Plumbing Projects

I hate plumbing projects. They never seem to go smoothly, especially retrofits or repairs; it always seems to take at least three or four trips to the hardware store for parts before it is done.

This last summer, our outside faucet got to where it wouldn’t shut off all the way. It leaked all the time. In the summer, it was no problem — we just stuck a bucket under it and used the drips for chicken water — but with cold weather coming, it became necessary to fix before it decided to freeze hard and break something. 

Friday was the day. We got breakfast out of the way and moved a cabinet to be able to get to the piping. It honestly looked easy-peasy: take the old faucet off and put the new one on. I guess we were dreaming. 

We purchased the new faucet several weeks ago, but there were two problems — first, it was too short, barely reaching through the wall, and second, it was too small where it threaded into the supply pipe. So, trip number one commenced. We kind of figured we would just buy one with a bigger end. That didn’t happen because apparently no one around here carries ¾-inch pipes anymore, they are all ½ - inch. We were able to find a bushing that took up the extra space. 

Back at home Rick gooped everything up with plumber’s putty and Teflon tape, and we started threading everything together. It took some doing, but we thought we had it taken care of… until Saturday morning. 

Rick changed the well filter at the same time and that went fairly smooth, but by the next morning, we had a pretty good puddle on the floor. Yup, we had a leak, so we took it all apart and then headed back into town for more parts. We got a shut-off valve that we thought would make things longer and make it all fit. Good thinking, but it didn’t work. 

Now the supply pipe is too long because the shut-off valve took up too much room! And we really need a longer faucet part, so it will take another trip for more parts before we are done. 

For now, we closed the new shut-off valve, put a plug in the end and called it good for now. It probably won’t get properly repaired before spring, but at least we won’t have a puddle on the floor and we won’t have a faucet outside, dripping and freezing. 

Venison

Breakfast
 Sausage

1 pound deer, antelope, elk or moose meat

6 ounces bacon ends or slab bacon

¾ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried crushed sage leaves

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon pepper

Cut meat and bacon into ¼ inch cubes. Place in a medium bowl. Mix seasoning together, add mix to meat and grind to desired texture. Shape into thin patties and fry over medium heat or freeze until ready for use.