Plumbing

While getting ready to settle into my basement recliner the other night to do some reading, I noticed water where water shouldn't be! Damp carpeting, wet books on bookshelves, wet magazines on the counter, and wet slide tray boxes in the cabinet. After dismantling the dropped ceiling, moving all books and magazines, taking down the shelves, and searching high and low, I couldn't find where the water was coming from. The next day, I discovered that we had sprung a leak in the copper drain line from our kitchen sink, which is above the basement ceiling. I had trouble finding it because it only leaked when the sink or dishwasher were draining.
Now generally, minor household maintenance jobs languish on the honey-do list for long periods of time (years), but when books are threatened, I take immediate action!

I called our plumber.

Now this part of our plumbing was installed in 1960, so when the plumber fixed the leak and tested the line, he discovered another leak. Which is typical when working on old plumbing. The mere act of messing with the pipes uncovers every other weakness. And of course that meant a trip to the hardware store (or supply house) because he didn't have the needed parts on his truck. We did without a kitchen sink overnight, and Kirk and Clint were back this morning to wrap up the job. They did their job well because there are no leaks and the old pipes have been replaced.
Fortunately, we managed to salvage all but a couple books and a pile of old magazines. It forced us to do a little spring cleaning and we found a few items in the back of the cabinets I forgot I had. And a lot of stuff I should probably get rid of.
Maybe.

I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
Isaiah 41:18