What's Good for the Gander

The water coming out of our bathroom sink has become progressively slower over the past few months.

I know why this is.  Our water softener hasn't been working.  For awhile.  Our tiny little hamlet has notoriously hard water.  Water softeners are not optional appliances where I live.

Water softener is now fixed replaced, so yesterday, while cleaning the bathroom, I decided to de-lime the faucet aerator.  I've done this before.  It's no big deal.  You unscrew the aerator, soak it in white vinegar for a few hours, and voila!  Good as new!

And folks.  That's as far as my plumbing "skilz" go.

Well, lime is serious business.  And it was seriously caked on.  So caked on, in fact, that when I finally got the aerator off, it took a rather important part of the faucet with it.  Like the part that keeps the water from pouring right down into the cabinet underneath.

(That green part on the bottom?  Totally supposed to still be attached to the faucet.)

Lovely.

I'm sure I don't even have to explain that not having a working bathroom sink until Friday when Better Half gets home was so not an option.

My first instinct was, of course to call someone.  A male someone.

Plumbing problems = male someone, right?

It's not like we don't have good friends that are nearly like family that build houses and remodel and stuff  for a LIVING.  I know it would have taken 10 minutes, tops, to get someone to come help "poor, lil' ol' me" out.

My second thought was really?  I have a college degree.  I can read.  I can watch YouTube videos. I can follow directions.

 And I expect my sons someday to know how to follow a recipe and cook a meal, run a washing machine, sew on a button...

And you all are my witnesses:  If any future daughter-in-law of mine lets it slip to me that one of my sons EVER calls her with a screaming child in the background (breastfeeding necessities aside) and asks her when she's going to be home, I will personally drive/fly/swim/transport to wherever he is and read him about 500 different kinds of riot acts.

So...if I expect my sons and let's face it--my husband--to be blind to gender stereotypes...well.  What's good for the gander should also be good for the goose.

Sigh.

So I dug out a home improvement book that we bought ten years ago when we bought the house.

I Googled how to replace a bathroom faucet.

I rummaged through Better Half's tools.

I went to Wal Mart.

I bought the cheapest replacement faucet they had (There is a complete bathroom remodel in our "not so distant" future, so I didn't want to spend any more $$ than necessary).

I bought all of the other "stuff" that the back of the faucet box said I needed to install it.

I brought it home.

My dad came for a visit.  I'll admit it.  I was sorely tempted to let him completely replace it.

I did let him help.  I totally let him talk me through it, and I ABSOLUTELY had him check my work after to make sure I wasn't going to flood the house.

And under his tutelage and assistance I went from this:

To this:

To this.

I'm sure it looks like an amateur did it and that we spent  less than $20.  The fixture is plastic.  If I want to be able to use the stopper, I'll have to purchase additional parts.  And use additional tools.  I think I'll be able to live without the stopper.

But we got it done in less than 30 minutes with no alcohol, no swearing, and no injuries.

And it now serves the purpose I need it to serve.

1.  We can wash our hands after we use the bathroom without having to bend over the bathtub or walk out to the kitchen sink like a surgeon ready to perform open-heart surgery.

2.  We can brush our teeth.

I feel just a little bit like Rosie the Riveter today.

Thanks, Daddy  :o)