Life in the Fast Lane

 
Easter Sunday, and I am still being stalked by "my" robin, who has actually begun to follow me from room to room. Sometimes, I take my computer into a chair in the living room, where it is warm and cozy when I've made a fire. This last week has been damp and cool, so I moved in there to work.  Suddenly, thump, there was the robin, sitting on the banister out the window, and thudding against the window at the end of the living room. Then the window right next to my chair. The last straw was when I strolled into the bathroom the day before yesterday, sat down, and there he was banging the bathroom window. He is circling the house. I keep thinking of his female mate, sitting on some branch looking at him, and thinking to herself "this pathetic nut is the father of my children!" 

The high point of the week also took place in the bathroom. I fixed the toilet myself! This was definitely a triumph of ingenuity over gender. Suddenly, one morning, the handle did nothing. I looked inside and saw what was wrong (the chain was broken). I did not assume I couldn't deal with the problem. A first step. Instead of calling for help, I went to the hardware store and looked for the part I needed. I had a chat with the guy at the register about if it would work for a very old toilet. (Everything in this house is very old.) The part, he told me, could be used in two ways, depending on the age of the toilet. I took it home, opened up the back and began to tinker. It took several tries, and even cutting the new part, then adjusting the chain. Suddenly I had a working toilet and I did it myself! I was very proud. I wanted to call someone and brag, but no one to call. So here I am actually posting about this small triumph. I have the feeling that this experience should tell me something about learning, experimentation, the pleasures of figuring things out, not matter your age.  

Mostly I've been working, and then wandering outside to enjoy the increasingly porous feeling between inside and out. Pull a few weeds and think about the list of forgotten lessons learned every year from the first days in the garden. The one I seem to have to learn over and over and over again is to watch where I put my feet. Small tender plants, once stepped on, will not recover. 

 

 

Comments

[Karen Reimann]

Peggy,

I am one who truly appreciates the joy of fixing a toilet!! I am most excited for you!!!! This may be the beginning of something bigger!!

Happy Easter!
Love,
Karen

[Kathy]

You can always call me. I am up for a good toilet fixing story. I got to replace my toilet and about 80 feet of pipes when my heater went out and ALL the pipes froze in my cabin.

[peggy]

Well, it seems like there is a small sisterhood of toilet fixers. good to know for future references. Peggy

[plumbing]

Its a really cool bird to perched inside the house. I love it that there are birds near your house. I love to hear their chirps every morning.