Ah, the joys of home ownership. I gathered my nerve to leave the house yesterday evening to pick some herbs to use for dinner. As I lingered there, I heard the gut wrenching, heart stopping sound of running water. Gushing water. Niagra falls water. Coming from under the house where even I know it isn't supposed to be. I peered through the (what are those things called???) the openings in the foundation. (Ventilation holes? I dunno) Anyway. Couldn't see a thing, but pinpointed about where it was coming from - the kitchen. Went to inspect the kitchen, couldn't find anything leaking/wet/out of the ordinary.

So Jason got home and insisted on crawling through the hobbit hole under the laundry room closet to under the house. And wouldn't Thor just LOVE to know that is there.

Diagnosis: split open pipe leading to the water faucet on the back of the house outside.

Temporary solution: turn off the water to the house.

Solution: Aha. I have this covered. Everything in my house is insured/warrentied, except for the fridge and the cats. Call the home warrenty place. Spend an hour carefully ennuciating for the voice activated "customer screw-you, I mean customer service" computer. First half hour was spent listening to them tell me that I had an outstanding balance due that I needed to pay before they could help me. They bill my credit card monthly, how can I have a balance? I asked the computer that, but it said it didn't understand me and just went on asking questions. Sigh. But it's only $45 to fix it.

Plan: They emailed a local plumber who was to call me. They gave me local plumber's number which either they gave me wrong or I wrote down wrong. Hadn't heard from them by eleven this morning so tracked down the right number and called. Talked to a GREAT (in my overactive writer's imagination, I've created an entire picture and biography for her) lady - Donna. God, she was funny. Even when I hadn't had a shower, she was funny. So, some-one is supposed to amble by here Friday (!!!!) to fix it.

Backup Plan: 20 gallons of water from Bi-Lo later, I'm ready for the duration and/or have my H-supply of water taken care of.

Discovery: Missionary baths suck.