11/13/19
(Above: The new and improved Air Admittance Valve [and accompanying adapter] within Jacobhouse’s central closet.)
Active Summary: This morning began with a frigid ride around the beef pasture. This was ensued by a return to Jacobhouse where I decided it was time to tend to the re-emerged Air-Admittance Valve problem*. Padre and I determined that the best way to fix it for the moment would be to replace the 3″ valve with a 2″ valve (of which we have 6 spares available). To do this, however, I needed to venture to Sparr Farm Supply with Wag and procure some PVC parts. That is what I did as soon as he emerged from his abode this morning.
The Sparr Farm Supply trip was productive despite my not procuring Padre the correct electrical connectors that he wanted. I commenced to piece together the 3″-to-2″ screw adapter and then installed it with some Teflon tape of much higher quality than the prior evening’s. The smell was potent for a while after the switch, but that was residual. It has since lessened throughout the day, and at this moment (6:54 PM), Jacobhouse smells like a normal abode once again.
The next morning activity I tended to was installing springs on the garden Gates. It was an easy task consisting solely of my utilizing some 1-5/8″ deck screws and washers to hold both ends of each spring in place.
My morning’s final activity was to put support boards around the deck posts. The process included: drilling a couple holes into the angle iron around each post, adding small frames around the bases (measuring/marking/cutting/fastening each in place with deck screws), and then connecting the base frames to the deck itself with self tapping screws drilled up and through the aforementioned holes.
(6:54 PM Update): I did not write this morning, so I took time this afternoon to get my creativity time in. Other than that, the only other events to occur between morning and evening were a visit with Doc Bliss and Pam (old farm acquaintances and friends of the family) and, of course, a number of farm-related activities.
TIL: Today I learned an easy method for knowing what way to wrap Teflon tape around a piece of threaded pipe. First, the aspiring plumber must hold the threads toward his or herself. Then, the tape is wrapped clockwise along/around the threads.
Commentary: Though it was not particularly pleasant to contend with another faulty Air Admittance Valve, I am quite happy it was not something more severe. To add to this, the weather today, despite being frigid at the start, became quite pleasant as the sun progressed across the sky. This allowed my abode to remain comfortable and mostly smell-free throughout its second bout with flatulence. Don’t worry, Jacobhouse… it happens to everyone.
As for an additional highlight, I just want to thank Padre for giving me the idea of fastening the base-frames to the supporting angle-iron via self-tapping screws. The railings are now steadier than ever.
Final Note: Tomorrow morning I may be venturing into Ocala with Madre to see if I can get my Sprint internet hotspot working. If there is time before that or in the afternoon I may be cutting some 4x4s to fasten to the underside of the deck stairs. May be. Maybe. What I know for certain, is that a morningly beef pasture check shall occur and will then be followed by creative writing.
[Title reference – Just some audio clips from an online game I play that I found relatable to yesterday evening’s most stench-filled hours.]
*My fix yesterday seemed to work well at first, but last night I smelled the cabbagey odor once again, and I attempted to fix it by unscrewing it and reapplying Teflon tape. Alas, the tape I retrieved during those midnight hours was not of the utmost quality (it looked like it had been shredded), so the final result was an even greater stench.