Two Words I never want to hear used together

Just two. (for today anyway.)

"Toilet" and "Leak"

Why?

Because it's still leaking. I spent hours on the floor yesterday looking at it. Thinking about it. Trying to find other possible reasons why the bling blang toilet is leaking.

It took me almost half the day yesterday to get the courage to even go in there to tackle it. I was sure I knew how to do it (remember, I've told you I'm one handy chick to have around). I just wasn't so sure I was strong enough to do the job.

See we had ascertained that it was leaking either at the tank/bowel seal and/or the bolts that connect the two. To be safe I replace both. Well, I didn't, then I did, then I didn't.

It went something like this:

First I replaced just the bolts and washers because in his effort to prove it wasn't leaking, Hubs snapped one of the plastic bolts (plastic? why?). Starting with the snapped bolts was the obvious start. I called for 11yo to come in the room for both moral support and extra muscle. We replaced the bolts, had it all back together, filled the tank.....and saw leaks.

Then we drained it all, dried it all, tightened the bolts, (which I found were looser than I had thought) replaced the seal, put it all back together and watched with baited breath. And saw leaking.

Okay, we try again, maybe the seal wasn't on straight. We drain, dry, straighten and watch. No leaks. We are hopeful. We flush.

AND GUSH!!!!!!!!

A HUGE LEAK!!!!

That seal? Yeah. You know the one. We take it off, put the old one back on and try it all again. This time I am near tears. I had moved that toilet tank too many times. This was the last. If I saw a leak I was going to scream. This time I reinforce the bolts with an extra rubber gasket on the bottom (one I had from the other bolts) and made sure those puppies were tight.

It filled. We watched. We flushed. No gush. But moments later......

drip.


ARRRRGGGGGG!

I give up! I am one handy chick to have around, but when it comes to a phantom drip, I am undone. The tank is drained. The mess is clean up. And still I fight the phantom drip.

Today, I've considered going in there, but first I think I'm heading to the store for, you guessed it, more tools and parts. These will be MY tools. Hubs will not touch them, or use them, or think about touching or using them because if he does, as sure as rain falls from the sky he will lose them and then I will have to slug him.

Words of wisdom from the Great Toilet Debacle of 2009: Always put down the lid when flushing-ALWAYS. Never reach for the deodorant while the lid is up. If you forget the first two please rest assured that you can still use your potty without having a tank full of water. A half bucket of water dumped into the bowl will do the job nicely, however, you may be pushed over the edge with this thought: "Is that drip from the bucket of water, or from the back of the tank?"