Big Boat Man continues to be frustrated by all the other priorities which keep cropping up.  Our car is in need of repair.  Three rental properties are having work done.  The builder is busy and behind on the work.  The guy making the trailer needs more information.  The Thai boxing students are competing or getting ready to compete. The IT contractors need his input in their efforts to update his template.

BBM had already been working since 4.00 am yesterday when Brynn arranged for a plumber to come look at one of the cisterns at the property with the boat shed.  Of course, the plumber rattles off a list of things needing attention, including a hot water heater which is working perfectly fine, but he has identified it as probably needing to be replaced in the next 3 years…… he is offering to be proactive and replace it now….

Brynn mentions to us that the plumber has gone off to get some prices to form a quote for her.  BBM says No, you’re being taken for a ride.  Let me go up and look at the cistern.  He heads up the stairway, with Brynn yelling after him ‘Hey, did you take off your shoes?!’  BBM comes stomping back into the kitchen and does a head-high karate kick to show off his wool socks.  Huh, just asking she says.

I hear my name yelled in a muffled voice.  I kick off my shoes and go running up the stairs.  Yes?  I look in the walk-in closet where I thought the cistern was.  There is a clean closet, a hot water heater, and no BBM.  I go around to the shower wet area, and no BBM.  I call to him again, where are you?  No answer.  I go over to the other side of the stairs into the spare room and call to him.  I get a muffled response, but I am obviously not near him.

I go to the stairs and call down to Brynn. Where is he?  She says, He’s above my head! It must be that walk-in closet.  I go back into the closet. No-one. Nothing but clothes, shoes, and a hot water heater.

Brynn comes running up the stairs and ducks behind the back wall of the closet.  Ah, I see.  Now his wool socks are sticking out from the gloom of the dark corner. Then I hear BBM tell her, Grab this and don’t let it drop.  Follow my fingers down, Now do you have it? Don’t let it Drop Down!

As a mother I’m proudly thinking Brynn has matured if she has reached the point where she is willing to touch plumbing without squealing.

Next sound I hear is loud yelling.  Let Go!  Just let it go!  I AM, don’t go FEReaking out! I just needed you to let go.  Well, you didn’t need to freak out about it……

I’m smugly thinking how good it was that I couldn’t find him earlier.  A wife can’t really yell at a husband to stop fEReaking out.

A short time later, we are all standing out front ready to say good-byes as BBM and I leave.  Everything has been sorted, everyone is back to normal.  I turn to Brynn and say thank you for helping BBM with the plumbing upstairs when I didn’t even know where it was.  She, in a jolly mood by this time because the weight of decisions is off her shoulders, smiles and says, ‘That’s OK Mom.  It’s a tight spot anyway, so it was probably better that I……..’  Her eyes go wide and BBM and I both laugh.  Yes, Honey, you probably could fit into that tight space better than I would have.

The builder is almost caught up.  New tenants are lined up and waiting.  The IT guys have sent their invoice.  The plumbing is sorted.  Estimates are on track.  Now to get back to the boat.