Rabbit holes

For someone who really dislikes rabbits, I find myself going down rabbit holes quite often.

It usually ends badly.

My latest rabbit hole? One of the bathrooms in my house.

I’m tired of it. My kids use it and they are gross. Sorry, kids, but it is what it is. Today I was washing towels, and I noticed large squirts of blue toothpaste on the wall.

WWWHHHHYYYY?

I was especially frustrated because my kids are not little anymore. They are way too old for this nonsense.

So I did what you’d naturally do in this situation…I used ChatGPT to help me redesign the space. 😂

The more I looked, the farther down the hole I went. New paint, different fixtures, new lighting, new cabinets—YES! I want need this.

It was hard to dream in the midst of a gross bathroom with toothpaste on the wall, so I got cleaning. I made it to the tub and noticed the shower diverter (had to Google the name of that thing 😜) was stuck in the up position.

How hard could that be to fix?

WELL.

I watched a lot of videos. I managed to take the spout off and used some limescale spray to loosen all the crap inside. I also used my nail file—use what you have, I guess.

That thing wouldn’t BUDGE.

More spray.

How about some WD-40?

I tried that, too.

Now my bathtub was slick as snot and the diverter hadn’t moved at all!

More videos.

YouTube is sometimes a liar, OK? I did EXACTLY what they showed, and nothing was working. In my frustration, I took the spout, turned it upside down, and hit it on my carpeted floor.

The diverter was down!

HOLLAH!

Now it wouldn’t move up. 🙄

With a hammer and my floor, I banged that thing up and down until I could move it with my hands, like a normal person. I FIXED IT!

Just kidding.

I put the bathtub faucet back on, and water leaked out the bottom. A lot of water. I took it off and tried again. Again. Again. Again.

Finally, the spout was on tight, the parts were all in place, and it looked perfect. I turned on the water. Barely leaking…then I lifted the diverter, and the shower came on! But it was still leaking. Why?! I pulled up and down on the diverter, watching the water go from shower to tub. Yes, it leaked, but was it that big of a deal?

Apparently, yes.

All of a sudden, I heard my son yelling from the kitchen.

“MOM! Water is pouring out of the light!”

I turned off the water and ran downstairs to find a kitchen waterfall. 🤦🏻‍♀️

At this point, I have toothpaste-free walls, an unusable shower for my kids, and dreams of a much more stylish bathroom. 😂

The next morning, I called a plumber and she helped me order a replacement part. When it comes in, I’ll call them for installation. SIGH.

But the better bathroom dreams? The DIY spirit? It’s got a hold of me and I can’t let go. I’ve painted before. I’ve replaced the belt on an old dryer. I’ve fixed vacuum parts like a boss. But I’ve also broken a toilet tank lid and created some serious flooding in my bathroom. I tried to fix a sink and made an incredible mess.

The question is—do I go for it anyway?

I don’t want to be delusional.

But the possibility—the possibility is intoxicating to me. It FEELS like I could redo this bathroom—just surface level stuff. Is this can-do spirit a liar?

Based on my most recent experience, I should hire someone.

That would be smart, I think.

And yet—I’m deep in this rabbit hole. My algorithm has almost convinced me that my DIY abilities are simply untapped, bubbling under the surface and desperate to be utilized.

Heaven help me.😬