Righty Tighty - Left Loosey

I am in Fallon, Nevada. Grandma is doing well and is an inspiration to me. She showered by herself and is walking around like she doesn't have a stomach full of staples. My brother Rick picked me up today and when we went to get a car for me at the farm we discovered that one of his kitchen sinks was leaking. After visiting Mom and Dad for a while -- trying to get more family history information I went to the hardware store and bought the needed part and plumber's putty.

The bad thing about helping on the farm is that there is always work to be done. The good thing is that you can tackle about any job because it doesn't have to be done perfectly. So I say to myself that I can put the sink drain back in and it will at least leak less than before. I painstakingly remove all the old plumbers putty from the drain part and make the little rope with the new putty. I deftly put the drain back together and............. it leaks!!!

Since B.Ann and Rick are putting bags of carrots, and onions together for the basket company I am not working alone and decide that I need to make this work. I start to unscrew my handiwork. For reasons unknown to me, somehow I have now tightened a part so tight that I can't unscrew it. I ask for Rick's assistance. Now for those that know my dad he is a super fixer upper type of guy and his children did NOT get his handy genes. Asking Rick for help is a leap of faith. Can you unscrew this for me? He actually found a pipe wrench -- ahh but now the big question. Which way do you turn it. I had only screwed it on minutes before -- but alas I can't figure out which way is righty tighty or lefty loosey. After a bit of discussion and trying both directions he does get it off.

I now make a huge putty rope to seat the drain on. I have putty everywhere -- but am determined not to let the sink leak. I screw everything back together and to everyone's delight the sink no longer leaks. There is thick plumber's putty under the sink, but no one really looks there. The real test will be if it doesn't leak tomorrow, but at least for the moment, I have succeeded.

So as I am driving back to Mom and Dad's and contemplating why I have never been able to get a washer going the right direction, I finally have an ah ha moment. Yes I get it!!!! If my palm is facing up righty tighty is one direction and if my palm is facing down righty tighty is the other direction. Now I suspect for you handy types this is no revelation, but to me I can figure out why when I was under the sink that screwing two different pieces on -- righty tighty was NOT the same direction. I can now sleep well, knowing that I am not crazy for all those years that I couldn't understand that concept.


Farm Reflections: There is an unending amount of work to be done on the farm. Vicki has become a city girl. Fallon is dark at night. I remember why I hated the dark because it seems so very very scary, but as I get older I can appreciate the beauty of the stars only seen when it is so very dark. Fallon is an interesting study of contrasts. The wind blows almost as much as Rexburg. It is a desert, but amid those acres of vast nothingness are the most beautiful fields of green reminding me that beauty and joy can be found amidst darkness and trials. I am always amazed and thrilled at the sight of a Fallon sunset. I thank Heavenly Father for his abiding love that makes this world so beautiful. I thank Him for my ability to appreciate the beauty that He has provided. And I thank Him for the contrasts that make it so we can appreciate the beauty.