I had plans for today, mostly about work I was going to polish off: research, service tasks, some stray things to grade.

But we have a clogged pipe in the basement, which I spent awhile trying to unplug myself, before I determined that I lack the right tools and we needed a professional. While doing this, I forgot all about a scheduled online student conference.* Oops!

Called the plumber, got voicemail, left a message. The cleaners came; I told them not to do any laundry and to take it easy on running water in the kitchen.

Called the plumber back, got a person who can send someone tomorrow (good), in the first morning slot, 8-10.

Back in the days when I regularly left the house before 7:00, I wouldn’t have minded this, but these days it’s noteworthy if I’m out of bed before 9:00. Sir John, as I frequently note, is a vampire. We do want to get our pipes seen to before the weekend, but this is going to be a little painful.

Well, yes, first-world problems.

In the end, I did manage to do some work on a spreadsheet, some edits on an accepted article that needed a little titivating, and my dead-language prep for tomorrow. And take a walk.

*Student hadn’t done the reading and was glad to re-schedule.