Don't LOOK ETHEL!!!!

It's too late, she's already been "mooned". Please use caution with the pictures below. They should NOT be viewed by small children, dogs or those eating supper!! G

I'm going in! Yep, honestly, this is getting crazy. Someone needs to take the tour down Myrtle's bowels and get to the root of the problem. As you assess the situation you think "no problem", my butt can fit in that hole. The opening is 15" by 19", I might mention here that 25% of that is taken up by a vent. I was really wishing I wouldn't have eaten so much for supper!

The plan was to wear my coveralls and a hoodie, but it was not to be. I think I would have been snagged and stuck with my coveralls on. So off they came. Sorry kids, I'm in my red LLBean red bottoms and I'm pretty sure they do NOT want to use this picture for advertising!! BH!!

The first order of business is how to get in, feet first or head first. I went for feet first as I could use the beams to "swing" myself into the hole. Then Bill willing PUSHED me in. At this point I asked if I was "earning my new camera" at which point he advised that the problem wasn't fixed yet. CRAP. Then all I could think about was getting stuck and having to call 911 which would bring Joe the Feed Store guy to our house. OH LORD!!! This can NOT happen.

Once in and under the water lines I was able to roll over so my head was to the NW corner of the house. This is where I needed to be. I could not reach the corner of the pipe that freezes as there were too many pipes in my way. I tried to get the electric tape around but it was just impossible to do with one hand. The other had to try to keep my face out of the dirt. I did manage to get some insulation tape around some of the pipe, but I don't think it's really going to have much positive impact.

The one thing that will help is there was a fairly good size hole in which the cables from the air condition were coming in. (like we ever use that!!!). So Bill ran up to find some old t-shirts (yep Farmered up again!!!) to shove in while I laid down in the crawl space by myself. (Or should I say, me and the 50+ spider eggs sacks!!) Of course this is when the heat lamp (my light source) was flickering on and off. We are talking pitch black. F!! So I whistled for Bill to hurry before the "second coming" and he arrived with two "old" t-shirts. I plugged the hole and then we had to figure out the best way to get out. Yes, believe it or not, Bill wanted me back out!!

So we briefly discussed. Head first or feet first? We decided on feet, figuring if my butt could make it through the rest would follow. Boy were we in luck, it worked!!

I learned I'm not claustrophobic. That's good news!! Hopefully Myrtle's plumbing will begin moving nicely, otherwise I might have to spend the morning at home and toilet sit. Boy, like the people at work will believe that!! I think we just might have to include Myrt on our taxes this year.

I think I just "might" have leverage for that camera!!