Friday of break

I had a few goals for today:

1. go over to school and grade the leftover grading
2. Watch "Rainbow Rocks"

Well, #1 was dispatched handily in the morning. However, when I came home and was fixing lunch (and, as part of that, clearing a few things from the refrigerator - tomato sauce, some leftover pumpkin puree - that were past their prime.) Dumped them down the sink, turned on the garbage disposal. It kind of ground a bit and halted. So I sighed, unplugged it, hit the reset button, and tried again.

The thing made a "pop" and a tiny bit of smoke curled out of it (I had the cabinet doors open). There was a smell like burning insulation. I unplugged the thing in a hurry and looked at it with concern - would I need to grab the fire extinguisher? Wait, would my fire extinguisher even WORK on a fire in an electrical motor?

So I called the plumber I use. The receptionist reassured me that if it was unplugged and wasn't actively burning at the moment, it could not start a fire, and also told me the plumber who specialized in this (they are big enough to have plumbers with specialties) would call me back.

And yeah, I know, this is a fix a homeowner can do, but I'd rather pay someone who does this on a regular basis and has it down....because he will do it right and will less frustration than I would have.

Then I thought: Oh, I won't be able to watch Rainbow Rocks. (Yeah, I know: I shouldn't care what a plumber thinks of me, and of course it's also possible he would be a Brony. But I get shy about such things). But he didn't call, so I sat down to watch it. But only with half my attention, waiting on the phone.

(I'm going to watch it when it's on again tomorrow morning. I liked it OK, I think the idea of villains that sow dissent and then feed off the "bad vibes" when people argue is an interesting idea. Though thing of how strong they'd grow on a diet of campaign ads....)

Anyway, he called as the end credits were rolling. Asked what brand of thing I had. I looked at it and all I could see was a sticker labeled BADGER 5 (Badger?!?!) But apparently that's a model, he said, "Yeah, that's the kind we sell, I'll grab one and be over there soon." He quoted me a price of $180 or $185, depending on how things turned out. I said I was okay with that (And I am, as I said, I'd rather pay someone who absolutely knows how to do it instead of my flailing around with it)

I had scrambled around and cleaned the kitchen earlier. Pulled all the junk out from under the sink. Found evidence of a past mouse in one corner, so I kind of freaked out and washed the whole area down with bleach. (Mice can carry some nasty diseases but bleach kills most of them).

I did poke my head back in the kitchen for a last check. And then realized I had all my brassieres still hanging up on the drying rack. I am a prude about those kinds of things, so I grabbed them and took them in my bedroom. (In a normal week, when no one goes in my kitchen but me, I just leave them there, and grab one each morning as I need it)

Anyway, it didn't take him long. He also checked all the pipes under the sink and declared them leak-free, which is good. (Old house with slightly younger plumbing....)

In the end, he charged $175 - he said the removal was easier than anticipated. (I don't know if the removal of the dead unit was easier, or if that was the "homeowner cleared junk out from under sink first" discount). He also hauled off the broken unit for disposal, which was good. (They probably have arrangements with a recycler)

So I was distracted throughout the movie. But I can watch it again tomorrow.

I will also say it raises the interesting question: If there are parallel human and sentient-pony worlds, would that mean there was a pony version of me running around somewhere? And what would she be like? (I actually kind of like the idea of there being parallel universes, where we all exist in each one, but are slightly different in some way. As I said, I've sometimes taken a little odd comfort that perhaps there exists a parallel universe where I'm a wife and mother, or one where I'm some kind of world leader, or one where I'm a greatly loved and respected singer or musician....)