January 10, 2019

Busied myself around the house, waiting for the plumbers. When it was 4:30 and the plumbers hadn’t come, I gave a call from their dispatcher saying “they’re running late” a bitter reception.  “All our personnel got stuck on a project that’s taking much longer than–”
“My faucet might take five minutes. Send one of them now.”
“But, if it’s around 6 PM when they’re done, is it still all right–”
“No, it is not all right. I need them in half an hour or I go on social media and start relating my experience.”

Two plumbers were at my door in twenty minutes. One was a master, the other an apprentice. It was like watching a sweet, comic movie. They were funny and enjoyed working together. The older related that when he was in college is English teacher had them read Beowulf aloud in class, divided up in parts like a play. She had them read it aloud in modern English but also to themselves in Anglo-Saxon. I admired her. Things learned: a faucet can cost $800. I had figured $70 or $80. The other is that the slow water pressure in the guest bedroom is because the pipes are original to the 96 year old house and are almost clogged with. . . whatever it is that clogs pipes. So, next week I have $5000 worth of plumbing done. But I will have a decent guest bathroom at last.

GMC rehearsal. I didn’t enjoy the rehearsal, actually, but I enjoy my colleagues more than I have in the past. Looking into the future, as Simone laid it out, I see no music I’m really interested in singing. I want to stand in my tux and sing Gibbons. The group wants to wear sparkly vests and belt out show tunes.