Monday, October 08, 2007

Menacing Signs.

1) I've posted before about the iPod count at the house... and I've posted that two have mysteriously died recently, one quite possibly from a drool overdose... most likely parties - either myself or Isaac. The police have been over every square inch of the joint and I tell you they can't prove NOTHIN.

So we got the new iPod for Bella. And Isaac noticed it.

Yesterday during Bella's big family bash, Isaac somehow eluded the attention of all 15 adults in attendance and made a move. I was standing in the kitchen and heard what I could best describe as a maniacal laugh from upstairs. I moseyed on up to take a look and found Isaac:

Alone. In his room, with Bella's new Ipod in his hand, LAUGHING.

He had snuck upstairs and stolen his sister's iPod the moment he had an opportunity, and absconded back to his room with the loot. He must have had this caper planned down to the nanosecond.

2) An unrelated event (I'd like to believe): I got a panicky call at 11:30 this morning. The water heater decided to give way and our basement was flooded. . Fortunately, Papabam were still here, as was Ana (our cleaning helper) and Randy, the federal agent neighbor (thank YOU Columbus Day), so I could finish my meeting before heading home...

It's a 50 gallon water heater. That's a lot of water, and it took the collective intelligence a while to figure out the following data: You need to shut off the water intake, or the water just keeps on going. You need to empty the water heater or it'll keep on leaking. You need to purge the pipes, or you'll accidentally send another gallon on through. These are all lessons we learned gradually, but they are lessons I shall not soon forget.

Turns out the unit has been running since 1991, so 16 years is not too bad for a water heater. We'll be getting a new one tomorrow morning, so showers will be had by tomorrow night. I'll be skimming right on the edge of social acceptability. I'll be walking in a cloud of cologne.

The event got me thinking: One really never goes SHOPPING for a water heater, or a furnace. When these things die, you call somebody reputable (hopefully NOT just the guy who takes out the 1/4 page ad 'AAA-AAA-AAAAA Dependable Furnace' at the top of the yellow pages listing)and say "NEW ONE NOW" - or maybe "NEW ONE NOW PLEASE". One doesn't spend a lot of time perusing the Consumer Reports on brands... nor does one wait for a sale. No, this is quite the impulse purchase. Only in this case, it is the impulse to survive.

Life just keeps on going... interestingly.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Yikes. The water heater is something to be dealt with. I had two go out in the last ten years of 5040. You're right - you just don't go shopping for a water heater usually. That's where the friendly neighborhood hardware store comes in - the guys know. Often they have the heaters too.
About Isaac and his "coup" - it is still a game: got it. Great delight in it. He was checking us all out at the party - figuring out what to do with us. It is going to be an interesting couple of years with this little one. There is this look in his eye that says "I know just the game I want to play with you." Play with this.