The tool persons market

The title of this post does not contain a spelling mistake and is not meant to say ‘The tall persons market’. I shall explain.

 A pipe connecting the bath to the water supply had been dripping for some time, creating a puddle in front of the bath. This was very convenient for me as I often stopped by if I was feeling thirsty – no need to make the long trek to my water bowl in the hall.

However, the tall person decided that having a puddle on the bathroom floor was not a good idea, especially when he stepped in it and got his slippers wet. De had also noticed wet paw prints around the house and was not amused. So, the tall person investigated and located the leaky connection. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the right tool to fix it so he announced that he would go to the tool market to buy one.

The tall person likes the tool persons market. He says that you can get anything there – construction and plumbing supplies, compressors, generators, welders, screws, nails, wood and tools, tools, tools.

The tool market is huge and like many of Tbilisi’s markets is a labyrinth of narrow alleys packed with stalls. The tall person says that it is a DIY paradise!

He likes the second hand tools very much. He says that if they have lasted for 30 or 40 years or more then they must be good!

The tool market is a very colorful place with lots of colorful characters. In this picture several of the market’s colorful characters are playing backgammon whilst they wait for customers.

Backgammon is very popular with Georgian men, especially market people and taxi drivers waiting in taxi ranks for customers and older men who like to sit in the shade in summer and pass the hours playing backgammon with other older men.

You will know by now that wherever there is a market there are also ladies who sell things.

The tall person saw a lady who has a multi-storey mobile shop that was packed with things to tempt the market people.

He also saw a lady that appeared to have a whole department store on wheels! There was also a lady who sells Turkish coffee but I think her customer is a little young to be needing stimulants!

Anyway, the tall person found the tool he wanted and came home and fixed the leaking pipe, which removed my alternative water source and I now have to walk all the way to my water bowl in the hall for a drink! 

The little house that hums stopped humming!

You may remember that there is a little house in my street that hums. The tall person told me that it provides electricity for the neighborhood. I think it hums because it gives people light and heat and hot water and TV and internet and all the things that make people happy.

Late yesterday afternoon the little house that hums stopped humming and we had no light, no heat, no hot water, no TV, no internet. Something had happened to the little house that hums!

As it got darker, the tall person and De and the little person and me huddled together for warmth. I didn’t really need to huddle because I have a thick fur coat but I didn’t want to be left out of the huddle.

The little person had to do his homework by candlelight, which he thought was great fun. De said it reminded her of her student days (nights).

Once the little person had finished his homework we all went to bed. It was 9.30 p.m.!

In the morning, the tall person and De and the little person all got dressed by torchlight, which was very funny!

I went with the tall person to the baker shop to get bread and we passed the little house that hums. Its doors were open and workers were inside. They had been working all night to try and make the little house hum again.

When we returned with bread we noticed that the little house that hums was humming again. It was happy! So were we! We now have light and heat and hot water and TV and internet but I suspect that the little person will miss doing his homework by candlelight this evening.