So I'm going to tell you a bit of a story. If you want to skip to the PIF that's okay. It's bolded below.
I had thought about the PIF idea for a while (as in when might I do it), but recently I was in the Brown Leaf forum and was chosen as the PIF recipient by a fine gentleman from the North (Hunter/Justin). It wasn't anything huge, but it was more than welcome.
Here's the story: I'm an old man. Well not terribly old, but at 48 I'm not the young guy I once was. This summer I got back on my bike. I had really missed it, but with 3 kids at home 2 hour ride/workouts are not really something I could do everyday. --- So I added running. Hadn't done that since college. 5k before morning coffee was a perfect way to start the day (I'm an English teacher, so yeah Summers off). Ran my 1st 5k race in October. Ran my 1st 10k in the 103 Cincinnati Thanksgiving Day Race. Felt good. Strained my thigh muscles in early Dec and haven't been able to run since. I have been using my bike trainer in the basement so not too much harm.
Took a shower after one basement training session. My daughters have a lot of hair. Needless to say the tub was clogged. My younger brother (who somehow inherited granddad's DE and bowl and brush) gave me his buddy's number. He a good plumber, but I had to shower in the stationary tub for 3 days. 120 yr old house. So the plumber comes on Sunday and works on the drain for 3+ hours. But hey it works. And my mom says it's only money. So yeah, there's that. Also I had a couple dripping faucets to take care of. That's usually work I can handle, but I think the stationary tub faucet was installed in 1927. I ain't got the tools or patience for that. The other was my kitchen sink. I can handle a Delta, but a Moen is a different animal.
So apparently I need a new kitchen faucet. It's only money right. And so he came back the following Sunday. And he installed it really quickly. And he left. And I went to the basement to do some laundry. And I heard water running. And I discovered it was in the kitchen wall. And so I called the plumber and he turned right around. In the meantime I shut off the hot water -- 'cause that was the one dripping. But then I thought does that go to the second floor? I thought this might be a repair that might take longer than a few hours. So I turned the hot water back on. Did I mention old house? Water sprayed from the shut off valve. It went everywhere.
So he got back. And he laughed. Not because he saw $$$$. But hell I was laughing. I mean what else could go wrong. Fortunately, I did have a valve in my plumbing drawer. I managed a hardware store in another life and I used to buy things that I thought I might eventually need. Lucky me. So I don't have an access panel in the kitchen and moving the fridge is ridiculous (but we'll talk of that later). My suggestion was to cut the line, cap it, and repair it at a later date. Luckily, that line only went to the kitchen. So that's what we did. Oh yeah, week before Christmas too so I knew a later date might be much later. He showed me the pipe he cut and said my kids and I must have great iron level -- it was that clogged. He also suggested that I run new lines in the basement. Hey, it's only money.
So Christmas. My family was in town. Some from the North, others from the South. And my kids and I spent a lot of time at my parents. They love their cousins. And we ate every meal there. My brother is a chef and makes sure that we get the proper boost to our cholesterol levels (bread pudding and creme brûlée). And I came home on the 26th and my fridge smelled funky. It had died. It's only money. So on the 27th I went to buy a new one. Everything else is stainless, and that stuff ain't cheap -- and I had to buy a cabinet depth -- those are extra "that ain't cheap." And so my brother-in-law helped me get the dead one out of the house. The dead one was 29" deep with the doors off. Supposedly. My pantry area door is 29". So is my kitchen door. Except the fridge isn't 29", it's 29+ with all the water and ice maker lines and such. So we wrestled it through the pantry door. Oh, by the way, my dolly had two flat tires -- that didn't help. We took off the kitchen door. We took off the storm door. And we got that stupid thing out the back of the house.
And then we ate pizza.
And then we took the kids to a hockey game.
And then the morning came and the new fridge was delivered.
And I didn't have to remove any door.
And the delivery guys were great.
And then they left.
And then my kids went to their mother's.
And then I remembered that I hadn't looked in my mailbox in 2 days.
And there was a package.
The PIF had arrived. While I had spent more money than I wanted to over the holidays. Had way too many unexpected bills. I did get to spend a lot of time with my family. And the PIF arrived. It wasn't like a Christmas gift. Something that you expect. This was much different. This was something that I needed. Didn't know that I needed a PIF, but when it arrived it was exactly what I needed.
So the plumber is coming this weekend. And my thigh is feeling better, not 100%, but I'm old and it is getting better. And I have good students. And my kids are good.
And here's my PIF:
- A Van Der Hagen starter set. It's not for you. You probably don't need it. It's for someone you would like to introduce to wet shaving or more traditional wet shaving.
- Soap -- 1 bar of locally made shaving soap. And 2 bars of your choice. I will send you a list of artisan soaps that are sold at Findlay Mkt (Cincinnati) and you make the choice.
- maybe some other stuff
I'll let this PIF run 'til the 18th and then use the random number thingamabob. If you want in reply with the de rigueur "I'm in."
And if you feel like it, tell (screen name) Hunter or another PIF'er that he's a great guy.
thanks for listening,
Kelly
I had thought about the PIF idea for a while (as in when might I do it), but recently I was in the Brown Leaf forum and was chosen as the PIF recipient by a fine gentleman from the North (Hunter/Justin). It wasn't anything huge, but it was more than welcome.
Here's the story: I'm an old man. Well not terribly old, but at 48 I'm not the young guy I once was. This summer I got back on my bike. I had really missed it, but with 3 kids at home 2 hour ride/workouts are not really something I could do everyday. --- So I added running. Hadn't done that since college. 5k before morning coffee was a perfect way to start the day (I'm an English teacher, so yeah Summers off). Ran my 1st 5k race in October. Ran my 1st 10k in the 103 Cincinnati Thanksgiving Day Race. Felt good. Strained my thigh muscles in early Dec and haven't been able to run since. I have been using my bike trainer in the basement so not too much harm.
Took a shower after one basement training session. My daughters have a lot of hair. Needless to say the tub was clogged. My younger brother (who somehow inherited granddad's DE and bowl and brush) gave me his buddy's number. He a good plumber, but I had to shower in the stationary tub for 3 days. 120 yr old house. So the plumber comes on Sunday and works on the drain for 3+ hours. But hey it works. And my mom says it's only money. So yeah, there's that. Also I had a couple dripping faucets to take care of. That's usually work I can handle, but I think the stationary tub faucet was installed in 1927. I ain't got the tools or patience for that. The other was my kitchen sink. I can handle a Delta, but a Moen is a different animal.
So apparently I need a new kitchen faucet. It's only money right. And so he came back the following Sunday. And he installed it really quickly. And he left. And I went to the basement to do some laundry. And I heard water running. And I discovered it was in the kitchen wall. And so I called the plumber and he turned right around. In the meantime I shut off the hot water -- 'cause that was the one dripping. But then I thought does that go to the second floor? I thought this might be a repair that might take longer than a few hours. So I turned the hot water back on. Did I mention old house? Water sprayed from the shut off valve. It went everywhere.
So he got back. And he laughed. Not because he saw $$$$. But hell I was laughing. I mean what else could go wrong. Fortunately, I did have a valve in my plumbing drawer. I managed a hardware store in another life and I used to buy things that I thought I might eventually need. Lucky me. So I don't have an access panel in the kitchen and moving the fridge is ridiculous (but we'll talk of that later). My suggestion was to cut the line, cap it, and repair it at a later date. Luckily, that line only went to the kitchen. So that's what we did. Oh yeah, week before Christmas too so I knew a later date might be much later. He showed me the pipe he cut and said my kids and I must have great iron level -- it was that clogged. He also suggested that I run new lines in the basement. Hey, it's only money.
So Christmas. My family was in town. Some from the North, others from the South. And my kids and I spent a lot of time at my parents. They love their cousins. And we ate every meal there. My brother is a chef and makes sure that we get the proper boost to our cholesterol levels (bread pudding and creme brûlée). And I came home on the 26th and my fridge smelled funky. It had died. It's only money. So on the 27th I went to buy a new one. Everything else is stainless, and that stuff ain't cheap -- and I had to buy a cabinet depth -- those are extra "that ain't cheap." And so my brother-in-law helped me get the dead one out of the house. The dead one was 29" deep with the doors off. Supposedly. My pantry area door is 29". So is my kitchen door. Except the fridge isn't 29", it's 29+ with all the water and ice maker lines and such. So we wrestled it through the pantry door. Oh, by the way, my dolly had two flat tires -- that didn't help. We took off the kitchen door. We took off the storm door. And we got that stupid thing out the back of the house.
And then we ate pizza.
And then we took the kids to a hockey game.
And then the morning came and the new fridge was delivered.
And I didn't have to remove any door.
And the delivery guys were great.
And then they left.
And then my kids went to their mother's.
And then I remembered that I hadn't looked in my mailbox in 2 days.
And there was a package.
The PIF had arrived. While I had spent more money than I wanted to over the holidays. Had way too many unexpected bills. I did get to spend a lot of time with my family. And the PIF arrived. It wasn't like a Christmas gift. Something that you expect. This was much different. This was something that I needed. Didn't know that I needed a PIF, but when it arrived it was exactly what I needed.
So the plumber is coming this weekend. And my thigh is feeling better, not 100%, but I'm old and it is getting better. And I have good students. And my kids are good.
And here's my PIF:
- A Van Der Hagen starter set. It's not for you. You probably don't need it. It's for someone you would like to introduce to wet shaving or more traditional wet shaving.
- Soap -- 1 bar of locally made shaving soap. And 2 bars of your choice. I will send you a list of artisan soaps that are sold at Findlay Mkt (Cincinnati) and you make the choice.
- maybe some other stuff
I'll let this PIF run 'til the 18th and then use the random number thingamabob. If you want in reply with the de rigueur "I'm in."
And if you feel like it, tell (screen name) Hunter or another PIF'er that he's a great guy.
thanks for listening,
Kelly
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