Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Water on the brain

Dear Dr. R.V. Shrink:
My husband is a campground plumbing fanatic. Ever since we started full-time RVing, he prides himself on being able to beat any water system that tries to throttle his hooking up. He has six different kinds of water thief connectors, 300 feet of hose on reels, a 50 gallon fresh water tank in the back of our tow truck, and a tackle box full of various brass and copper fittings. Why can’t he just take up photography or something normal. This summer he found the water spigots in Glacier National Park campgrounds to have inside female threads instead of outside male threads. He had nothing that would fit. It is not allowed to connect directly to the spigot, but he just wants to know that he can. We drove a hundred miles until he found a fitting that would connect him to this unique plumbing fixture. It makes me nuts. Should I just ignore this fetish? Is it normal? Should I put my foot down and say, “No more plumbing parts?” Help!
--Driving me plumb crazy in Kalispell

Dear Plumb:
Do not throttle your husband’s creative urge to solve plumbing puzzles. I knew a guy just like that once. He was always climbing under Airstreams and designing ways to improve plumbing systems. He was a spark plug engineer for General Motors, but his true ambition was plumbing. He eventually started a small RV plumbing company called Thedford. I’m not saying your husband will become a porta potty King, but at least you will never be in a campground without a water source. He could have a tackle box full of fishing tackle and be spending a lot more time and money looking for the perfect stream or lake to wet a line. There is nothing abnormal about pursuing plumbing. Some people might think he is a bit of a drip but you should encourage him in any pursuit that seems to make him content. Remember, different strokes for different folks.
--Keep Smilin’, Dr. R.V. Shrink

##RVT819

8 comments:

Merikay said...

Delightful answer!

Anonymous said...

There is a reason they don't have a way for you to hook up your rig to the water. It isn't allowed! There must be a device connected to keep water from back flushing into the system and contaminating it.

Anonymous said...

I hope that was a hundred miles both ways,because if it was not then 200 miles at 3.50 a gallon probally cost him 35.00 dollars for gas and a waste of it,hope he never has to be rationed on gas.

Anonymous said...

As a backup to a regular hose connection, I have a bucket and a funnel. They work with ANY faucet.

Anonymous said...

Ever think there is a reason they have facets you cannot hook up to? Usually due to a lack of enough water for everyone... this is one way to ration it and here you go and encourage people to abuse it.

Anonymous said...

Some people who pick on the R.V. Shrink just take life to seriously.

Keep up the laughs Doc.

Anonymous said...

A more serious reason for not allowing hookups is that the water may not be safe for drinking - even if it seems clear and tastes good.

Anonymous said...

I know a few guitar-playing guys who have probably got more pedals and effects and related whatnots than your husband will ever have in the plumbing field. Let him be. His hobby/obsession is a lot cheaper, for starters!