On Jul 27, 12:19*pm, "HeyBub" wrote:
Pat wrote:
I needed to install a new, outside faucet this weekend and I had my
teenage son helping. *I told him he had to learn to solder plumbing
because you just never know when you'll need that skill.

So as we were working, it became time to cut the existing water line
so I marked the location and handed him the saw (I couldn't find my
tubing cutter). *He said he didn't want to do it. *At first I thought
he figured out that he'd get wet but I asked him why, none the less.
He said that he couldn't take the pressure of disabling all of the
water into the house. *I thought that was an interesting thought but
he had a good point -- never start a plumbing project you can't
finish.

That became Rule #1 of Plumbing: Never start a plumbing project you
can't finish.

Rule #2: For project of less than one day in scope, add at least 3
hours and two trips to the hardware store to your estimate. *For
longer projects, add 1 day per estimated day. *Wives scream less if
you finish early.

Rule #3: *When the pipes are cut, the plumber is wet and things aren't
going okay, it is okay to lie to people about anything you want if it
gets them to leave you alone.

Rule #4: *Always give your wife a bill. *She'll blow you off, but at
least she might see that whatever you did had some value on some
planet.

Rule #5: *Don't tell anyone when you're done so you can get the first
shower.

So you installed an outside faucet and gave your wife a bill. I take it from
that that she does the washing outside. In a big tub. With a washboard.

Outstanding! Wish I had a wife like that!

I bet she can cook a Sunday chicken dinner starting with a chicken from the
coop!

I didn't say she paid the bill. I just gave her one. I'm trying a
frostproof faucet instead of using an inside value to turn off out
outside value. We'll see how well that works.

And for the record, with me doing soldering in the basement. My son
thought it amusing that I took a fire extinguisher with me as part of
my "plumbing supplied". When he asked why, I said "you've never seen
me solder before".

I also give her bills for car repairs. Unfortunately, she doesn't pay
them, either. At least she looks at the odometer reading I put on the
windshield to remainder her when the next oil change is due. She
usually reminds me when it's +/- 1,000 miles; oops, I mean when it's
+1,000 miles. She never reminds me early. Her idea of preventive
maintenance is to tell me when parts are dragging on the ground.

As for the cooking, I do about 90% of that but I don't bill for it.
You missed some killer Potatos au Gratin this weekend with potatos I
dug from the garden earlier the same day (seriously). Yum.