Mar 26 2006
Showerhead Situation Resolved
C hits one from the bunker on number 10. The ball ended up about six feet from the hole, if I remember right.
If you have not read my post from late Friday night, then this one will not mean much to you, and will contain spoilers.
After I made that post, my brother decided to leave Granddad a note explaining what we did.
Saturday morning, Granddad walked into the kitchen as I shoveled my first spoonful of Cheerios into my mouth.
“I really appreciate what you guys did. You know I never did anything about that because it’s just me here and it never bothered me enough to fix it. I grew up in a house without running water, so I never really learned how to do that kind of thing.”
It amazed me that an unflappably frugal man could live 90-plus years without engaging in any do-it-yourself plumbing. He has been in that house nearly 50 years. Just, mind-boggling.
My brother, in the guest bathroom inserting his contact lenses, overheard only a little of Granddad’s thanks, so I filled in the gaps. We both relaxed a little.
After Granddad showered under it? “That is really nice. Thank you two so much for replacing that showerhead.” He didn’t mention any problems with water on the floor.
After I showered under it without pointing it toward the wall opposite the shower door? It looked like somebody had poured a full glass of water on the floor. After a horrifying flashback to my first Showerhead Situation, I soaked up the spill and made a mental note to angle the spray the next time. Worked like a charm and I still had plenty of water everywhere I needed it.
That night, after the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith won the National Junior College Basketball Tournament Championship, we headed home to Granddad’s. As we pulled into the driveway, I noticed the kitchen light flickering like a scene out of Poltergeist. C and I went to the only place open after 10 p.m. that would have fluorescent tube bulbs — Wal-Mart. C removed and replaced the blinking bulbs when we got back, ending any chance that someone would try to open a disco.
Granddad again expressed gratitude at our initiative. Funny how people get motivated to help others, while their own projects go undone.
If a 90-something man offers to cook you a pork chop dinner, do not scoff, even under your breath to your brother (but that’s purely hypothetical). If he uses a rusty chisel and a ball peen hammer to cut the corn cobs in half, do not judge. It might turn out to be the best pork chop dinner you’ve had in years — the only one you can remember that did not require a knife.
If the same man gets misty-eyed when you hug him goodbye, and worries aloud that it might be the last time he sees you? Sorry, I got nothing.
Random Thoughts (and all the pics) from the Weekend
Have you ever seen prune juice spilled in a refrigerator? I did this weekend. Somehow Granddad had cross-threaded the lid, and it dripped unnoticed long enough to leak at least half the bottle. If this happens to you, and you’re very lucky, only some of it ends up on the shelves, and your onions (and/or other items in your crisper) get a prune juice bath. That way, you just pull out the drawers and empty them into the sink. I do not recommend using anything that’s been steeped in prune juice.
We golfed, and none of us played particularly well. Reality check for C and me? Granddad beat both of us on at least one hole, and beat me alone on more than that. Sure, he tees off from the senior tees, but it’s not much of an advantage considering his advanced age and the neck brace he wears while golfing.
At the basketball tournament, a local high school band marched onto the court and played, in full regalia.
When I left Sunday morning, I made that planned trip to Quivira National Wildlife Refuge. I saw at least 20 different species of ducks and duck-like birds. A floating flock of American White Pelicans relaxed barely within identification range, then flew right over my car as I drove the last stretch around the Big Marsh. My pics do not do them or the other neurotically skittish birds justice.
On the trip back, I took an unorthodox route. I saw a neat old movie theater and a Warbird Brewing Company van. I was very glad to be home. I missed my family.
A Northern Shoveler flies away.
I’m glad your grandfather didn’t go all ax murderer on you for messing with his shower Feng-shui.
Nice pictures, and story. The golf course pics almost look pretty enough to almost may me want to play, almost…
[Homer]Cheerleaders, mmmm….[/Homer] Oops, did I say that out loud?
Wow… excellent post, and great pic bud!
Your granddad sounds like some great guy.
ps, why is the water leaking out the shower door? Next thing on the fix list?
I can only hope to be that spry and, well, alive at that age. I lost both my grandfather in their mid-60s (history of family heart problems) and have been endeavouring to lead a healthier lifestyle than either of them with the intent of staving off the act of clutching my left arm in numbing pain one morning, years from now, as I’m cooking bacon and eggs.
GREAT picture of the bird. I remember that bunker shot…it was plugged in there halfway to China, and I thought maybe you might get a good picture of the ball hitting the lip and coming back into my face. It was MUCH more dicey than it looks in the picture. Somehow it got out, and you’re right…it was pretty close to the hole. Naturally…I missed the putt for par.
The shower thing is absolutely hilarious. I’d forgotten how bad it was, and when I took my first shower I just started laughing out loud. I would estimate that with the angle, and the errant sprays, roughly 30% of the water was actually going toward any flesh.
I have to answer Dave’s question, because it is a bit mystifying regarding the shower water. My contention is that the water comes right under the door, which shuts on a tile surface that is raised about 8 inches off the actual bathroom floor. Follow me on this. There is no caulk, and no rubber on the bottom of the shower door. Aluminum on tile doesn’t make a very good seal to begin with, but when you consider that there are also low areas where the grout separates the tiles, you have a nice little run-off area. I have a few ideas on how to fix that later this spring when I go back to exact revenge on the course, after I’ve worked on my golf game a little bit :-)
Despite a permanent fix, I’d still set the odds of him ever NOT angling the shower head away from the door at 1,000 to 1.