Of course, everything’s more complicated than we thought.

A lot of pipes were copper, and the thieves were very thorough. The bathroom was devoid of plumbing save the drain lines. “Well, it’s not the end of the world,” our contractor Andy tells us. We get an initial run up to the bathroom and the rest of the lines blocked off. Essentially, we can now fill the toilet with a hose. Ryder and I flush it for the first time (evacuating the parting gift left behind by the movers). Meanwhile, in the basement, Brian and Andy are watching the lines. A trickle of water seeps out of the floor at the sewage line.

“Andy, that’s piss.”

“I think you’re right.”

The jackhammer arrives next week. It would arrive sooner, but we still have no power. After a week of messing with DTE and getting hung up on by their horrible phone system, it will be up to another full week before power is on.

The previous contractor installed the tub so the drain perfectly aligns with a floor stud and the hole has been cut askew. We can’t reposition it because of the toilet. Our only (good) option is to raise it four inches to make room for a turn in the drain. “Not the end of the world,” Andy assures us. If Andy ever says something is the end of the world, I’m moving to Canada.

We need a specialist to inspect the radiator system. We’re wondering if we can run the hot water thru the boiler as well and forgo the water heater entirely. Electrician comes next week. At this rate it’s going to be spring before we get the house heated. At least the weather is still on our side.

Another day in the cold has left me exhausted with hours of work left to do. I’m going to skip the house tomorrow to recharge and catch up with work. There’s no use wearing yourself out in the first mile of the marathon.