It's all fun and games until the sink backs up

We had a plumbing issue last week. I'll start the story by saying I had been working in the kitchen all day and smelling something not so pleasant. No one else could smell it. I ran the disposal at one point and smelled rotten eggs. Hmm. That's weird. 

Fast forward to after dinner. We had some people over and we were cleaning up and I said "Seriously. No one else smells that?" And they said no. And then one of them said "I think I smelled something. Kinda like sewage." And as if on cue, the sink backs up. So we run the disposal. Doesn't really help. The guys were under the sink taking the pipes apart. The smell was unpleasant. They did what they could but the sink was still clogged.

At around 10 pm, Matt and I head to Wal-Mart to get Liquid Plumber. We pour a whole bottle down there. No go. We go to HEB around midnight (it closes at 1 just in case anyone needs to know) to get another bottle. Looks like it's helping, but nope. Still blocked. 

Our dishes are piling up by the sink and our plan was to get a snake from Lowe's and try to snake the pipe ourselves. Matt's boss suggested running a hose through the sink out to the wash-out pipe thingy in the backyard. So we had a couple options. 

Then I notice the sink in the garage is backed up. Whenever I run the water in the kitchen and the sink backs up, there's nasty standing water in the garage. Coincidence? Probably not. 

So it seems the problem is bigger than originally anticipated. We call a plumber. He sounds a little rough around the edges but he says he'll come out the next day and snake the pipe for $40. Sweet. 

I have now realized the water was backing up into the washing machine as well. Sick.

So the guy shows up in his van and he does look kinda rough. He's nice to Abi though and seems to be friendly enough. He goes in the backyard and the garage, hooks some things up, runs some water, checks a few pipey things and is wrapping things up. Quick, easy and cheap. 

I'm in the house and Matt opens the door and asks if I can come outside for a minute. I step outside expecting some kind of "Don't do this and this won't happen" plumber advice. The first words the plumber says to me are "So there's an 8-year-old..." Thinking I misheard him, I say, "I'm sorry?" and he repeats "So there's an 8-year-old and he and his Grandma go to visit his Grandpa in the hospital. The little boy runs ahead and says 'Grandpa, when grandma comes in, ribbit for her.' Confused the Grandpa asks, 'Why?' and the little boy says 'Grandma said when you croak we get to go to Disneyland.'" 

We all share a couple laughs and the plumber and Matt go out front. Matt said he told another joke as he was leaving and made the comment that when you stare down sewers all day, you have to have something fun to talk about. So a pretty awesome guy after all. 

After we cleaned up from the nastiness, life returned to normal. I have more appreciation for kitchen sinks and free-flowing pipes though. It's all about the little things, ya know?