After spending the week cooped up in my house, my husband suggested I go for a walk outside. Exercise? No thanks, I told him. I wasn’t lacking any vitamins, and I did not want to work up a sweat.

In the end, my husband dragged me outside and taught me how to garden. Although I had a general understanding of how to plant and maintain a vegetable patch, I was never properly taught as a child, so I was glad to have his guidance.

I was digging for a place to plant my pumpkin seeds when my shovel hit a pipe. I could see it was in awful shape: the pipe was filled with debris, and the root system of a nearby tree had grown into it, obstructing its natural route. Turning to my husband, I asked if he knew of any drain repair companies near Melbourne that we could pay to unblock the pipe. Who knew what other effects this could be having on our home’s drainage system!

My husband appeared unconcerned and replied that he would take a look at the drain next weekend. I laughed – surely we should leave that job to a qualified plumber? Someone who had experience with domestic properties, and who had all the proper excavation and clearing equipment?

Finally, my husband acquiesced. He said there were a number of drainage contractors offering service in Melbourne and that all I had to do was find them. However, he promised that getting our drain repaired was not a pressing matter, and that I should enjoy the sunshine and leave the worrying until next week. After all, many of the companies had a two-hour response time, so it would be pretty easy to call someone out if the issue worsened in the coming days.

My husband may not have been a plumber, but he was quite the handyman around the house, so I trusted his judgement. We spent the rest of the day on our vegetable patch. I’m looking forward to trying my pumpkins in a few months!

Karen woke to a cool gust of wind, and the calming sound of birds chirping while the sun rose. She prepared her children’s breakfast in the kitchen and applied her makeup in the bathroom. Everything was calm and tranquil, and she felt at peace. Until two minutes later when her stormwater drain ruptured and spewed water all over her clean carpet. Could this be a sign? Could she, a housewife and respectable homeowner, finally be ready to change the trajectory of her life? 

Yesterday, she had met her friend Bob at the park for a stroll. He was an expert tradesman, and had worked for over a decade to satisfy customers in the local area. While they enjoyed the fresh morning air, he told her all about the exciting world of drain repairs. Brighton was a small place, and she already walked all of it. She had not only visited every café in the area, but had traversed every trail, and explored every nature reserve. It was time to set her sights on something new. Perhaps her exciting new venture could be in plumbing? Karen had heard Bob talk about the equipment and materials needed to be an efficient worker, so she figured that with the proper training, it would be a simple job. 

After conducting a short television interview (all in a morning’s work) – Karen arrived at the store which specialised in sewer replacement services in the Melbourne suburbs. The business did also conduct repairs on leaks and drains, but these did not pertain directly to her immediate situation. Apparently, the workers at the store could sense her newfound enthusiasm plumbing. As she wasn’t a qualified plumber she wasn’t allowed to join the team, but they did let her come along for the ride. 

Thrilled by her new sense of purpose, Karen smiled. She quickly discovered she truly enjoyed repairing blocked sewers, and helping rid her community of leaking taps. Everybody deserves hot water, she reasoned. And she would bring it to them.