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Plumbing the Life of Luxury

Nostalgia is a seductive liar. 

George Wildman Ball

Escrow closed! We should be popping off an expensive bottle of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin–but where’s the adventure in that?  It’s such a predictable way to celebrate. I guess we prefer our celebration with a side of dirty adventure.  Typically we don’t chose adventures of the plumbing nature–but hey, we’ll try anything once!

Here’s a photo of Diego the day escrow closed.

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Diego celebrating the close of escrow!  Woo-HOO!  PLUMBING!!!!  Antique plumbing to be exact!

Let me back up.  When we put our house on the market, we had no idea how long it would take to sell. Especially since we were planning on doing a For Sale by Owner, to try and preserve the small profit we hoped to net. But the house sold in just under two weeks, and the buyer was eager to move it. We agreed to a 30 day escrow.

Trying to downsize a family of four into a suitcase lifestyle in 45 days is pretty intense! We needed a transitional space before we make the leap across the Atlantic to our new wayward lifestyle. Enter the lovely Michelle and Lisa who offered us the apartment in the back of their newly acquired Meadow Valley Social Club.

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Meadow Valley Social Club: a historical building that has been a post office, general store and service station for early automobiles.

There is absolutely no denying the charm and beauty of the place.  We were swept up in the nostalgia of a bygone era and leapt at the opportunity to spend our final weeks in Northern California surrounded by our Plumas County family and a treasure trove of relics from the last century. We knew we were in for some work, but I’m not sure we were completely prepared for the scope of plumbing involved.

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Under the stove in the kitchen, looking at the creative plumbing techniques.  Lots of bends and elbows!

I can tell you, that I have never felt so loved as when my husband spent the better part of three days digging trenches and communing with the spiders under the house to get the water working. The shift we both were after is already occurring. The spirit of feeling like it’s us against the world, rather than running off to separate jobs and arriving home at the end of the day, exhausted and each party preparing for tomorrow.

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The view from the front porch which used to house the gas pumps.

Friends have come over to help me unpack and sort, just for the fun of treasure hunting. Square dancing clothes, antique toys and Christmas decor, Sports Illustrated magazines from the 60’s, old letters, pictures and pristine kitchen appliances from who knows when, are a few of the fun things I’ve come across. The store portion is chucked full of old ink bottles, antique Coleman camping lanterns, produce boxes and other reminders of how they just don’t make things like they used to. It’s truly like living in a museum.  (I promise to write a more in depth post once I have running water and a reliable internet connection! I’m in survival mode right now!)

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The secret ingredient…MSG!  Isn’t Niki sweet in her square dancing dress?!

Needless to say, despite the old plumbing, we’re having a blast.  I’ve started to affectionately refer to the place as our halfway house. Halfway between our old way of living and our new lifestyle, it feels like we’re in the perfect place at the perfect time.

Now, if we could just get that water flowing, I’ll feel like we’re truly embracing a life of abundance.

What’s the craziest thing/project/experience you’ve endured to make your creative dreams take flight? Share in the comments!  I need inspiration and moral support!

Comments on this entry are closed.

  • December 27, 2017, 1:41

    Hey Tiffiney, congrats on your post and as well on how fast you guys sold the house, 2 weeks ? wow

    You are very brave to take on plumbing, I am a construction pro but still not 100% confident with this kind of jobs, unless they are very basic like changing a faucet or changing a sink … things like that.

    I always encourage people to do DIY … and if you don’t feel confident … call a professional ! You will do yourself a favour 🙂

    Thanks for sharing!
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  • June 26, 2017, 3:56

    Great post, Professional plumbing service provider has the ability to solve all kinds of commercial plumbing issues to repairing the leaky faucets in your home.Professional plumbing service provider gives you a thorough inspection without taking up too much time.

  • April 3, 2017, 4:45

    What you had done to your home is good. I think this will cost less if we all repair our own little problems.
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  • March 11, 2017, 1:17

    Great
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  • February 13, 2017, 12:33

    A professional plumber has a good working knowledge of the plumbing systems (as is required by their job.) They know what parts go where and do what.
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  • Anthony
    February 11, 2017, 1:55

    Great

  • February 10, 2017, 5:41

    Overuse of heavy cleaners kills beneficial bacteria in the septic tank, so solids won’t break down as well.

  • February 9, 2017, 3:12

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  • January 20, 2017, 3:03

    Most plumbing problems are simple, but some can be complex or difficult to diagnose. A homeowner may find a complex problem to be far above his or her skill level. Professional plumbers have the experience needed to tackle difficult problems. Plumbers can diagnose issues, offer solutions to solve them, then repair your plumbing so you don’t have to.
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  • August 23, 2016, 10:35

    Hey Great Share,,,

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  • May 9, 2016, 3:05

    When hiring a licensed plumber you will get a level of service, and peace of mind that is far superior to doing it yourself. Successful plumbing companies build their business on repeat clientele and word of mouth advertising.

    Most plumbing companies are owner-operated, and that business owner wants to make certain the customer is satisfied with the plumbing service so there is high potential for repeat business.

  • Jason DiGuilio
    August 22, 2014, 4:53

    Nice work you guys! I definitely sometimes miss that silver reek road, Meadow Valley living. Hope to see you soon!

    • August 22, 2014, 4:57

      That’s so funny you say that- this road makes me think of you!

      Tahoe plans are part of our pre-departure agenda, so we will definitely see you!!