AtomicMrX

Our ice maker stopped making ice. Our water from the fridge became a very thin trickle.

We had a problem on our hands.

I went to the hardware store and bought a new Self Tapping Valve Saddle figuring the one that I installed when the fridge was delivered must have clogged up with corrosion.

See here is the deal. The previous home owner had already put (and left) a Tapping Valve on the pipe in the basement. I mistakenly just took the old one off and put my fresh new one in the same crusty hole left by the old valve. I should have left their old valve alone and started my own fresh spot on the water line. But that is water under the kitchen flooring.

Back to current day task at hand. I went to install the new valve (next to the current non working valve) and just as I said to myself “Don’t tighten it too much!” I heard a crunch and a slight slip in the wrench. “uh-oh” Sure enough when the water was turned back on I had a pretty indoor fountain.

I tightened the thing so tight that when I went to take it off and put on a new nut it cracked the nut in half. but in a bad way. Half slid off the end of the tubing and the other half of the nut was behind the little tubing sleeve. It wasn’t gonna come off either.

Back to the hardware store, this time for a tubing cutter.

I got the cutter, cut the tubing, installed the new nut and sleeve, inserted it into the valve, tightened it only so much. Then turned on the water to see if it leaked. No leak, so on to opening up the valve and seeing if there is water coming through to the fridge. Yes there was water at the fridge and it was more pressure than ever available before. It was great! Before we only had a slight flow through it and it wasn’t worth using it to get water cause it would take forever to fill up a small glass.

So I am actually glad it had to be replaced. We got great water pressure from it finally. Now maybe the ice will be full sized instead of these little slivers.

Here is a picture of “the twins” and me getting a glass of water with the new pressure!!!

I am testing out a new application called “ecto.” Ecto works with Blogging apps like my MovableType (MT). Ecto makes publishing and creating Blog entries very easy. Without ecto I would have to log onto my blogs web site and make my entries online and use the MT’s default software which is cumbersome and a little confusing. This ecto software allows me to make the entry off line and then upload it when finished. Adding photos and links is as simple as drag and drop with ecto and a lot of work with MT!

Ecto is a $17.00 application and I get to test it for 20 days to see if I want to fork out the cash, which is good!

Now on to my regular boring blog stuff.

I am on day two of testing the Claritin for my rash. It appears to be a good substitute for Zertec (and much cheaper). I will try out the remaining three Claritin pills and if all goes well, get the generic brand and keep the Zertec for emergencies.

Jaki dealt with her oatmeal shampoo bath very well (no growling this time). I need to get a rubber mat for the kitchen sink so she has a good footing. Poor thing was sliding around making matters worse for her. After she was about dry, Shannon took a brush to her to get all that loose hair (and there was a ton of it) out of her coat. The deck looked like sheep was sheered on it. There was fluffy white dog hair all over the place. Jaki looked much better after the brushing. We were a little worried she had some weird skin problem causing her to loose hair - nope, she just needed a good bath and brushing. <whew!!>

Shannon and I cheated with our diets last night and the scale reinforced the results this morning. I went up another pound and currently weigh 194 lb. I have to start working out along with the diet to get any results. Now that I am not drained of energy (thanks Zertec!) I should be able to start working out.

Today I try Claridin to see if it works as well as Zertec. Hopefully without all the sleepiness! I’ll soon find out.

Jaki is in for a big surprise tonight. When I get home from work I’m giving her an oatmeal bath. Her hair is falling out like crazy with this heat, so it’s wash that stuff out! Plus she gets an ear cleaning too. She will NOT be happy!

The poor air conditioner is running non stop to barely keep it luke cool in our house. At night it has a chance to catch up and by morning it is nice and cool (okay, almost cold!).

I am going to not take my Allergy medicine Thursday morning and see if my rash reappears. I’ll take a pill with me to work in case it does come back. I need to get off the medicine - it is making me so tired and changing my attitude. I’m grumpy and tired all the time - not fun.

I’ve been playing around with the CSS for the site and adjusting colors and layout. I think I’m starting to really like it. I need to tweak it some more though.