The meaning of a bucket list is personal and means something different to everyone. I added some things to my list that’s some people may think is crazy. But, that’s the point, it’s personal and unique.

Item #23 on my list was: to pet a rabbit for an hour.

I crossed item #23 off my list in Feb 2011. A friend of mine has a few rabbits and he allowed me to hold, pet, and love one of his cute little rabbits for an hour! It was so calming, soothing, and awesome!!

Item #38 on my list was an experience for sure! My home was in need of multiple minor repairs that had been left untouched for a while. So, I decided #38 on my Bucket List would be to learn plumbing.

In Jan 2010, I discovered a leak in the bathroom under the double sinks, a leak in the kitchen under the double sink, and a leak in the shower.

I enlisted the help of a friend that had worked with CPVC and went out to buy supplies, tools, and parts needed.

We tackled the kitchen sink first. The drain was a maze of mix matched curved pipes comprised of various sizes, the trap was full of gunk, and the faucet leaked. We spent most of a day under the sink, in the tiny cabinet, disconnecting pipes, pieces, couplings, and randomly forced pipe pieces of gunk that made up this crazy maze of plumbing. After disconnecting that mess, we pretty much rebuilt it from scratch. I followed my friends directions as I disconnected & connected the CPVC.

I learned what not to do, after I released some nasty watery gunk onto my friend while he was under the sink. Oops…that stain never came out… I felt terrible!

By the end if that day I felt I was king of the hill. I felt like I was wiser in many ways, yet still didn’t know enough. The next morning, I tuned the water on and watershed rushed all over my socks from the cabinet under the sink. I freaked a little and called my friend to COME HELP!! AHHHHHHH.

When he got to my house & looked at it, I felt kinda dumb. As I had squeezed out of the cabinet the night before, I’d knocked something sideways or loose. My assumed disaster was fixed in no time with little effort. Donk! I felt so silly.

In march 2010, tackling the bathroom sink was nothing compared to the kitchen sink, but I had my friend here in case I had oopsed. That went pretty smoothly though (he got under the sink) and pretty much did it himself with me being the ever present observer.

A month passed & in April 2010, I decided to do the shower head on my own. No one helping or overseeing. After beings sprayed in the face and thoroughly soaking the ceiling twice, I figured it out & learned another valuable lesson. If there are extra parts after an install (especially rubber gaskets) something wasn’t done just right. I fixed it in the end all on my own.

Two days later the supply line to the toilet tank began to leak and the toilet overflowed!! Eek….I went to the local hardware store bought the toilet innards and the supply line. I had more confidence with this project. I changed out the supply line, shut off the supply and removed the old tank fixtures & replaced them without any issue….until I turned the water supply back on. The tank and toilet bowl quickly over filled. I fixed the gauge, replaced the unit & was happily satisfied in the end.

I’m now the proud owner of a great deal of plumbing experiences both good and bad, but wonderfully happy about the whole thing!