U - Bend

I'm actually scaring myself today.
I'm sitting here, in front of my computer - fingers at the ready for typing - and I'm about to publish a post entitled "U-bend".

I ask you ... when did my life take this frightening turn?
And how come I can't pin-point the date?
In all seriousness, you'd think there would have been some kind of self awareness as I was lifting my legs over the fence from the free world of youthful dreams to the mundane, menopausal world of toilet cleaning.

I mean, who actually says out loud : "Eureka! That's it!! I've made a decision to conquer my fears about judgment and do a blog. And I'm going to post ... about U-bends"?

Apparently - I do.
I say that aloud.
And here I am.

Did you know, that out there in the plumbing world, we not only have U-bends but we also have S-bends and J-bends? Multiple shapes of pipes located below or within a plumbing fixture.
J-bend ... sounds more like an assumed rap artist name that my son would come up with.
Or perhaps, his future work identity. As his current plan is to be a professional football player first; but if that doesn't work out he wants to be a plumber second.

But did you also know that because of its shape, the U-bend "trap" will retain a small amount of water after the fixture has been used (thanks Wikipedia).
And furthermore, because it is a "localized low point" in the plumbing fixture ... it also tends to catch objects (such as jewelry) or collect sundries like hair, sand and other debris.
The word shit springs to mind here.

Wikipedia tells us that "for all these reasons, most traps can either be disassembled for cleaning or they provide some sort of cleanout feature."

Well. In my budget conscious bathroom, I am the provided cleanout feature!
And I'm about to clean mine out.
Hence - the inspiration for the post.

I'm thinking that ... perhaps ... I need to get out more.


L.