Shower Adventures

Some of you may already know that I have been without hot water in my shower for about two weeks. Once the cartridge goes on this Moen masterpiece, the hot water output diminishes to a trickle. This has made my morning showers a misery for the last little while. Cold shower on a cold winter morn anyone? It took so long to get the darn cartridge replaced because the company had first sent the wrong one to me. I finally got the "right" one (I was so praying that this was the right one!) on Tuesday. So last night after work I decided to go for it. Now I've never really had to fix a lot of things on my own before. I was always fortunate to have someone help me out here and there. But I was determined to try and do this on my own. Got the tools (yes, finally!) and stood in the shower with the instructions. YES, I WAS READING INSTRUCTIONS!!!!! However, it wasn't that difficult as a friend was over the week prior to install the cartridge (which we then realized was the wrong one and wouldn't fit), and I had watched how the shower handle etc., had been dismantled. I learn well by watching, so this part wasn't a problem. Getting the darn cartridge out was, however. The old one wouldn't come out. I even pinched my hand with the plyers (oh poor me). I was almost ready to give up because I'm too impatient. But, I stopped myself and quietly told myself to calm down and really look at the shower and look at the instruction diagram. And you know what? It worked...that old thang came out like a charm! Now I was all excited, already looking forward to a hot shower.....but wait...still had to install the new cartridge. Ok, so it seemed easy enough. New one went in, no problem. But the wee thingy that looks like a "wishbone" was. It wouldn't go all the way down in the 2 slots provided for it. This meant that none of the other mechanisms that needed to be put back could fit. I looked and looked and it seemed that there was no way further for the wishbone to go. The ends of it, hit the metal of the other thingy. So I decided...maybe I don't need the wishbone. After all, I have put together some furniture before (yes, Ikea almighty) and I normally always have extra of something (and yes, the furniture is still in one piece!). So I reassembled everything back, sans the wishbone. Big smile on my face. I then turn the water back on. All of a sudden, my head still in the cupboard, I hear a WHOOSH and BANG. I look up to see the whole shower handle had come off and water was ejecting from the wall. There was water all over, albeit, I was able to turn it off pretty quick, so the clean up wasn't bad. I guess, I needed that wishbone thing after all! I now realized it held the cartridge in place. So with a sigh, as it was getting late and my back was starting to ache, I disassembled everything again. It was me and wishbone again - face to face - ready for battle. After a few minutes of really looking at how that thing could possibly go in any further...I finally saw that the holes it was supposed to into were not properly alligned. All I needed to do was turn the cartridge ever so slightly. Voila...wishbone was happy and I was thrilled that I had managed this! So abracadabra, everything was put back again, hot water is running and Bean is proud of her achievement! Only one minor thing....hot and cold are reversed and I can't adjust the amount of water that comes out. So I may decide to tinker around when I have some spare time and/or cave in and call a friend for advice. Mike Holmes would be proud!