Dear Reader,
The original clay pipe from my 1925 home has served me well, but today it has to be replaced. If it weren't for the huge roots of a nearby tree, strangling one side of the pipe, it might have went merrily along its way for another 10 years.
But when the water is draining out of your washing machine and you hear magnified gurgling sounds underneath the tub, and then the water in your toilet starts spinning around and around like a scene from The Exorcist--it's time to call a plumber.
So today we're having a "Sewer Pipe" party. No more worries, wondering if things are really going to go down when you flush the toilet, and no more visiting the laundromat. Yes, it's going to be wonderful to get back to normal, but I have to say getting my sewer pipe replaced is not the most exciting thing I've ever spent money on. And it's not really something I can brag about and invite the neighbors over to show them brand new shiny sewer pipe. But then again, maybe we can. Years ago, when my husband and I lived in a small town near Madison, Wisconsin, we had some neighbors who did invite us to a Sewer Party...
There are some jobs I'm so thankful that someone else signs up to do.
My friends needed their septic tank pumped and they invited me over for the occasion. Wasn't that thoughtful of them? I'd never been to a septic tank pumping, so I thought, what the heck. I'm always game for a new experience.
The nicest man showed up to do the job. Very polite and efficient. He got right down to business, slid the cover off the septic tank, leaned over, dragged a stick through the contents, studied it for a minute, and said to my friends, "You guys must eat well because the bacteria looks good. It hasn't got a thick sludge level." (I don't know if that's an exact quote, because I was still recovering from the initial whiff I inhaled when he threw back the cover.) "And I can see that you don't flush a lot of things down that you shouldn't," he continued.
I appreciate a man who's into his job, but the party was over for me. This was more than I wanted to know about my friends.
* Congratulations to the October's Chocolate Chip Cookie winners. I will be baking for you soon: Nancy C., Betty S., Manitowoc Public Library and Deborah P., Route 9 Library and Innovation Center
Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.
Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
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