the toilet disaster

It all started with a running toilet. Fearful that this would jack my water bill up, I compared the "running" toilet with the toilet in the back bedroom. I could spot the problem, easily (i'm smart like that).

Not one to be daunted by household problems, I decided I would go to Home Depot and fix it myself. I can read, I can screw, I can assemble.

So, I decided to buy the ENTIRE inside toilet repair kit - I was feeling bold and adventurous - plus, at $20, I was feeling a little reckless.

I put on my latex gloves (no sense in getting icky water all over myself) and opened up the box. I turned off the water (step 1), and tried to figure out what the HECK the difference was between the shank washer and the cup washer (this stuff sound kinda nasty... course, it is generally a man's world, speak in their language, right?)

Step Four - take the toilet tank off. Unscrew the bolts. One on the right - easy as pie. One on the left...rusted on. Now after 45 minutes of using four different pairs of pliers and literally LAYING down under my toilet (squeezed in like no big man could possibly get) I realized that every time the nut moved, so did the screw. I collapsed in tears, frustrated and angry at the world and the fact that there is no ONE I could call to help me. PLUS - all I needed was ONE extra set of hands... not a brain. Definitely a job for a man.

So, I moved on to the pantry door that had fallen off it's slider. The slider has disappeared. And then I saw that the pantry door was actually cracked, which is why the slider thing had fallen out. Again, I can do this. I got my electric drill and started screwing a screw in. Which caused the door to come off the bottom hinge and fall on top of me...

sorry, no photos, broken camera.