We called the plumber because we noticed that the back corner of the house where the master bath is located was wet again.

The plumber said that the good news was that the old leak that he patched last year was still in tact. The bad news is that there was indeed a new leak.

He also said that our toilet was in really bad shape. We mentioned that the toilet in the master bath was wobbly. He said that because the toilet was never installed correctly, water was seeping between the floorboards and dripping down every time we flush. He said that at the rate that the water was damaging the wood, the toilet would eventually come through the floor.

He also said that all the piping was the wrong side. Water pipes should be ¾ inch copper and not ½ inch.

While he was talking to us on our front porch, he also pointed out that the water pressure valve at the front of the house looked to be about 10-15 years old. He could tell that the valve had been replaced with galvanized steel fitting which, when that metal reacts to copper causes corrosion. We mentioned that since we moved in, that valve has blown twice. He said that we were lucky that we have not blown a pipe under the house otherwise it would have caused serious damage and thousands of dollars of work.

He said that a factory sets the standard pressure on valves at 50 lbs. Most households should run 70 lbs or less. When he measured the pressure, we weren’t using any water in the house and his meter read 120 lbs of pressure. He said in the evening, when everyone is home and using water, our pressure valve probably goes up to 170. He said that this was our emergency NOT the leak under the house and he was extremely surprised that it had not blown previous especially since the entire house is not fitted with the right sized pipes, adding more pressure to the amount of water trying to push through the smaller pipes. We had him change it before he attended to the work under the house. $385.

It took three workers to replace the pressure valve, the piping under the master bath ($2,800) and the master toilet piping ($450). All with the proper sized, copper piping. Since the plumbers were under the house, we figured we would ask them why we can’t get any hot water in the guest bathroom sink. Apparently that sink has not had hot water for years.

The plumbers initially couldn’t figure out why we would get hot water in the shower, but not the sink when both were connected to the same pipes. They had to take apart some of the plumbing to see why.

To no one’s surprise, the previous contractor did a shoddy job, connecting galvanized steel pipes of the wrong size to copper pipes, causing once again, those two metals to react and cause corrosion. The pipes are so corroded and clogged with gunk that NO hot water can get through it.

There is over 40 feet of galvanized piping that would need to be replaced in order to do the job right. He said it was about as much work as the master bath.

He also said that the guest bathroom toilet was also in the same condition as the master bath -- put in incorrectly. The floor was cut too big for the toilet pipe work so they wedged pieces of wood to keep it from moving. This patch job also stands the chance of eventually falling through the floor as well.

We don’t’ want to spend that money only for us to eventually remodel that bathroom to the way we truly want it so since no one really uses that bathroom, we will wait until we have the money to do so. Meanwhile, no water will continue to run in that sink.

Survival 101

HE BLOGGED: Who is ready for the Apocalypse, World War III, the rise of the Zombie Nation, or simply the next natural disaster? Do you need to be an avid outdoorsman, survival specialist, or a marine? Negative!!! If you have cable TV and are able to wrestle the remote control from your spouse, girlfriend or roommate, salvation is merely watching the numerous survival shows playing on Discovery Channel. Top of the hardcore list is Man vs Wild, the name says it all. Bear Grylls show the average joe how it is done, hurling himself into the worst situations and demonstrating that starvation is not an issue if you can tolerate the taste and texture. Not far behind is Les Stroud’s Survivor Man and his new series Beyond Survival, kudos to Les who ventures off on his own absentia of camera crew. Les hauls in his own gear and films himself, now imagine trying to survive in a harsh environment and do a documentary solo. For the bosom buddies or odd couple, there is Dual Survival, matching up Cody Lundin, whom I’ve dubbed the white aborigine for his minimalist perspective and bare feet, with Dave Canterbury, who is the cross between the swamp thing and a red neck. They provide a good contrast of different view points on survival. The main take away from this show is trudging around barefoot… not such a good idea. For those who want their spouse to partake of this educational adventure, Man Woman Wild will give her a glimpse into what may save her life one day or at least the comfort that her husband will.

It truly is amazing how these shows have taken off and have their own cult following. In a world characterized by Iphones and Garmin gps devices , who thinks of getting lost anymore or in need of survival? Yet every year there are tourist, avid hikers and campers who become lost and need rescue. It is sometimes the little things that gives hope and carries a person that extra day or hour and makes the difference between survival and becoming another statistic. I have always been fascinated by the ingenuity of man and survival shows are a testament to that ingenuity. What does it take to make a fire in the absence of matches or a lighter? Can you do it? Just watch one episode and you will walk away knowing at least one way how to make fire. Hey if anything it is pretty bad ass to be able to take a stick, a piece of string, some dried wood and a little bit of elbow grease to create the hot embers of a future fire.

From another perspective, survival shows present to the audience how some of the people in the world survive today. They aren’t ordering dinner through a drive through or nuking it in the microwave; they are doing it the old school way: hunting, gathering and farming. It is not glamorous, but who really cares; its survival right? Who would have thought if you are dying of thirst in the desert of Africa that water can be squeezed from the dung of elephants. You may end up throwing up more fluids than you consume, but if you are able to keep it down, those few mouthfuls of water will keep you going for what could be just enough time till you find an adequate water source. People all over the world have adapted and continue to adapt to the changes the environment presents to them. These hosts who take us on their journeys give us a glimpse of how some of those people are surviving day by day.

It's Not Shtick

SHE BLOGGED: I recently finished Anthony Bourdain's latest book, "Medium Raw." And while for the most part I enjoyed reading his very opinionated opinions, I also took everything he said with a grain of salt. No pun intended.

It wasn't until I reached almost the end of the book that I came to a page where I couldn't have wholeheartedly agreed with the angry man more. It was about vegetarians. While I don't expect anyone to go out and purchase the book just to read that part, I will dutifully re-type that part for your reading enjoyment:

Okay. I AM genuinely angry -- still-- at vegetarians. That's not shtick. Not angry at them personally, mind you -- but in principle. A shocking number of vegetarians and even vegans have come to my readings, surprised me with an occasional sense of humor, refrained from hurling animal blood at me -- even befriended me. I have even knowingly had sex with one, truth be told. But what I've seen of the world in the past nine years has, if anything, made me angrier at anyone not a Hindu who insists on turning their nose up at a friendly offer of meat.

I don't care what you do in your home, but the idea of a vegetarian traveler in comfortable shoes waving away the hospitality -- the distillation of a lifetime of training and experience -- of say, a Vietnamese pho vendor (of Italian mother-in-law, for that matter) fills me with spluttering indignation.

NO principle is, to my mind, worth that; no Western concept of "is it a pet or is it meat" excuses that kind of rudeness.

I often talk about the "Grandma rule" for travelers. You may not like Grandma's Thanksgiving turkey. It may be overcooked and dry -- and her stuffing salty and studded with rubbery pellets of giblet you find unpalatable in the extreme. You may not even like turkey at all. But it's GRANDMA'S turkey. And you are in Grandma's HOUSE. So shut the fuck up and eat it. And afterward, say, "Thank you, Grandma, why, yes, yes of course I'd LOVE seconds."

I guess I understand if your desire for a clean conscience and cleaner colon overrules any natural lust for bacon. But taking your belief system on the road --or to other people's houses -- makes me angry. I feel too lucky -- now more than ever -- too acutely aware what an incredible, unexpected privilege it is to travel this world and enjoy the kindness of strangers to ever, ever be able to understand hos one could do anything other than say yes, yes, yes.

Awesome.