Today was a good day.
They don’t seem to happen very often and most time we forget about them so fast that we think they never happen.
But sometimes they do.
Things got done today. Funding for projects was approved(this was a shock to me). I may have found a supplier for parts that will keep us from having to change 1,000+ (yes one thousand) valves out. The day was beautiful weather wise.
I guess there was nothing in particular that made the day special. But then, a day does not have to be special to be good. Often times the things that make a day good are the things that did not happen.
For example, an acetylene torch was being used to braze a pipe within a foot of a sprinkler head that had 130 psi behind it. Those sprinkler heads are set off by heat. But we did not get wet.
A lot of work and and disruption to services and the cramming of an old man who is 6 foot plus in into a space so tight that I hurt myself trying to get into it. And it was all caused because I claimed that one valve was broken shut. If I had been wrong the list of people who want to kill me would have got some new names.
I was sure I was right. But I have been sure I was right and been wrong. And when the building is 80 years old and 7 stories high and the prints are not reliable because of all the mods and when things are cross connected that should not be cross connected……
Well, let us just say there was a reason I got the job of finding the problem.
When I looked into the valve that I said was broke, one of the plumbers must have misread my face. Because as soon as I looked up he said, “it wasn’t broke was it” and there was no sound of a question in his voice. But the big old plumber in effect said “it sure was broke”.
Only when he said it his voice was filled with wonder and excitement. And he added in a lot of swear words.
And that was pretty much how I felt as well.