Thanks. :)

One good thing is that the toilet works (I'd almost forgotten to worry about it!) If that didn't work, and with no water to put in buckets to force flush, I'd have to call my brother and stay over there or something...hence having to fess up to what a noodge I am. They wouldn't mind one bit and I like being over there...but I don't want to get into the whole thing, and there's the whole asking for help thing, and they'd have to come get me....

I feel happy now though. All the stuff mentioned above, and the people who own the restaurant are so wonderful. They traveled during the holidays so I hadn't seen them in forever and they treat me like family. I brought another order of tomato soup home.

Now I'm under my electric blanket with a book. This too shall pass.

If I need to I can get a jump tomorrow. foot, do you mean around the pipes under the sinks? What about the tub? (I'm a superhero called Anti-Handy Woman!) It's supposed to start warming up on Sunday. I can ask my friend to use her shower, I'm sure. Other than that I think I'm covered.

Thanks for letting me temporarily hijack the thread! :)

GrandCherokeeOne cranked alright yesterday evening, but, it didn't like the idea of turning over the first couple times.

I use 20w50 oil, so it doesn't leak out as fast, and it took forever for the oil pressure to come up.

Infi, put the electric blanket on the pipes. And clean out that room, that'll warm you up.

:D

I already cleaned out that room, months ago. But procrastinated on everything else anyway. I'm impossible. ;)

:)

Thanks Griff. I'm trying really hard to not be such a reactive crazy person.

And guess what? My car just started, and I have water to the bathroom sink and tub again! Not the kitchen yet, but I'm not surprised about that.

Yay! Time for a hot bath and a trip into town! I mean, it's 11 degrees! Party time! ;)

Yay!

footfootfoot's right, that will help keep the pipes unfrozen. So will letting a little water running through the tap/spigot/etc. It costs you some water, true, but it's another option for you. At first I thought you had frozen and burst pipes, that's a much bigger disaster. Anyhow, I'm glad it's working now. Turn on the water, just a little, and let them flow.

Yeah, just lift your shirt, and if that don't work, jump and down a little bit.

It sounds like either you have no insulation or the pipes are getting frozen in the basement or something. Another thing to do along with letting the water trickle is to keep the doors under the sink open so that area stays warmer.

Happened to see a couple pictures on Shorpy, of DC in winter.

I let the water trickle. There is no basement. Pipes aren't underground. I do keep the doors open under the sinks and have heaters nearby.

It's just how it is in my habitat. :)

I'm gonna go with no insulation in the walls.

If any pipes are in exterior walls, then plumbing was installed defectively. Missing insulation was not the problem. No water pipes should be in any wall that requires insulation.

I have no idea how her house was constructed but I've seen way too many cheaply constructed condos where the pipes may or may not be in exterior walls but in balloon framing the floor joist system is not enclosed with a rim joist and thus communicates directly with the wall cavity.

You are talking about ideal construction which usually only happens in the Black and Decker How-To books.