(Side note: the tall apricot seedling is 35.5″ now. It is outgrowing the 54″ cage I ordered two weeks ago like a teenager outgrows jeans.)
The plumber:
I sent a camera down, he told me, because it was so bad. Those tree roots are a lot worse than they were.
Then he explained something that blew my mind: These Eichlers. They have asbestos in that pipe, and it weeps moisture and attracts the roots.
Asbestos?? Why on earth would they put asbestos in a sewer pipeline? Much less something that in any way leaks. Okay, it was the 1950s, but still.
It’s just from this point to the street, so you’re not exposed to it.
(Me in my head: except when it backs up and I’m stuck cleaning up after it.)
He told me that, as we knew, that main line is going to have to be replaced–but he also said he thought that we should be able to put it off till maybe next year (which for us would be really nice at this point.) But that it would be about fifteen grand to do. He doesn’t do that job but he could give me a good referral.
My next door neighbors had to do that two years ago. The friend four doors down did last week. I guess when your homes are old enough to sign up for Social Security it’s just how it is.
Thank you Bernie, we nevertheless have running water again, and turning the waiting washing machine on felt so good.
I celebrated (since we needed to replenish the supply) by going to Andy’s.
His normal presentation is everything laid out in cases with the peaches in a single, cushioned layer and you pick and choose gently however many of whichever type from the boxes, but, covid and you wouldn’t want what a bunch of people might have touched, so unless you order a case of a single variety touched only by the picker, they’re on display in small boxes with the fruit stacked like this.
I bought a nice flat case last week. Today I wanted variety. And a Cherokee tomato.
And I have the freely running and draining water to wash them with.
