Mother in law says can you fix my shower valves, they are leaking
again. No problem, they are so corroded, it is time to replace them.
Out comes the plaster and lathe behind the valves. Looks like it has
been leaking for some time. Got a new valve, some dielectric unions,
some 1/2" copper, etc. Shut off the main. Hmm, the handle on the main
seems to want to keep turning?!? Send the wife to get a new valve.
Meanwhile, I keep working on the tub valve. Everything looks pretty.

I go to throw on the handles and they don't fit! This is a Glacier
Bay unit. (This Glacier Bay unit says that I can sweat the copper to
it or use compression fittings. I opt for the former. The Borg was out
of Price Pfister, which was my first choice. I needed a two handle unit
to fit the original tile holes. Bath and shower head.) So a little
chipping away at the back side of the tiles and I can push the valve
through enough get the covers low enough to get the handles on, etc,
etc. That only took a while. This was after a lot of the copper was
already sweated in. When I was sweating the copper to the valve, I
noticed the fit was a little loose but seemed to go fine. Time to turn
on the water and check for leaks.

Out to the main at the meter to shut it and put on a new house
shutoff. Yikes! It won't turn. I can only get partial torque on it,
but it won't budge! Time to take a bath! I opened all the valves in
the house and disassembled the gate valve main at the house. (Still
pressurized.) Reached in and pulled the gate. Reassembled it to the
handle and reinstalled it. Water all over me, the driveway.........
Okay! Water on! No leaks at the gate valve but it is inoperable. At
least water is back on in the house. Time to check the new bath valve.
Oh man, one of the joints is weaping at the bathtub valve. The one that
looked like a loose fit on assembly!

So here is the plan. Buy or make a "wrench" to shut off the meter
valve. Hope it doesn't snap! (The city pipe looks pretty corroded.)
Finally replace the house main valve ( cross fingers that no pipes break
there!) Then, attend to the bath valve. Should I abandon the
soldering method and go for a compression nut?

What is it about mom in law's place? I do a job around my house and
barely have a problem. I get at least one Murphy everytime I do a job
at her place!