Ah, figured the toilet out--there is no chain!! The handle is connected to a stick, which goes through a loop on the ...uh...bit that needs to be raised that would normally be attached via chain. First I thought this was a jury rigged broken thing, then realize that was how it was supposed to be. But if you move the loop a bit to the side, the leverage is much better. Still a bit difficult, but possible, as it wasn't quite, before. Yay!

Oh man, I feel like a total badass and have to tell someone.

So there was one of those things Jilli hates up near the ceiling, and I couldn't go to sleep until I had taken care of it. The only thing I had that could reach it was a poster tube, and it didn't seem to want to budge. So I tried sticking a bunch of Scotch tape to the end of the tube. Because if that worked, it would be hilarious. It didn't work, though, since the thing was in the corner.

Then I noticed a ruler lying on the floor, and I taped the ruler to the tube, intending to smash the bugger. I had no other option, and I wanted to go to sleep in peace. I apologized to it, but I couldn't go through with it, and I came up with a final idea.

I set a paper cup on top of the poster tube and taped it to the ruler. I inched the contraption up to the beastie and nudged it off the wall with the ruler. It fell right into the cup. I quickly tilted the tube outside through the already-open door and banged it on the railing to knock the bugger out into the wild.

And then I carefully peered into the cup to make sure it was empty.

(It was. I win.)

P-C, that's quite an operation. You could patent that device. I'd buy it.

Great hair, Brenda!

Shir, I'm with omnis here. Take a leap.

Thanks for all the good wishes on the house! We're hoping we'll actually get a response to the offer today. I'm going to be slightly loopy until we do.

Oh and scrambled eggs on rye toast

We're not going to France. No one needs collecting anymore! We did try, though. :D

I am certain the first has SOMETHING to do with the ballcock. (Don't know exactly what, but I wasn't passing that up)

let the record show that Trudy refuses to pass up a ballcock.

DJ, I'm glad to hear your cousin came out of it. I hope you're calmer now.

aside from the previous Doctor, how often do we hear you swoon for a guy?

Swooning for not-real-out-of-a-novel/TV-show-guys? All. of. the. time. Really-real-of-reality-guys? Hardly enough. (Edit: though it just hit me, that that guy has something of (read: a lot of) the Sean Maher in him (just maybe less in shape). Just saying.

I am gonna try. I just need to see him before, in order to try. And make sure there are no rings on his hands, or a girlfriend in the prairie. Keep your ~mas to this, and I'll take care of the rest.

Brenda! Hair! Short!

P-C, how MacGyver of you!

The Girl is on the phone to agent! Offer has been accepted! Doing the dance of joy on crutches!

Now we have to run around finding solicitors, inspectors and proof of funds. And then start making building/decorating plans. Eek.

Seska! Yay! Woo-hoo!

Congrats to you and The Girl!

Congratulations, Seska!

Congratulations, Seska!

P-C, that was a good idea.

Shir, I hope you can find your Sean Maher-esque hottie again, soon.