Merry Christmas!

I'm 12 years old today!

My last year before becoming an official teenager. I still didn't get a cell phone this year and supposedly according to my parents, I won't be getting one till I'm 21 or something. I finished my first year in public school and despite homework and tests, it wasn't too bad. My parents had a harder time adjusting than I did. I also tried track and field. I did hurdles, high jump, and 4 x 100 relay. Some practices I had to be at school by 6:30 in the morning. After taking some time off from swimming, I'll be doing a summer swim team. My favorite event is still butterfly.

I'm 10 years old today!

Double digits!!! Yes that's right, the big 1-0! No more piggyback rides to bed for me. I think it's partly so my Dad doesn't hurt his back. I started playing AYSO rec soccer this past year. A lot better competition than the YMCA league where we mostly scrimmaged. I also stopped swimming at Gold Medal Swim School so that I could concentrate on soccer. I think the biggest change though from last year was attending a new school - the local public elementary school. I actually get homework and quizzes now. I also have my own account on the computer because I have to check my homework online. I might sneak a few computer games on the weekends before everyone is up.

New faucets to start the year

Finally got some time to install a new kitchen and RO faucets. Here you can see the finished product. The RO faucet needed an air gap so I found this one with good reviews on Amazon.


Here are the original faucets. The kitchen faucet has a terrible design in that the handle just channels water down the back of the faucet when you go and turn it off with wet hands. Then the water just collects on the counter. You can see the water ring around the faucet.


Here's the RO faucet. It started rusting at the handle and would leak water every time you turn it on.


My working quarters. After moving all the plumbing drains etc. it actually wasn't too bad to work in.


Here's a closeup of the build up in the drain pipe just after the trap. I didn't expect this would be there. This is probably 10 years of build up.


You can see the old valve stop I removed plus the drain gunk. You just turn them counterclockwise while pulling and they come right off. I put in proper 1/4 turn valves.


Here's a closeup of the hard water buildup on the counter.


Here's after I removed the hard water with a razor blade scrapper. It makes easy work of the build up.