Touring Edenton and the Surrounding Three Counties

Today started off looking like a day to get something done. Several simple, easy, nothing to it boat repairs, put on the sail covers, remove some the fishing lures from the boat rods, and have an easy afternoon.

What was I thinking?

No boat repair chore....no matter how innocent looking works out like you plan unless you really goof something up.

I quickly sorted out the Aft Shower drain.....a clogged strainer in front of the diaphram pump. Ten minutes and all done on that. Then in a weak moment I decided to finally sort out the Forward Shower sump pump plumbing. Why do I do these kinds of things to myself?

For almost two years now I have avoided this job.....it is in an awkward place to work, and I use the Aft Shower so I was not too bothered by the problem. The problem.....whoever the Moron was that designed the shower sump system plumbed the shower drain line through a diaphram pump and then tee'd the pump output into the sink drain line level with the sink drain outlet.

I am just a dull third grader but I know water will seek the path of least resistance....usually down hill. In this case, when you turn on the shower sump pump, the pump makes what looks like "Old Faithful Geyser" out of the sink drain. In the past I tried using a check valve between the Tee and the sink drain but there was not enough "Head" to open the check valve thus the sink would not drain. I removed the check valve and reverted to Plan B....which was ignore the problem.

Plan C was implemented today. That was to install a ball valve between the sink drain and the Tee thus allowing me to close off the sink drain line.

I scoped out the work....made up my parts list...checked it twice....measured once...and set out to the hardware store in town. The good news was they had what I needed and it is only a mile to the store. Upon getting into the job I determined I should have checked the list and measured twice instead of what I did earlier.

This should have been an omen.....but as most boat jobs take at least three trips to town I was not fussed. The hardware store did not have the one part I needed....a simple pipe thread to hose barb plastic fitting size 3/4". They do not stock them. Nor did the building supply place but they did point me in the direction of Nixon's Hardware.

That kicked off the three county tour.

I finally found Nixon's and fell in love with the place. A young lady behind the counter was eating a snack....a can of Potted Meat with a couple of crackers. After a bit of getting to know one another and her Mom along came a second young lady who escorted me to the plumbing department. Alas, no fitting to be had. We returned to the counter and discussed ordering one. Mom called the distributer and after a short chat she asked me if I could use a white plastic one instead of the gray plastic one I had shown her. Well.....errrrr......sure!

While waiting for Mom to sort out the ordering thing.....I noticed a couple of old farmers sitting on the church pew. Please to remember this store is out in the middle of no where.....and supplys all the farmers in the area. A very interesting place to shop I might add.....most anything you can want and lots of local color.

Remembering my North Carolina History....I started a conversation with the two Farmers. First I made an inquiry as to whether there had ever been a big ol' lie told on that bench. They looked at me like I was from New York or somewhere and allowed there had not. I smiled and said perhaps no lies but a bit of harmless prevarication perhaps. That got a smile out of both of them.

Rising to the moment I opined all them hard core down east Democrats must be awfully uncomfortable lately with the ways things have been going up in Washington. From the looks I got from that comment I sure hope I don't run out of gas or have a flat tire out in that neighborhood!

Anyway....the young lady led me to the spray gear department and Hello! There were dozens of the fittings I needed.....in white. Thus, I still have to drive hundreds of miles to get a single item to do a boat chore! At least I had fun doing it.

While studying the empty bin in the plumbing department I struck up a conversation with a fellow who was also walking around looking for the Holy Grail....in his case a plug and a small brass fitting. Seems he is rebuilding an old wooden boat and is enjoying himself immensely. In time I hope to see that old boat and spend some more time chatting with him.

This being in a small town where everyone seems to know everyone else is enjoyable.

Now.....Chicken Madras Curry bubbling away on the stove, the rice is done, time to toast some Paratha's and enjoy dinner. Perhaps a blender full of slushy lime based Rum drink after dinner and see what kind of trophy Frady Cat brings in tonight.