On Friday, after having my morning hot, creamy coffee and prayer, I set about to do my work in my office on my laptop. I had a Voxer coaching call also with my biz coach, Diane Cunningham Ellis, which went well. Voxer is like a walkie-talkie app on your phone. It is very cool, fast, and fun!
Diane gave me some suggestions on improving my website and advice on how to prosper more in my business. (She often says, “If you’re not making money in your business, it’s not a business. It’s an expensive hobby!” Amen!)
About mid-morning, my husband Ray texted me that a plumber was coming. Ray had gone downstairs on Friday morning and heard the bathtub and the toilet water “bubbling.” (Gurgling)
Uh-oh. Ray said this is usually an indicator of a “blockage.” He did NOT want sewage coming back up through the drain in our basement, our toilets, and tubs, so he called a plumber immediately.
You have to understand something: my husband is NOT a man of fast action; he (and God) always seem to move at a turtle’s pace, in my opinion. Years ago, I gave Ray a ceramic turtle as a joke gift, telling him that I feel he and God move slow as a turtle (see pic above). I’m like a race horse, raring to get out of the starting gate and RUN. So when Ray told me that he had called a plumber (so fast!), I knew it must be serious. (Oh, crap, pardon the pun!)
When I told Diane on the Voxer Coaching call that Ray had called the plumber and now that was stressing me out (as if I didn’t have enough stress), she said that is just life. Plumbers, air conditioning repairmen, tech issues, unfortunately, it’s all part of life. You just deal with it and keep moving! In her way, that’s very fast. Then she went on to tell me some more blunt (but needed!) advice about my website and business!
As I tried to work later that day after my coaching call, the two plumbers arrived. I showed one of them all of our toilets and told him about Ray’s concern over the “bubbling” that morning. He nodded knowingly, as if to say, “I’ve got this.”
Initially, I instructed the plumbers not to let my cat Natalya out when they went in and out the door, as she’s an inside-only cat. They assured me they’d look after her. I went to my office to focus on numerous to-do’s. Natalya is normally a very sweet cat. I think I did hear Natalya growling once at the plumbers, but for the most part, she sat on the carpet, staring with wide eyes at the strangers as they walked throughout our house.
Then as I looked out my office window about an hour later, one plumber was RUNNING to their truck. A small army of plumbers suddenly arrived, talking together about the problem. I could hear one of the plumbers in the bathroom down the hall, frustrated and cussing once or twice as he worked under the sink. This was NOT a good sign – and how much was this going to cost us?
Then the noise. The LOUD noise, with a machine. I could not concentrate on my work!
A little over two hours later since they arrived, Ray was driving home from work and texted to ask if I wanted anything. Yes, please. Their truck was blocking our truck in the driveway and I asked him to bring me a Sonic cold drink. When Ray got here, the plumbers seemed to work a little faster and told him that they were just wrapping up things.
Image source: passionforsavings.com
The main plumber told Ray that there was a big “blockage.” They weren’t sure what it was exactly. But they got through it. The toilets and the tubs seemed to be flushing/draining fine now. He had replaced one faucet in the upstairs bathroom.
Final cost? $400. OUCH!
When I looked at the new faucet in the upstairs bathroom, I was appreciative. The old one leaked all the time and there was calcium deposits (GRUNGE) all around the faucet. This one was brand new, shiny, and does not leak. The grunge was gone except for a little that I cleaned up later.
However, I pointed out to Ray that he wouldn’t be able to install our PUR water purifier filter on this type of faucet like we had on the old one. He said that he’ll figure it out, and if necessary, put a water purifier filter under the sink on the pipes somehow. This was the least of our worries about the whole thing. I reminded Ray that the side door to the garage needed to be fixed, too. I had other “honey-do’s” as well. (He sighed.)
The good news is that the blockage is fixed. I pray it stays that way! But it made me pause and think. What is blocking me? What is your blockage in life and business? What’s keeping you stuck from success in your life and business?
- Troubled and/or toxic relationships?
- Health issues?
- Worry, stress, depression, anger, hopelessness, confusion, fear?
- Money problems?
- Needing a coach/mentor, a VA’s help with tech issues, prayer and/or accountability partners?
- Not living out your God-given purpose?
- Not knowing what to do?
Whatever has you blocked or stuck, pray and ask God and others for help. Journal. Talk with your sister, or brother, a good friend, a pastor, a coach, or a therapist. Sometimes you have to call in the experts—like plumbers!
After the plumbers left, Ray and I went out to eat at one of the local Mexican food restaurants. Chips and salsa won’t pay the plumbers’ bill, but they always seem to help me –on good days or bad ones! Then I went back home and worked that night until 9 p.m., and called it a day!
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