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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

The strange case of the teenager, the plug and the mud.

59 replies

avocadoinasidecar · 09/01/2021 16:39

By way of mitigation for posting here hopefully this sorry tale will also amuse some of you.

Teenage DS decided to get off the xbox, so be careful what you wish for, and go out for a walk through muddy fields in new trainers. Considerately, he comes home, opens the porch door (letting all the heat out) and proceeds to sit down on the doorstep and clean the mud of his prized new trainers that he got for Christmas (leaving the doorstep in a state of horror.

Upon realising that said prized trainers were still muddy he disappeared upstairs, unknown to the amateur Sherlock that is DD who somebody failed to notice this transgession when she can normally notice a single hair out of place, especially if she can blame DS. He then proceeded to the bathroom and installed a Jackson Pollock style mud installation on the bath, walls, sink and floor but the prized trainers are now spotless.

DD is still, remarkably oblivious, bribery is suspected. Either that or she has done something which she wants DS to keep quiet about. I am suspicious.

Meanwhile DS has discovered that the pop up plug in the sink now won't pop up. He investigates this and it still won't pop up so he decides to push it down further to see if it will pop up. Now it he discovers that it is even more stuck.

Distraught, he tries everything he can, somehow managing to sneak into the kitchen and retrieve a BBQ skewer and a new kitchen knife. It's no good the plug is still stuck and his sister is now at the bathroom door demanding to know what is going on because she has to wash her hair and she has to wash it NOW. Realising that there is no hope now DD's detective senses are on the case, DS reluctantly calls 'Mum, come here'. 'Mum, there's a problem' You don't say.

Abandoning my cup of tea, in much the same way that DS probably abandoned all hope. I go upstairs reluctantly and 'admire' the new Jackson Pollock style art installation. DD shares my horror. DS says he doesn't know how it happened, DD decides to enlighten him using words that I will not repeat. Still, it saved me a job.

And now the problem. At this point Piglet John will hopefully don his superhero cape and swoop to the rescue but any advice will be appreciated. How the f* do I get the plug out?

OP posts:
PlanDeRaccordement · 09/01/2021 16:43

Should be a lever under the sink behind the down pipe that if you waggle will pop the drain back up.

The strange case of the teenager, the plug and the mud.
Sideorderofchips · 09/01/2021 16:47

I have no advice but I am 😂😂 here

avocadoinasidecar · 09/01/2021 16:48

@PlanDeRaccordement

Should be a lever under the sink behind the down pipe that if you waggle will pop the drain back up.
Thank you, DS has been sent to investigate and hopefully fix.
OP posts:
avocadoinasidecar · 09/01/2021 16:49

@Sideorderofchips

I have no advice but I am 😂😂 here
Well at least that is something! Grin
OP posts:
LadySlipper · 09/01/2021 16:50

Ah, our plug does this sometimes...i get out the trusty plunger and have at it with that...pulls it right out.

avocadoinasidecar · 09/01/2021 16:51

There's no waggly thing. He's now trying the plunger.

OP posts:
Hailtomyteeth · 09/01/2021 16:58

Beautifully written, OP!

avocadoinasidecar · 09/01/2021 16:59

@Hailtomyteeth

Beautifully written, OP!
Why thank you.

If only my plumbing skills were on a par with my writing.

OP posts:
Jelly4444 · 09/01/2021 17:05

You know the suction cups(?) on the bottom of a child's tooth brush? That will take the plug out. We have had this problem so many times!

PerkingFaintly · 09/01/2021 17:07

Pahahah.Grin

Might your DD have been enacting the role of the humble private in that apocryphal report on a junior officer: "His men would follow him anywhere; but only out of curiosity to see what he got up to next."

wanderings · 09/01/2021 17:07

It's stated in the book Families and How to Survive Them that children can team up to outwit the parents. Open and shut case!

PainterInPeril · 09/01/2021 17:12

GrinGrinGrin Photo of the newly created Jackson Pollock artwork...or it didn't happen!WinkGrin Oh, and here OP, you might need thisWine!

Chanandlerbong01 · 09/01/2021 17:17

Our plug does this, push it to the side slightly as you push it down - however if he’s pushed it down more this might not work. Can you get rid of a lot of water with a jug so there isn’t as much pressure?

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 09/01/2021 17:24

If it is the pop-up plug that you just press down (no lever) and again for it to pop up, try turning it anti-clockwise as they unscrew to get the correct seal adjustment. They can be slippery though when under water, probably doubly so with added mud.

GrannieD · 09/01/2021 17:26

Suction cup on the bottom of a bath mat.....saved me many at time from dismantling the whole bloomin set up

Nunoftheother · 09/01/2021 17:36

@Hailtomyteeth

Beautifully written, OP!
Beautifully written, apart from the scattergun punctuation (one might even say "Pollockesque"), multiple comma splices and repetition ("installed a... installation", "pop up... pop up... pop up", etc.).

What's the AIBU? AYBU to bill this as a hilarious and brilliantly-written anecdote? Yes, YABU.

BIRDSbirds · 09/01/2021 17:40

We have those sort of plugs with no release lever - try to rotate it anticlockwise to unscrew the top, once it is off you should be able to press the remaining screw to pop up

ParisJeTAime · 09/01/2021 17:41

I'm so glad I read this, because the ideas are genius! Suction cups on toothbrushes / bath mat! Brilliant.

My internal, matronly bosom hoiker wants to tell your DS to wear some proper walking boots in muddy conditions! Harrumph Wink.

dappledsunshine · 09/01/2021 17:44

Oh op 🤣 "mum there's a problem" those dreaded words. You sound remarkably calm....

sparepantsandtoothbrush · 09/01/2021 17:50

Bad day @nunoftheother?

LazyName · 09/01/2021 17:52

I unscrew the pipes and that enables me to reach under the plug hole, in ours there is a metal part horizontal in the hole almost the whole way but there is enough gap for a metal part (metal part which screws to the plug) to come off. If you can easily unscrew the pipes I would try to wiggle the metal parts inside of the plug hole and see if I can get it unstuck. Probably quite tricky though! Plumbing experience after that is 0!
Everyone else’s ideas do sound easier though.

ScrumptiousBears · 09/01/2021 17:57

Push it down and twist. It should unscrew.

Daphnise · 09/01/2021 17:57

A most entertaining read, OP!

As pay-off, hide DS's trainers in DD's room and hint to him she has hidden them.....

avocadoinasidecar · 09/01/2021 17:58

"His men would follow him anywhere; but only out of curiosity to see what he got up to next."

Most likely but she'd never agree to be a Private.

There's no water in the basin, I'm not quite sure why not (and I don't think I want to ask, probably he emptied it into the bath given the colour of it). Unfortunately there is no photo, DS obviously felt incredibly guilty or more likely DD said 'I'll tell Mum what else you did if you don't get that clean before I wash my hair.

@Nunoftheother I bet you are fun at parties.

DS has purchased some suction cups online and will try those tomorrow.

OP posts:
Blowingagale · 09/01/2021 17:58

Placemarking and using @ to call @pigletjohn