BOOK EXCERPTS

Bunny Busines
Mike F., Seattle, WA

“A few years ago, I was sent out to recover a pet rabbit from a storm sewer. I sent my handy cable video camera down the pipe, and sure enough, there was the rabbit on my video monitor.

Remembering all of the Bugs Bunny cartoons I had watched as a kid, I asked a neighbor for a carrot, which I tied to the end of the camera head and fed right up to the rabbit. Slowly, I pulled it backwards and, to my amazement, the bunny followed the carrot safely out of the pipe.”

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Easy does it
Linda N., Honolulu, HI

I have been a do-it-yourself-er since my early twenties, although this particular project didn’t go quite as planned.

My husband and I had lived in our town house for less than a year when the kitchen sink faucet started dripping water. On my day off I decided to tackle the problem and stop the drip-drip-drip that was getting on my nerves. I had watched my husband replace the faucet washer/ring on numerous occasions in the past and it looked really easy. After clearing the sink and surrounding areas I assembled the tools needed for the job. I shut off the water supply by turning both valves, hot and cold located just under the sink, until it was snug and tight. Things were just going great and humming along as I expected until I screwed off the last part that holds down the section containing the washer ring assembly (this was a single handle faucet).

Suddenly, a fountain of water gushed forward into my face, scaring the daylights out of me! I had the smarts to run for a bucket, turn it upside down to redirect the water into the sink and save the kitchen from flooding. As I held the bucket down with one hand I made a phone call (no cell phones then) to my husband with the other hand. Luckily he recognized my voice because I couldn’t get a sentence out. I just kept saying “the wa, the wa, the wa”. He kept his cool and asked me questions, talking until I calmed down, allowing me to explain what happened. He made an emergency call to a plumber who responded quickly and took care of the situation.

Of course the HUGE lesson learned was to “bleed” the valves to double check if the water supply is completely turned off! It was a hilarious scene! I look back today and have a good hearty laugh!

“This is great! Usually you turn off the valves and then open the faucet to make sure it is all shut off.... I am sure that there was still dripping, even though the valves were shut off. That should have been the first clue. Next time, I suggest that you call the plumber before you stutter to the hubby and flood the kitchen."
–Grant Wilson, Ghost Hunters