I did almost nothing today. I had big plans of getting the water supply pipes ready for a new sink, plus a dishwasher, plus a water line to a refrigerator ice maker. I was going to have to cut off the old valves with a pipe cutter and solder new ones on. I read all about sweating copper pipes and joining new valves on. I actually was planning on putting threaded nipples on the pipes, and then I could just twist any valve I wanted onto the new threads. So I went to the store and started finding all the supplies I needed when all of a sudden I saw them — valves that use compression fittings. “Holy cats!” I said. “This will be WAY simpler than I thought.” And it was! My new valves are on. Once they’re hooked up and in use, I will have to see if the compression fittings need tightening, but other than that, the plumbing is done! Woo hoo! Here’s a picture of my happy work:

Compression fittings: my good friends.