Tuesday, May 24, 2011

The Manly Art of Something Something





See, here is me reporting on a completed project.

I have been on a bit of a crusade to lower the clutter inventory in my house and garage. Due to my CMT (and the fact I'm old and fat) I have been going at a bit of a relaxed pace, but I have still made quite a bit of progress.

During one such illustrious foray to reduce the clutter in the garage, I came across an old table fountain. It was a sad sight. The bowl was limed and calcinated pretty badly, and the metal candle stand was covered in rust. Plugging the pump into the nearby wall socket produced nothing. So naturally I headed for the trashcan with it.

But my fair wife caught me, and insisted that she treasured it above all things and that it should somehow be saved.

So the fountain was spared.

Now this is the part where I knew exactly what was going to happen unless I did something different. The fountain would be tucked away in some remote spot of the garage, out of sight, where it would continue it's dismal course to becoming a lump of rust and lime.

"Nay!" said I, "Not this time! I have set out to improve yonder garage, and by thunder I shall! If this relic of table decor is to be spared, then it shall be restored to both form and function at once or consigned to the rubbish as is only right! No longer shall it litter my garage in rusty indolence!"

So I girded my loins and set course for Lowes and Home Depot where I picked up a wire brush, spray paint, some dishwasher de-limer, and a small 70 gallon per hour pump. Then I set to work. It actually ended up taking two days, but the bowl was cleansed, the stand restored, and the new pump inserted. Now it sits grandly on the end table by the couch, gurgling happily away in it's restored glory...and my garage is one piece of junk cleaner.

So it's win-win, and my man card gets extra points. Go me!

(on a side note...it's actually a 70-130 GPH pump thats turned all the way down. I've been tempted to turn it up for improved gurgling action but fear this might turn into a Tim the Toolman moment involving launched candle holders and spraying water...so I haven't. Sometimes it's best just to take your victories and not push things.)

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3 comments:

  1. Lol! Nice on at least two fronts! =o)

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  2. Thank you, Lois. Watching that fountain run again gave me a certain sense of triumph, like Capt. Kirk after he defeated some sinister alien in hand to hand combat...the only thing missing was the ripped shirt.

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  3. Oh, my, that was good for a hearty laugh this morning. I could see the launched candle stick happening!!! You're a lot more like your dad and brother than you admit. LOL. But kudos on repairing the fountain. I remember that piece and I always liked it. Nice to see it has gotten a new life.

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