I didn't think I had anything for today, but lovely staci gave me an idea with his cute photo of himself reclining on a cosmos blossom. I did a little photo meld with an old underwear pic and a new photo a dahlia in my garden (which is knocking my socks off! - I haven't had luck with dahlias in the past but maybe I need to try more of them).
What else...remember how my floor drain in the basement was backing up a few weeks ago? After it backed up a bit a second time I finally got my ass in gear and got a company out to clean out the drain and scope my sewer line to the street. It was pretty good news on the sewer front - the line is in good shape and more than half of it has actually already been updated to PVC. It's cast iron coming out of the house, then a 6-8' section of clay tile (which is the stuff that can cause problems by breaking and collapsing), then PVC from there to the street. There were some roots coming into the clay section - not enough to block it, but I had the guy clean them out as long as he was there.
The basement drain is kind of a mystery. The plumber was able to pour water into the laundry sink without making the floor drain back up. He said usually those two things are connected, but apparently not in my house? 🤷🏻♀️ So I'm at a loss as to how the floor drain got clogged, seeing as it doesn't seem to have any laundry lint or anything of that nature going into it. Anyway, he cleaned it out, it's draining, I guess we'll see what happens the next big rainstorm (which I would be fine with not happening the rest of the summer).
I know that was really boring but it seems like whenever I post about something going on with the house, people love to comment on it haha!
I've talked about the book tours at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts - yesterday I went with some friends on a tour that was themed around The Personal Librarian which is the story of the young woman who shepherded JP Morgan's huge collection of precious books and artwork - Belle da Costa Greene. Not only was it unusual for a woman to hold such a position at the time, but she was a light skinned African American woman who managed to pass as white.
Coincidentally, the Pierpont Morgan library has its centennial this year and are planning an exhibition centered around da Costa Greene. Maybe I need to plan a trip to New York...
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Your top matches my shirt.
In older homes, it wasn't uncommon for the laundry discharge to be separate - sometimes exiting to the surface outside - because it was considered "grey water" (not that dirty compared to the rest of human waste). This is now an illegal practice, but depending on the age of the home could explain why not connected. The VCP (vitrified clay pipe) is usually where trouble lies so good that yours looked to be in good shape and that there wasn't much of it. Are you certain it not a backup from the main (common during rain events) that is causing your issue? Could need a backflow prevention valve if so.
I’m not sure about anything when it comes to this old house. 🤣
I guess we’ll see what happens during the next torrential rainfalll…
My mom used to live in a older house outside St Claire where the laundry discharge ran out a pip down a decline to where where the woods started . The rest of the house water waste went in to the septic tank further down hill. I never seen anything like that before.
Beautiful pic!!
Plumbing is such a mystery. I prefer it remain a mystery. And keep functioning.
Especially since most of it is behind walls! (or in this case, buried under a concrete floor). Too much trouble to investigate...
Seems to be the week for photoshopping!
It's just not that easy to come up with a half naked picture of oneself in nature! (especially since the nearest park to me with wild spaces is mostly flooded right now, and mosquito infested in any of the areas that aren't under water).
What a fascinating bit of history you have shared here. I want to learn more. Do you think JP Morgan knew her family history? It is hard to imagine that a wealthy man of his stature would not be checking out the histories of every one who worked for him and especially those who handled his money.
The book is semi-fictionalized. The known facts about her life are incorporated but there are many parts of it (e.g. private conversations and her inner thoughts about her situation) that are obviously conjecture. The docent yesterday said that JP Morgan was known to be a racist and an anti-Semite, so my guess is that he didn't know. Or if he guessed, he was so charmed by her that he chose to overlook it.
If you want to check out the book, it's The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Murray. It did get mixed reviews. I wasn't a fan of the romance plot line that was included, but I still thought it was a worthwhile read.
@smartasswoman, will add it to my reading list. There is so much Black history that remains hidden.
UGH, I never forget when the massive oak tree in the front yard of my first house got into the sewer line. Routine stuff was ok, but a big flood at once, like the washing machine emptying, cause the contents of the sewer line to back up all over the partially finished basement floor.
Thanks for the two pretty flowers, and happy HNW.
That sounds quite icky! Did you end up having to replace the sewer line? Or have someone try to cut the roots out?
@smartasswoman Replaced the whole terra cotta pipe with PVC. Welcome to the joys of homeownership.
Here's hoping you drain problem is solved.
Happy HNW
I'll drink to that! 🥂 Not really of course, haha! Have only had half of a cider in about six months now.
I hope your drains problem has been sorted.
I love dahlias.
Happy HNW!
I hope so too. I was thinking maybe I need to flush the drain trap with hot water once every month or two and that will keep it open...we'll see.
Dahlia...
Crystal clear pic.
Cute. 👍🤗
That dahlia is breathtaking and you're looking good!
Happy HNW, Dalias are beautiful and so is your pic!
Happy HNW
Dahlias are nice and you are great.
I should go to MIA and check exhibit
@EnyojLife this actually wasn’t an exhibit, it was a one hour tour where the docent selected about 10 different works that she felt tied in with the book. They have several tour leaders on the book tour days and each one has free rein on which pieces of art to include in their tour. You never know what you’re going to see. I always end up taking a much closer look at something that I normally would stroll right past.
Very nice job on the picture!
Perfect Smarty !! Lovely colors ~
That’s so cute how you put your pic in a heart frame 😁
Beautiful Dahlia and love the colourful top to go with it..