Which one is nuts?

[maryteach]

We have a small bathroom off the master bedroom. I mostly use it. The flapper in the tank has broken for about the third time, and my husband is in there, swearing a blue streak while he fixes it (apparently, it's not as easy as just the flapper). So anyway, he comes in here just now and tells me that THE WAY I FLUSH THE TOILET IS WHY IT KEEPS BREAKING. I suggested that there was something in the mechanism that was causing this part to keep breaking. When I suggested that, I was told that I refuse to listen (which is generally true when someone is talking nonsense). Would someone in the rational world kindly explain to me how many different ways there are to flush a toilet?! Am I crazy or is he? If he keeps it up, am I justified in killing him? Is there more than one way to flush a toilet, and can you break it by flushing it wrong? I think he's nuts, and he thinks I'm horrible for refusing to entertain the idea. It's a real nice Easter Sunday here.

 

[singingsara]

It sounds like he's frustrated, and is trying to vent his frustration in any way he can--even by blaming the problem on something that can't be causing it. I'm pretty sure there's only one way to flush a toilet.

Has he given you any specific suggestions on how to flush the toilet? How about calling a plumber?

Good luck!

 

[Mrs. G]

Ask him...

to show you how he would like you to flush the toilet. Then demonstrate what he has taught you to make sure it is to his satisfaction. I know it sounds crazy, but sometimes it makes them feel good to know that you value what they say. (By the way, I do agree with you that he's nuts.)

 

[fun_friend]

I automatically rattle the handle when I flush. Is this the right or wong way? My toilet tends to run if I don't rattle the handle. It is so frustrating to wake from a hard sleep with an urge to "go." Then get back in bed to hear the toilet running without cessation. Is this a flapper problem? Ask your hubby for some tips and share them with all of us on the WWW.

 

[aussiejane]

Crazy

He IS nuts! If you kill him, there isn't a jury in the land which would convict you. Why oh why can't men concede that some jobs should be done by experts and not (un) handy men?

 

[SC]

I agree that he's frustrated and is just trying to blame it on anything to save his ego because he can't fix it. Listen to him, agree to flush differently, and then laugh to yourself when it's still broken.

 

[trailpaint]

Quit Flushing...

Save it for him to do since you aren't doing it properly!

 

[GB]

Too funny!

Ha-ha! Tell him to install a pull lever instead.

 

[tish]

It must be a MAN thing

I don't know anything about how to properly flush a toilet, but I have your husband's twin living in my house. I have taught school for 35 years and I can't properly put a garbage bag in our kitchen can . He says I let too much air into the bottom of it. Imagine that!. Well If I cannot do something to his satisfaction-- guess what?-- I make him take over that job. I no longer put garbage bags in the can, I no longer wash his clothes, I no longer empty the dishwasher, and I no longer wash windows. He is a perfectionist about many things. Let's see waht else do I want to goof up so that I no longer do that job--Hmmm........

 

[maryteach]

tish, that's funny!

You won't believe this, Tish, but I ALSO don't put bags in the trashcan properly. I also don't know how to shut car doors or lock my front door. It's so annoying! We should let our husbands live together and see which one drives the other batty first.

 

[tish]

Right on again!

This is very spooky. About the front door-- Even though I know I have shut and locked it, he still will recheck to see that it is locked. He does this at least a half of dozen times each evening. Also about the car door, he complains thatI shut it too hard each time. I am ready to have the UPS man come pick him up. I really love this man, but my sister says I should get an award for living with him. Oh-- one more thing-- our dinner plates have a scene on them. Now if I really want to drive him crazy--all I have to do is to put it askewed. Now you know in our house a picture on the wall is never out of line. Now one positive thing. He is disabled and has not worked since 1992. Every morning he gets up and takes my book bags out to the car for me. He is a keeper even though he has a lot of weird behaviors.

 

[fun_friend]

Tish...

I suspect your husband has a touch of obsessive/compulsive disorder. People who suffer this problem must check and recheck locked doors or have things lined up just so and a lot of other compulsions. I bet he hates to step on cracks or take an odd number of steps and such. I was kind of OCD when I was a kid. I had to conciously stop it. I could begin OCD behaviors any time, but I just will myself not to. I try to discourage my kids from it too--my son doesn't like to step on paint on the floor or cracks. It seems minor, but I think it could lead to heightened OCD.

 

[Rubyslippers]

Guess I'm the bad guy here...

But speaking as the one that has to fix the running toilet at my house, YES-you can flush wrong. My son pulls the handle forward as he flushes and it comes off. Hard as heck to get back on. And my DH, pushes the handle down too hard and too quickly so the chain inside gets jerked and catches on itself and I have to stick my hand in the back of the toilet and fix it.

 

[Flush]

Quick Poem

When we were first married I couldn't convince my husband to put the toliet seat up, so... I wrote a little message and taped it to the bottom of the bottom toliet seat:

If you sprinkle when you tinkle, please be neat and wipe the seat.

(His father came to visit and was chuckling when he came out. My husband wanted to know what was so funny. He was told and then everyone in the room realized that he hadn't been lifting the seat. Boy, was he embarrassed. Lifting the seat wasn't a problem after that.)


If you want to leave flushing as a job for your husband here is another little ditty that might work...

If it's yellow let it mellow, if it's brown...flush it down!