Summer Projects

Growing up, my brothers and I mowed lawns. Year round. In the Texas heat. It was great. We learned more in that Texas sun than I can appreciate even now. For example, I learned about aiming at a long-range target in the context of our family heritage from my Dad: "Uncle Bob taught me this when riding the tractor on the farm. You have to aim at a far-off fence post. If you look only at the next bit of grass, your lines will never be straight." I still think about that lesson every time I mow my lawn. We learned about working for want you needed (school clothes and shoes) and wanted (Nerf guns and CDs). We learned a lot about dignity and responsibility. And I learned about skin cancer. (Ouch.)

In the move to South Carolina, perhaps the most unexpected joy has come from working on the lawn, the plumbing, and the car. While I did grow up working on lawns and landscaping, working on a car or any kind of plumbing has been brand new. However, when you don't have money to call out the plumber, what are you going to do? Be blessed in a very unexpected way. So, here are images of the plumbing I've gotten to work on this summer. Please note: I HAVE NEVER DONE ANY OF THESE THINGS. EVER. Not cutting or repairing dry wall, plumbing, using a reciprocating saw. NOTHING.

First, we realized that we had a very slowly draining tub (I have decided against posting the gross image here. Trust me, it was gross.). So, I tried to snake it to no avail. It was time to go in and check out the U-bend, which I learned about from an episode of This Old House. So... Time to cut into the basement ceiling under the tub.

And cut out the suspected section.

As soon as the saw started to cut into that cast iron, I got pretty nervous. This had gotten real.

As the drill went through, I was guessing that there was some serious grime built up in the 60 years of the house's existence. (Brown = yucky stuff)

Then in investigating the pipe, I realized there was just a ton of gunk built up. So I built a replacement pipe

and installed it.

Then, while checking and double checking for leaks, I found a drip coming from the tub upstairs. And discovered that someone had already found it...

...and did a crappy patch job rather than fixing the problem. So I took out the stem and bought a new O-ring (for $0.37!). 

And then it was time to test and re-test for any leak. And then I cut and installed new dry wall.

I tried to do the textured finish on the dry wall. I tried. :-)

So what did I glean from this and my other experiences? Here are some thoughts. 

1. It took a fun combination of courage and gusto to go for it. In the end, I was able to rationalize that I probably wouldn't do so much damage that I would cost myself more in the end if I did have to call out a plumber and contractor. They would have to cut into that ceiling anyways, right? (Right?) 

2.  I also had to be ok with the fact that I would mess up somewhere. I wish the dry wall looked perfect. But it doesn't. I'm ok with that. I think Lesley is too. I hope. 

3. I had to be able to follow directions and ask for help. This was a communal project. From watching Youtube videos, to borrowing a friend's reciprocating saw, to asking the burly gents at the plumbing supply shop for tips on the bath stem, to borrowing a neighbor's truck, this was an inherently non-individual effort. 

4. I had to delight in the unknown and try to figure it out.
5. Sometimes you fail. After hours of sweat and trying. I do not like failing. I was humbled by working on the car. But I did learn about the way some parts of the car work, and that is good. I failed to replace the studs on the car, but I learned how to take off and replace the brake pads for the future. There was growth in the midst of failure

I absolutely loved doing my projects this summer. Not only did I save some money, but I was blessed by getting to be a reparative creator. It was delightful to fix something by mimicking the actual professional who installed that pipe. I just had to re-make a bit of pipe according to the initial design. 

I have come to believe that one of the most de-Humanizing elements of living in an apartment is the loss of these kinds of work opportunities. (We were not allowed to work on our cars in the parking lots.) Instead of mowing a lawn and working outside, washing your car, or fixing something that went wrong, you simply called the superintendent or let the contracted lawn/snow removal company do the work. It is an inherently disconnected way to go about life. We are blessed when we get to use our hands, whether that is in restoring furniture or planting a garden.