Hug and a Kiss

Stalled in the installation 

You never want your bathroom to look like this, especially your guest bath. Not for two weeks.  Not when you are expecting guests for the holidays.

It started with the sink.  Actually it began about 20 years ago with a chip in the enamel of that cast iron bowl.  After looking at it for 5 years (I didn't have my wise list of Things I get to do today at that time), I found some bathroom touch-up enamel to match.  It wasn't great, but at least your eyes weren't immediately drawn to the big black blotch that looked way too much like a spider at first glance.

When the rim went with freckles and speckles of rust, a new one was easy to install. But then the rust became serious and attack the sink itself.  Time to put it on the list of Things I get to do today.  But everything thing has a sequence.  A new sink cannot be installed if a new sink has not been purchased, so what was really on my list of Things I get to do today was buy a sink, then a bit later on another list, buy a faucet, and a week or so after that, ask Tyler (our young handyman) to take out the old one and put all the new stuff together (even Handy Andy's need help sometimes).

He did a great job.  But old plumbing and new parts are not often a marriage made in heaven. Running water without a drain is trouble for sure.  And then he had to leave--not planning to return for several  more weeks.

Water can't flow out the sink and into the wall.  The part we had
 still left a 2" gap directly below the sink.

I knew what was needed and hustled off to the store to find the items.  Zero.  Nothing.  The assistant at the store assured me that contractors used the cheap-o (my words here) sink trap kit he offered, but I felt sightly sick returning home with it.  An hour or so later I was off to a bigger store to find the real pieces. These looked better since they made out of the same materials we had removed. I thought I could make it work.   Checked under the sink.  Nope.  Still 2" short of reaching the trap.


You know what they say about the third time.  I was prepared with the above picture and the mismatched pieces in hand as I walked in and asked for a "plumbing expert."  The very nice man took me directly to a bin in the far back of the store, reached in and handed me exactly what was needed.  I was thrilled, relieved and ecstatic all at once.  "Would it be OK to give you a hug?"  I asked.  I was ready to throw my arms around him and plant a big kiss on each cheek, but I didn't bother to ask about that one.

Sink from Rebuilders for $15.

It was my job to finish this up unless I wanted to wait another two weeks.  Everything went together perfectly.  The water comes out of a new faucet into a second-hand sink and down the properly connected drain, not all over the floor and into the crawl space.

A day later, I still stop and peek into the bathroom every time I pass and admire the completed work.  Rust free, sparkling, and no drips.  My heart just pulses with appreciation for that fellow at the store who knew what I needed. I really should have asked about the kiss.

The shiny pipe worth more than one kiss