cars, sewers, and gutters

So I am sure that almost everyone out there would write a blog on cars, sewers and gutters, am I right? LOL. First big applause for my cousin's husband for fixing my axle and installing a read window. Now I only have to fix the severely bald tire. It very exciting to drive again and sleeping later is wonderful! It makes for good times sliding around corners not so much on purpose as I have in the past. Then the ironic thing was news station interviewed me on road conditions (thank goodness I did my hair that day!!!). The whole time I laughing to myself thinking if only you knew the condition of my bald tire and that I had to drive home in 4x4 low (17mph in a 45mph zone) cuz that was the only 4 wheel option i could get into gear without horrendous grinding sounds. I tried my flashers, yeah didn't go so well. turns out if you are in the right hand lane and are missing the rear right taillight, it looks like you are blinkering into the left lane......I think i pissed more than a couple of cars. oh what to do.....just laugh.

So onto sewers. My Heather and Sarah were hanging out in my basement while I was at work. They called and told me there was water coming out of the floor drain. God bless those girls for bailing a tub full of water, damming the door to prevent my carpets from drenched! I don't even know how to thank them properly for all the money they saved me not to mention the stench and soggy grossness! The plumber man came the next day and we should be okay for awhile. Not sure how many of you know the inside story on the "God loves me" phrase, but in short it involves very dramatic sermon on events leading to obtaining water. (I know this is a phrase to be taken lightly cuz it's true, however this story was just too funny not to mock...) So for real "God loves me." he spared me water in this case. Amen.

Gutters. ah yes once again water. however this water was directed from my roof to my concert backyard. not very convenient with melting and then freezing temperatures. That's right, a huge ice skating rink, I nearly died several times. So I felt empowered by having my very own power drill and decided that indeed I should undertake the redirecting of the water. Simple yes, for Amanda not so much. So within 2 min I am bleeding from the thumb from the drill slipping. ok so I EMTed myself to a non bleeding state. next two chairs with an old shelf (complete with the metal brackets still attached) between them, and then the 5 gallon pail upside in the middle that. yeah I know, I was a little shaky the first time but what the heck I didn't die the first time so it must be safe. So the drill didn't have enough battery so while that charged I used my leatherman (always a great fallback!) I didn't have a bit to predrill so I took the awl from the leatherman along with a hammer to start the screws holes (not sturdy enough to just screw into). Then I had to change the angle of the gutter top, so off to the store to buy a hacksaw. flimsy gutters don't cut very nice (might be operator error....) anyways I ended up working by headlamp. I attached the far end of the gutter over my fence gate, but in order to get both ends attached at the same time by myself I had to use my long sleeve T-shirt I was wearing to tie up one end to a crossbeam on the fence. (it was a bit chilly w/only a short sleeve but whatever.) So I think I really did get it to work after much monkeying around with getting the screws holes to line up. And in the end I won the drill war, I was the master. the melting snow will be the real test...but for now I am wounded woman hear me drill.