How To Get Free Help!

Let's say it's a cold winter day and you experience some unexpected water problems. Let's assume your husband is out of town or something. Let's say your pipes freeze or you run out of water or you can't get your furnace working or pump primed or something bizarre like that. Let's say every plumber and pump guy and water guy you call is already booked solid answering distress calls from people in your same situation who just happened to luck out and get in line before you. Let's say absolutely no one is willing to come bail you out of your situation. What do you do?

Apparently, if you can get someone to answer their phone, most of these plumber and pump guys and water guys are more than happy to wax eloquent on what you should do. I'm being serious here, ladies. So how can you get the help you need?

• Before you make that call, plan your distress speech. Remember, this is a man you will be talking to. Leave out any juicy tidbits about how your toddler is being potty-trained or how you need to get to the Macy's sale this afternoon. "Just the facts" is a pretty good policy here.
• Educate yourself. Speak their language. Check out the equipment specifications: pump or furnace make and model. Rating such as psi (pounds/square inch), horsepower or amps are good to know. Write all this stuff down on a pice of paper. While you're at it, write down the details of the problem.
• If you can, do a Google search on the equipment to become even better informed.
  
• Make the call from the problem area with pen and paper in hand.
  
• Don't be put off by answering services. You need to get past the women! Ask for someone to give you a call so you can ask a few questions.
• Don't wait for one guy to call you back; leave messages with as many services as you need to.
  
• Use any info you glean from one call to sound more informed on your next call. And get the guy's name and ask if you can call him back if need be.
  

I'll tell you what I learned today. I learned how to prime a pump. Probably not something you ever need to deal with, but no less than three different guys were willing to walk me through something they would have happily charged me about $75/hour to do, had they had the time.

People are more than willing to talk shop - at no charge to you - if you have no other options. Hopefully you won't ever find yourself in this situation but if you do - remember, help is out there if you know how to ask. And you just may be able to save yourself a service call someday!

Imprisoned Splendor

That's the title of yesterday's reading in Glimpses of Grace, a compilation of short readings from the works of Madeleine L'Engle. I thought this was too good not to share.

Look! Here I am, caught up in this fragment of chronology, in this bit of bone and flesh and water which makes up my mortal body, and yet I am also part of that which is not imprisoned in time or mortality. Partaker simultaneously of the finite and the infinte, I do not find the infinite by repudiating my finiteness, but by being fully in it, in this me who is more than I know. This me, like all of creation, lives in a glorious dance of communion with all the universe. In isolation we die; in interdependence we live.

I appreciate the reminder that we are part of both finite and infinite. It puts today into perspective for me. How about you?

Hodge Podge

When we were kids, my sis and I enjoyed a PBS show entitled Hodge Podge Lodge. Secretly that's what I call my house when it's getting out of control. It describes the current state of my blogging brain. I don't usually do miscellaneous posts but that's all that's coming to me right now. Bits and pieces of stuff but nothing worthy of its own post. So here'a few thoughts bouncing around in my head right now.

• We had a nice evening. We've been getting to know some new people at our church through a small group we joined last spring. Tonight we had everyone over for a game night. After the guys showed off at darts, we girls cleaned up in a game of Cranium. Yes!
• Several years ago, my husband mysteriously hurt his ankle. He had to wear one of those boot casts for about six weeks. Looks like he did something again because he could barely get up the stairs tonight and I think he consumed about 8 ibuprofen and 2 naproxen in less than 5 hours. Yikes. He's finally in bed, resting, I hope. The dog and I will take the couch, in hopes of not disturbing him. Poor guy. I think it's going to be a long night, even if we don't end up in the emergency room.
• Why is it that the few shows I enjoy watching are on at the same time? I don't watch many TV shows, but I do enjoy Monk, Stargate SG-1 and NCIS. Even the reruns of Monk & Stargate are on at the same time Friday night. Although the past few weeks, I've either forgotten that Monk starts at 9pm, or slept through it, or (like tonight) been busy with something else. Wouldn't you say I "need" Tivo?
• I'm kind of frustrated with my writing habits right now. Habits is an exaggeration. Even though I haven't made much effort towards being published, I've always been working on something. Lately though, I just can't seem to get my thoughts to gel. Honestly, I think it's due to my job. I tend to be juggling about 30 things on any given day. When I finally do sit down to rest, it's hard to do. My mind is still going in a million directions. Like this post.
• I did read something by Henri Nouwen this morning that I want to post about, but it begs its own post so will have to wait. I'm going to settle down for the night with A Year of Pleasures by Elizabeth Berg. Stacyrecommended this one, as well as the movie Invincible, which Mike and I both loved. Seriously, if you're looking for a good book recommendation or a more interesting post, go check out Stacy's blog, especially the reading lists in her sidebar.