Captain's Log, Kid Patrol--Day 3

I was up early with a sour stomach and sore shoulder.  Took some meds and went back to bed.  Slept late!

The kids' father and stepmother were driving down from north of Chicago and were due to pick them up this early afternoon for a visit.  Ryan was up first and took a shower.  He came out to the patio where I was sitting to tell me that the hot water knob on the bathtub was broken.  He couldn't get the water turned off and had a look of terror on his face, like he'd done something wrong.  Uh oh.  I went in, thinking it was probably just another quirk of this old house.  Grandma to the rescue, right?  Wrong!

The water was running full tilt and the tub was filling up because the drain is running slowly.  The knob to turn the water off just spins...and Grandma doesn't know where the shut-off valve is.  Help!
I noticed that Good Neighbor Fred was out mowing his lawn, so I hailed him to come over.  He found the shut-off valve to get the water to stop, then started asking for tools to pop the cap of the knob off...then tightened the screw that is under the cap.  Voila!  Knob now turns again.  He restored the water flow to the tub...and another crisis was averted.  Thank God for Neighbor Fred!!
I didn't have to call the plumber.
Robin didn't have to shower at the other grandparents' house.
God's in his Heaven; all's right with the world!

Got the kids fed.  (Actually, Ryan fed himself cereal.)  Both were showered, dressed, and looking pretty spiffy when their dad showed up at 2:00 or so, then they all left together to go to the paternal grandparents' house about a mile from me for the afternoon.  Whew!

It was after 9:30 PM when the kids returned.  We sat at the table for a few minutes.  Robin fixed herself a smoothie, then both disappeared into their bedrooms at about 10:30, with Grandma right behind them.  Long day!