It's become a Christmas tradition in my family to have stopped up plumbing during the holiday season. And this year the tradition continues.
One year I arrived at my mom's house in the northwoods of Michigan during a patch of extremely cold weather. After a long plane trip, I slipped into the downstairs bathroom not knowing that the pipes in there faced a cold exterior wall and had frozen solid. What followed after the flush can best be described as a hiccup from Hell. We had to wait until the next morning to call the plumber. My mom and I were horrified by the state of the bathroom and we hid in the living room when he arrived. My mom's husband welcomed the plumber warmly with a cuppa joe in one hand. We listened with awe as the two guys chatted amiably as if nothing was amess. After finishing the repairs, we heard the plumber call for some cleaning supplies as if he was just going to shine up the faucets a bit. We couldn't believe it.
This year the plumbing exploded in my little apartment just in time for the holidays. I'm sure I'm the culprit again...but my mom was the one with her handle on the flusher, so I'm letting her carry the burden of the guilt. In an act of generosity and goodwill, the Handsomest Man Alive stopped by the local Do-It Center and purchased a plumber's helper to make the stoppage go away. Decorated with a tasteful Christmas ornament, it was waiting for us as we returned home from shopping. I must tell you that I think nothing says Merry Christmas like a plumber's helper on your doorstep, but I'm hoping that next year we'll start a new tradition in my family. Something that has to do with a fine wine, a toast to health and happiness or White Elephant gifting...anything other than a backed up toilet.
In the meantime, from my front door to yours...may all of the joys of this holiday season be with you. May you celebrate in the company of your nearest and dearest, may the fire in the hearth be warm, the food on the table delicious... and may your plumbing be unclogged.
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