Wednesday 8 September 2010

I Rule!

Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to announce that I fixed my toilet All. By. Myself!

See, my toilet started not really working a few months ago and when I lifted off the top of the toilet tank, I discovered that the plastic thing that lifts when you flush the handle was falling off of its hinge and so the plug wasn't stopping the hole and the water just kept on running.

So I grabbed some elastics and jerry-rigged it so that it worked.

And I was quite proud of that.

And then, this weekend, the part of the plastic thing that's attached to the chain that's attached to the handle snapped.

No more jerry-rigging could fix it. I tried.

It needed replaced.

First thing I did was call my Dad. "Dad, you know the plastic plunger thing on the bottom of the toilet tank? What's that called?"

A flapper, apparently.

(I saved my giggling for once we were off the phone)

Second, I got in my car and drove to the nearest Canadian Tire (aka hardware and all sorts of things store) but on the way I realized I wasn't quite sure they'd have it so I called my Dad again. "Dad? Canadian Tire will have flappers, right? I'm going to the right place?"

"Do you have the one you're trying to place in your hand?" he asked. I didn't.

"You need to have it so that you can get the right size." he told me patiently.

"But the water won't shut off." I responded, knowing what would come next.

"The shut off valve's behind your toilet." he answered, I could almost imagine him rolling his eyes were he the eye-rolling type.

"I know, but it won't shut off. It's broken. I tried. The water will slow to a trickle but not stop, so I can't take the thing with me." I explained.

"Call your manager, have him fix your toilet, Victoria." he responded, apparently convinced I needed something more than his over the phone moral support.

"No, I think I'm going to try to do it!"

So I got to the store, stared at a wall of toilet flapper valves (who knew there were so many!?) and bought two nearly identical, but slightly different "universal sized" ones.

Then I drove home, after calling my Dad and telling him I'd managed to find them, opened up the tank, my elbow propping up the other floaty valve thing so that the water would stop running and I fixed the new flapper onto the whatever it's called that it sits on.

When I discovered that the new chain wasn't quite long enough to flush well, I went, got a pink paperclip (because I'm a girl who can fix her own toilet and I'm using pink to represent) and used it to make it just a little bit longer.

And cuter.

I've got to tell you, there's a great feeling in doing something (quite simple) handy like that all by yourself. Sure, it was reassuring to have talked to my Dad about some of my questions, but I really didn't need a man's help.

And that felt good.

I fixed my toilet, y'all.

I rule.

9 comments:

Just Sayin... said...

YOU RULE!!!

Great feeling isnt it? Nice touch with the pink paper clip.

Next....power tools!

Congrats!

Kas said...

LOVE IT!!

You gave me a smile on this icky Wednesday... The pink paperclip was REALLY what fixed the toilet... not the flapper thingie-ma-bob.

~Kas

Sean Neoconnery said...

i rule ;)

Canadianbloggergirl said...

congrats to you! so very proud of the pink paper clip btw, nice added touch!

Victoria said...

Thanks Just Sayin. Although, I don't know about the power tools! ;)



Glad you got a smile today Kas, and yes, it was the paperclip that did it!

Indeed you do Doug ;)

Thanks CBG! :D

CherryWillBlossomForever© said...

Read your great post! congrats too~

Well I think you might have a fan-based from Asia for your great blog. Including myself.

Love it :)

Victoria said...

Aww, thank you! Yay :)

Two Becomes One said...

You go girl! Your blog put a smile on my face as well. It reminded me of myself after my divorce. I would stand on the ladder when I fixed something and say, "I be the man!" and my kids would laugh at me. But it was a good moment. I loved your writing as much as your pink paperclip fix.

Victoria said...

That's so cute, I can picture you saying that! (I might have to try that myself) :)