It is my Birthday Month. During my Birthday Month I supposedly win all arguments. So far I have not won any of the arguments we have had.
Our current argument stems, again, from Gary’s determination that he alone can work on the house. He is the Noble Repairman; outside repairman are not to be trusted. His biology degree authorizes him to install toilets or fix patios as well as anyone with experience.
For example, the threshold to the back door is rotting, and I no longer think it is an exaggeration to say that we will soon have a threshold made of duct tape.
And now, one of the two toilets is leaking. I am feeling quite dismayed because he feels that if there’s a leak, you patch it. I feel that if there’s a leak, you find out why there’s a leak and stop it.
Right now he is patching a leak in the plumbing, and soon he will come to me looking for praise. Praise for patching after I had to beg him like a housewife to get the problem fixed.
Infuriating.
First of all--Happy Birthday!
But, Gary is right about the Bio degree, We biologists are experts on everything! However, the looking for praise thing--pretty sure that's a gender related issue.
Posted by: Arlene | August 04, 2020 at 09:54 AM
Yeah, there is "fix it yourself, it's fine" and then there's "call a repairman." Plumbing where there's a leak, or electrical work: almost always in the "call a repairman" category, unless you have someone else on hand *WITH RELEVANT EXPERIENCE.*
And no, I will not thank you for doing something I expressly said I did not want you to do. (except in cases where they were actually right, or cases where reflex takes over the brain.)
Posted by: KC | August 04, 2020 at 11:13 AM
Arlene - well, the leak seems to have stopped, so I have softened. I have praised him multiple times, but always with the caveat that if the toilet suddenly plummets to the basement we will have words.
KC - when it isn’t “I can do that“ then it’s “there is no problem.” He is in deep denial about the electricity. He denies there’s a problem, even though no overhead electric works on one side of the house. Very frustrating.
Posted by: TheQueen | August 04, 2020 at 06:43 PM
Uh. If something doesn't work, it doesn't work.
Sometimes that's fine? But other times, it becomes time to get it fixed rather than perpetually working around it. Could that be the Techy Birthday Present Of The Year, overhead electric? (with fancy phone-controlled light bulbs in it if that makes it more of a thing for him, maybe?)
Posted by: KC | August 04, 2020 at 08:25 PM
KC - I would say Work / Not Work / Failing. Many things in our house are in failing / rotting / sputtering status.
Posted by: TheQueen | August 06, 2020 at 11:57 AM
First, happy birthday month!
Second, since it is your birthday months, he needs to give in and call “the guy(s)”. He can complain about it all next month. You deserve a stress free birthday month!
Posted by: Lisa | August 07, 2020 at 08:18 PM
Yeeep. Failing/rotting = needs to be fixed. (I'd probably wait to have less-urgent interior work done until after the pandemic, but if it's getting worse or Not Working or going to compound problems - like a back door threshold that is rotting - then: it's gotta be fixed properly. By repair people who have experience.)
Posted by: KC | August 07, 2020 at 11:14 PM
Lisa and KC- he did say we could make plans for the work this year, but not do it. That’s a start.
Posted by: TheQueen | August 08, 2020 at 07:09 PM
Make ALL THE PLANS! And then as soon as you're both vaccinated, it's a deal! :-)
Posted by: KC | August 08, 2020 at 10:40 PM
KC - I discovered last night that the water on the floor around the commode is — at least sometimes - from water getting into the exhaust vent. We have BOTH agreed to ignore this one.
Posted by: TheQueen | August 09, 2020 at 07:57 PM
Water getting into the exhaust vent? Fascinating. Like, shower steam condensing and then dripping back down? And yes, if that's not a problem in itself (like, mold in the ceiling or whatever - if the exhaust vent is adequately waterproof and the floor is adequately waterproof), then we can ignore the water on the floor. :-)
But all the other stuff? Make ALL THE PLANS! :-)
Posted by: KC | August 09, 2020 at 08:12 PM
KC - from the outside! The vent of the roof is something that looks like a little gazebo, with a peaked roof and little windows around the sides. If the rain blows sideway it goes in the windows and drips down into the bathroom.
Posted by: TheQueen | August 10, 2020 at 10:52 AM
Yeah, that's the sort of thing where you go 'yep, the weather does that' and mop it up when it happens. No harm, no foul.
(but the other problems: get them fixed!)
(and hooray that your toilet isn't leaking somewhere!)
Posted by: KC | August 10, 2020 at 01:09 PM
KC - still gotta get Gary on board.
Posted by: TheQueen | August 11, 2020 at 10:46 AM