PLUMBING I
Plumbing is tricky. Even if all the parts are assembled properly it can still leak- plumber's putty and teflon tape are artistry. I tell my gal that I can do simple projects, but it may leak when I'm "done". It's actually been exciting to take something apart with the possibility I may not get it together again. At times I just do my 95% and then call a pro to stop the leak I've created.
I once had a plumber arrive late in the process above, very drunk. He sat on the edge of the tub, looked at the toilet and said "You can do that, you can finish it". He proceeded to walk out and drive away surprisingly well. I called the dispatcher and explained it was cool with me, but if the whole scenario was repeated with the next customer they might really be upset.
Youtube tutorials have revolutionized the DIY (do it yourself) world and I appreciate them greatly for both their educational and entertainment value. I will lampoon them in a general way in a future post.
My late dad had a great respect for plumbers and felt they deserved every penny they earned. By watching them I learned to use a bucket and plenty of rags, ignore the strange smells and to be as strict about turning everything off as electricians are with their systems. One time I was walking between two parts of a project and sensed a sound... I thought do I hear water running? Because I raced as the Flash would a bucket was enough to stem the flow, if I had not or if there was no bucket there it would have been a DIY disaster.