Water: feast or famine?

What a week!!!

I spent the last week working with seven colleagues on a 7000 acre wetland in Oregon. I feel like this was a once in a life-time experience. Very hard work, long days and memories that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

Now I am adjusting to life back at the ranch. 20 minutes before I was to be picked up by the airport shuttle last weekend, the tank in my toilet started overflowing. I tried shutting off the valve next to the toilet, but of course it was corroded into the ON position. So I grabbed every towel in sight and ran to the basement to shut off the water to the entire house. Then I left for the week.

No plumber genies stopped by while I was gone so there it all sat in the exact same state of disaster when I returned. I inspected the parts, tried the shut-off valve one more time and then got in the car to head to the hardware store. Oops, the car wouldn't start. Diagnosis = dead battery. This was a no-brainer since I must have left the trunk open and the trunk light must have drained the battery. I always kind of wondered if there was a timer on the trunk light that would keep the battery from draining. I guess I have my answer!

So I hopped on the scooter and drove to the hardware store. The first question was, how many screws does the ballcock assembly have, 3 or 4? Huh??? I explained the problem and we "guessed" what I might need. I drove home and found out instantly that we "guessed" wrong.

I am very tired from my week in the swamp and all the stress of travel and planning and carrying out this project (the swamp project, not the toilet project!) SO...... I am educating myself on the inner workings of my toilet. It's about time, isn't it?

Meanwhile, I would really like a shower and a cup of coffee!