Everything was fine and dandy until Jenn decided it would be easier to take the time to cut up an old cabbage head into 12 intricate pieces and stick them through the disposal rather than throw it in the garbage like any other rational human being would. Of course, since Jenn and I always start cleaning and straightening up around 11-12 pm, and since rational thinking goes to sleep around midnight, it really wasn’t her fault. After a couple of minutes, Jenn called me in to tell me that the drain was backed up. I go over and sure enough, the water is frothy (I love that word) and backed up. Trying to hide back the hereditary AG in me, I start taking out the stuff from under the sink as calm as possible while Jenn, knowing that I have no idea whatsoever how to fix it, gets online to figure it out (again, knowing that I would not listen anyway).
Well, I was smart enough to at least get a pan and put it under the pipes. It wasn’t the stainless steel throw-up bowl that we all came to know and love, but the pan I had worked well enough. As I started unscrewing some pipes, the water started flowing like the salmon of Capistrano. Now, there are only about three things that make me gag: bologna, sauerkraut, and those who quote Monty Python & the Holy Grail. Well, after what I saw, I had to add one to the list--It smelled Nasty!!!
Fixing a drain isn't all it's cracked up to be.
(Note: Portions of this photo have been edited for younger audiences)
After the draining of the cabbage and stuff, I screwed all the pipes back together, used the Allen wrench to dislodge anything in the disposal, and started the water, disposal, etc, thinking all along that I had fulfilled my husbandly duties with flying colors. My ephemeral jubilation quickly scampered away as fast as it had arrived as my worst fears were confirmed: the water was coming back up.
So now what? There was one pipe I had not checked—the one after the “trap” connecter-thingy. I did not think to check this one because it was larger than the others, and it seemed to have nothing stuck in it the first time. It also led into the wall after about a foot of piping and I didn’t know where it led. Well, I unscrewed all the piping once again, grabbed a flashlight and was horrified to find a wall of cabbage-looking stuff about a foot and a half in. I grabbed a hanger, made a makeshift hook and I let my natural skills take over. Fond memories of my flexic sigmoidoscopy came flooding to my mind as I metculously threaded that wire hanger through the piping. In fact, I felt like a cross between MacGyver and Bob Vila. After a couple of minutes, I had pulled out a huge pile of chopped cabbage. The wall of cabbage had gone on about 8 to 12 inches.
So I guess if you need any assistance with garbage disposal issues, y’all have my number. Jenn even found some good advice and tips on the internet dealing with the disposal that we fortunately didn’t have to follow. Oh, and I hope you’re not eating bierocks tonight.
4 comments:
Just reading the blog made me gag. Food at the bottom of the dishwasher makes me gag. Butt.....most of all the picture makes me gag. Just kidding.......I am very proud of you and yours. You done good!!!!!
Four words..."Way to go, Chad." Ryan would be proud.
Anyway, along the same lines as Chad pulling an all-nighter unclogging his main drain, I have a short story to relate that will bring back some fond memories for some of us (Chad and I), make others barf (Mayka), and not interest the rest of you.
The short of it (and no, I'm not talking about the yellow bus Chad rides to work), is that Mayka and I found bugs in our food storage, particularly the flour. They showed up while we were making tortillas and they started crawling around in the dough. We spent all tonight cleaning up our pantry, but before then, I thought back to once visiting G & G Nicholas and waking up to eat some delicious bread, jam, and of course, weevil-infested granola. What a morning that was. I don't think I've ever had the energy I did that day after breakfast.
Forget Atkins. Say goodbye to Southbeach. Skip the Abs Diet. The new wave of health concioussness is the "Weevil-Meal Plan."
Nice pun, Mom. However, I think it would have been funnier if you could've also worked in a reference to Chad always *laying pipe* when work needs to be done.
The only story I have to contribute is that Aiden pointed at me yesterday morning while eating his breakfast and belched. I guess it's time to have a talk with Kim about teaching our son poor etiquette.
Your story reminds me of a time in King Henry when we made dinner for our FHE brothers (fall semester, so long before Nick and I were in the same family). We shoved ten pounds of potatoe peels into the disposal, and when we turned it on, it shot up out of the drain above the level of the counter top. We were so afraid they would charge us like they did for everything else (even if they charged the people who lived there before you for the same thing), that we started sticking everything in there and ended up using our "brothers'" plunger to clear the mess. I'm not sure if the smell of drain muck or the thought of a toilet plunger in the sink where you wash dishes is nastier.
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