Passing it on. (Sometimes doing something good for someone else does come back to you)

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I know it's be long spell since I updated the blog but for those that haven't heard there is a reason.

Saturday morning we awoke to a stopped up septic system. Without going into the gory detail I will say it was pretty bad here and I don't want to every have to use a wet/dry vac for that job again! Ewwwwww. Now imagine the fun trying to explain to our new daughters why they can't use the facilities here and having to make a run to my sisters house as a group for that purpose. (Thank you Janet and Ike!!!)

So if having to deal with jet lag wasn't enough here's the icing on the cake (not that I would want a cake with this kind of icing).

That was how saturday started, then the fun began. While I was waiting for a plumber, we still didn't know what the real issue was, Jenny decided to take the girls to town so she could get some cloths that really fit Rose rather then what we could find for her in China that was just a bit to small. Well on the way Rose got car sick and ….well more gory details. That was almost at the city limits, so turn around come back home, didn't quite make it before she got car sick again.

Clean up Rose, leave her her with Dad to wait for the plumber and head back to town again. Jenny and the 2 remaining girls made it to one of the stores, found some cloths that should fit, up to the check out and guess what, Jenny has forgotten her pin for her debit card. Jet lag strikes again! Some how she talked the clerk into letting her leave her cart while she drove back home to get the checkbook.

Third back to town, and it started off as a simple run to get a few pairs of jeans, back to the store, basket was still there waiting (believe it or not). By now it's late, to late to worry about fixing something at home so Jenny thought stopping by one of the burger places would be a quick solution to that problem, guess what, no cash, still can't recall pin to debit, and they don't take checks. You can imagine how frustrated Jenny was by this time.

Back at home, the plumber show up, talks to me getting all the gory details, I guess they are used to hearing that kind of stuff because he did't even bat an eye, but he told me that he wasn't the person I needed and there wasn't any reason to be wasting my money getting him to look at it the problem. He said what I needed was the have the tank emptied. Now here's the first “pass it on” he only charged me for a standby call, way less then I would have expected to pay for a plumber to show up during a normal week day, not one that came here on a Saturday. I had to ask, “are you sure”?

So I figure this fellow is a OK dude, why not ask if he knows someone that he would recommend to call late on a Saturday that would come and pump our tank. Turns out he did have a person in mind and just happened to have one of his business card.

By now it's around 3 or 4 PM on a Saturday what are the odds this fellow is going to be able to help out but the thoughts of having to fight the coyotes while making a run to the woods during the night made me go ahead and give him a call. Here's the second “pass it on” I just happened to call his cell phone, turns out he was headed out of town with his family but he said he would call a guy that helps him with work part time. Sure enough, the guy called and said he would be here as soon as he could.

About 6 PM he got here and we started on the septic tank, and yes it needed pumping, more gory details that I learned first hand. Well after the tank was pumped, back to the house for a test flush. Not good, water came up to the rim and took a really long time to go down. Sadly we tried several of those “test flushes”, more on that later. The fellow that came with the pumper and I tried finding one of the clean outs and he tried snaking the line from the tank back to the house but it was clearing hitting something. By now it's almost midnight, what bit of lights we have aren't helping so I told him “let's call it quits for the night”. Third “pass it on” he charged me a standard rate for pumping a tank, nothing extra for coming here on a weekend night, not to mention working with me trying to snake the line.

Back in the house we discover all those “test-flushes” came all the way back the the master bathroom and spill over to the tub and floor. Sadly to say the builders though carpet was a great idea for a bathroom so it's in a squishy state by now, and believe me it's not something you're going want to walk on. EWWWWW.

Sunday I talked to the owner of the septic company and explained our problem in more detail. He said he would be able to come by Monday. I'm still counting my blessing that he would be able to come out that soon.

Even though I've ran into these 3 tradesman that have dealt me a super hand I'm still thinking worst case scenario, backhoe, gravel trucks, building permits, 6 digit figures, no bathroom for a couple weeks (at least), needless to say add that to the jet lag, no sleep for me. You know it's amazing you really can go without sleep for 4 days and still be alive, barely but still alive.

Come Monday the septic fellow shows up as promised, we work on snaking the line for about 3 hours, he found the issue and we have flow again. You can't believe how great it is to see water turn a fast circle and go down the drain like that! Now “pass it on” #4. I asked him what do I owe you, all he asked me for was his gas money here! I tried to get him to take more but that's all he wanted.

So after this weekend my advise to everyone, don't even hesitate to help someone out when you have the chance even if it cost you something (excluding those phone/email spammers) because you never know when it's going to come back to you. I had it come multiple times this past week. I just hope there something sometime I can do for all these guys.

So anyway, about Wednesday I finally got some sleep, still trying to get back on east coast time (and you know I'm looking forward to DST this weekend). The girls seem to have adapted to the new time just fine but don't sleep to much past 7 AM. Breakfast has been interesting, eggs and cereal are out so I'm still trying to figure that out. Lunch and Supper have been met with happy smiles and good appetites so most everything Jenny has fixed they were fine with. Rose doesn't care for vegies, Lilly seems to be open to most anything you put on her plate.

It's been an interesting week, really wishing I spoke Mandarin but we're dealing with it. The girls still get up in the morning and say “good morning” with a smile and still give us hugs so guess we're still moving in the right direction.

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