Plumbing

"I'll be over after I pick up a donut," said B's friend, "J".  "Oh, you don't need to do that, we can give you a cookie and tea," replied B.  No, it wasn't that kind of "donut".  It was a toilet donut, required in case J had to remove our toilet to solve a plugged issue. 

Yuck.  B has met all kinds of expert people here -- people who can do mechanical and technical stuff, unlike us.  We are completely unhandy, although I am actually handier than he.  The problem was, one of grandson's bath toys had gone down the toilet (my fault, not his) and the obvious had resulted.  Yep, a plugged toilet for a week.  I hauled out the plunger.  To no avail.  Bought an auger and jammed it down countless times.  To no avail.  On the verge of calling an actual $$$$$ plumber, I heard B say, "I'll call J, he does plumbing."  So, half-an-hour later, J arrived with his "donut".  I acted as his assistant, fetching every kitchen utensil I could find to try and poke the toy out.  We could see it, it was tantalizingly close.  It even had a smile on its face, daring us to grab it. 

After removing and draining the toilet, we started.  I felt like an operating room nurse as J called, "Screwdriver, bucket, calipers, tongs, fork, chopsticks, saw, grocery bags."  Handing them over, I realized he was finally able to grasp the wretched toy.  Victory!  Ready to throw in the towel, I was impressed that J would not give up.  Now the toilet runs perfectly. 

"Pray," he had said, just before the fiftieth and last attempt.  A deeply-religious Catholic, J was serious.  Half-jokingly, but not really, I started to say the rosary and immediately he secured the toy.  Out it popped!

Our Lady came through once again.