 7:30 on Wednesday evening, G told me that a guy had come by, with no tools or anything, had poked around under my sink and had left. Hmm.
Another phone call -- the guys would be back the next day, same time. "G, could you go over to my place again? I have a ballet class to teach." When I got home at nearly 8 o'clock, two men were sitting in my kitchen with a machine that looked like a little generator, trying to thaw the pipes. Since they were in the way and I didn't want to start dirtying more dishes that I wouldn't be able to wash, we ordered pizza. It'd been a long time since I'd wolfed down four slices in one sitting!
After a while one of the men said that they'd need a bigger machine, could they come back tomorrow?
"G, I'm playing soccer after work, tomorrow. Could you come back again? Please?" *batted eyelashes*
When I got home, G was looking mighty frustrated. Apparently the guys had been back with another machine, only to discover it wasn't the right size for the pipes. Couldn't they have, I don't know, thought of checking that the day before?! So they'd dumped a chemical liquid down the pipes and had said they'd be back.
I sent G home, with many thanks, then settled down to wait. I couldn't really relax, as I didn't want to run a bath or anything, in case the plumbers showed up again. When it became clear that they wouldn't, I phoned the interrim landlord, who told me he'd spoken to the plumbers, and they didn't know what to do short of tearing up the floor to look at the pipes. Fine, but I would have liked to have been told, all the same.
*sigh*
During this time, the chemical solution seemed to have accomplished something, as water was able to drain very, very slowly for a little while. Then it stopped.
Last night G and I went to see a ballet. On the way back, we stopped at my place so I could get my dirty dishes to wash them at his place. There was no water stagnating in the sink, I noted. What if...
I turned the tap, cautiously at first. Off the water went, down the hole. Encouraged, I turned the tap some more. Merrily it flowed down the drain. Trying to control my mounting excitement, I turned it full blast, then let loose a tremendous cry of joy. Miracle of miracles, I had a working kitchen sink!
Things are still under control for now, keep your fingers crossed.
Aside from that whole escapade, I started going to my new gym in the morning. The first day was Wednesday, which was really hard, because I ran for half an hour before work, which I'm obviously not used to, then had two straight hours of ballet right after work. My body was quite exhausted by then, on top of the stress the sink situation had caused. Friday was a little better (I did weights instead of running), but again, I went and played soccer after work, which tired me out in addition to the stress caused by the still-unresolved sink issue.
On Saturday I did nothing by way of physical activity. I finished my Chinese top (except for the hem which I have to redo -- I measured one side but not the other, how idiotic of me) so I'll be able to start![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
kimchii's after figuring out how to alter the pattern to fit her better. Then I treated G to an Italian supper, to thank him for his love and support during the harrowing sink debacle. Afterwards we went to the NAC to see not one, not two, but actually three (short) ballets.
The first one, an abstract work called Mirrors (I'm not sure why) was made up of five different parts. I especially liked the second and fourth ones; the first one had five dancers and way too much going on at once and the third one, though pretty, wasn't as memorable.
Followed a ten-minute dance titled Inspiration. Evelyn Hart was a fairy-like muse to a writer, gliding around the stage as though she were floating. Beautifully danced, simple and elegant.
The main event of the evening was Carmina Burana. Apparently there have been many choreographies set to this work, but this one was an abstract concept. The music is superb, of course, but the dancing was also incredible: there were up to twelve couples at a time on stage, all excellent technically, but more than that managing to merge with the music. Since there was no story, only themes, to follow, it was a delight to watch the movements, the choreography and the use of the rather spartan set and props. I loved how at certain times, some dancers would hold different poses, gracefully yet naturally seated or standing, while others continued to move.
During the performance, I got this crazy idea: an abstract ballet set to Howard Shore's score for The Lord of the Rings! All right, maybe not. But I think I'll use a piece for a choreography.
Today, I eventually managed to drag G out of bed so we could go skating. The weather was perfect; we couldn't have asked for any improvements, save for perhaps ice that hadn't been churned up by quite so many skates.
As I doubt I'll be finishing any books tomorrow, I can proudly say that I've read nine books in this month of January, 2005. Review forthcoming.
Last Saturday afternoon, as I was about to wash a dirty pot, I noticed that the water wasn't leaving my kitchen sink. In fact, something seemed to be blocking the pipe. I called my father, who suggested to check the gooseneck, which I (or rather, G) did. There wasn't anything in it except gunky water, so something further down was blocking things. Since my landlords were away, I called the man whose number they'd left. He said he'd try to get hold of a plumber. In the meantime, I took some dirty dishes to G's to wash them.
Monday evening, the plumber came by. He fiddled around some, tried to use his drill, before coming to the conclusion that the pipes must be frozen, a problem he was not equiped to deal with. He put salt in the pipes, saying that was the only thing he could do, and left.
Another phone call to the man looking after things while the landlords were away. He said he'd call some specialist plumbers and that he'd get back to me. Later on a date was set; the specialist would be by on Wednesday. As I had ballet class, I asked G to be there. He kindly obliged.
When I got home at 7:30 on Wednesday evening, G told me that a guy had come by, with no tools or anything, had poked around under my sink and had left. Hmm.
Another phone call -- the guys would be back the next day, same time. "G, could you go over to my place again? I have a ballet class to teach." When I got home at nearly 8 o'clock, two men were sitting in my kitchen with a machine that looked like a little generator, trying to thaw the pipes. Since they were in the way and I didn't want to start dirtying more dishes that I wouldn't be able to wash, we ordered pizza. It'd been a long time since I'd wolfed down four slices in one sitting!
After a while one of the men said that they'd need a bigger machine, could they come back tomorrow?
"G, I'm playing soccer after work, tomorrow. Could you come back again? Please?" *batted eyelashes*
When I got home, G was looking mighty frustrated. Apparently the guys had been back with another machine, only to discover it wasn't the right size for the pipes. Couldn't they have, I don't know, thought of checking that the day before?! So they'd dumped a chemical liquid down the pipes and had said they'd be back.
I sent G home, with many thanks, then settled down to wait. I couldn't really relax, as I didn't want to run a bath or anything, in case the plumbers showed up again. When it became clear that they wouldn't, I phoned the interrim landlord, who told me he'd spoken to the plumbers, and they didn't know what to do short of tearing up the floor to look at the pipes. Fine, but I would have liked to have been told, all the same.
*sigh*
During this time, the chemical solution seemed to have accomplished something, as water was able to drain very, very slowly for a little while. Then it stopped.
Last night G and I went to see a ballet. On the way back, we stopped at my place so I could get my dirty dishes to wash them at his place. There was no water stagnating in the sink, I noted. What if...
I turned the tap, cautiously at first. Off the water went, down the hole. Encouraged, I turned the tap some more. Merrily it flowed down the drain. Trying to control my mounting excitement, I turned it full blast, then let loose a tremendous cry of joy. Miracle of miracles, I had a working kitchen sink!
Things are still under control for now, keep your fingers crossed.
Aside from that whole escapade, I started going to my new gym in the morning. The first day was Wednesday, which was really hard, because I ran for half an hour before work, which I'm obviously not used to, then had two straight hours of ballet right after work. My body was quite exhausted by then, on top of the stress the sink situation had caused. Friday was a little better (I did weights instead of running), but again, I went and played soccer after work, which tired me out in addition to the stress caused by the still-unresolved sink issue.
On Saturday I did nothing by way of physical activity. I finished my Chinese top (except for the hem which I have to redo -- I measured one side but not the other, how idiotic of me) so I'll be able to start
kimchii's after figuring out how to alter the pattern to fit her better. Then I treated G to an Italian supper, to thank him for his love and support during the harrowing sink debacle. Afterwards we went to the NAC to see not one, not two, but actually three (short) ballets.The first one, an abstract work called Mirrors (I'm not sure why) was made up of five different parts. I especially liked the second and fourth ones; the first one had five dancers and way too much going on at once and the third one, though pretty, wasn't as memorable.
Followed a ten-minute dance titled Inspiration. Evelyn Hart was a fairy-like muse to a writer, gliding around the stage as though she were floating. Beautifully danced, simple and elegant.
The main event of the evening was Carmina Burana. Apparently there have been many choreographies set to this work, but this one was an abstract concept. The music is superb, of course, but the dancing was also incredible: there were up to twelve couples at a time on stage, all excellent technically, but more than that managing to merge with the music. Since there was no story, only themes, to follow, it was a delight to watch the movements, the choreography and the use of the rather spartan set and props. I loved how at certain times, some dancers would hold different poses, gracefully yet naturally seated or standing, while others continued to move.
During the performance, I got this crazy idea: an abstract ballet set to Howard Shore's score for The Lord of the Rings! All right, maybe not. But I think I'll use a piece for a choreography.
Today, I eventually managed to drag G out of bed so we could go skating. The weather was perfect; we couldn't have asked for any improvements, save for perhaps ice that hadn't been churned up by quite so many skates.
As I doubt I'll be finishing any books tomorrow, I can proudly say that I've read nine books in this month of January, 2005. Review forthcoming.
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