Monday, November 18, 2013

First attempt at live blogging

I thought it would be fun to live blog my new water heater installation. And by fun, I mean I want to document every cent of the $1474 this is costing me . . . so here goes . . .

8am  . . . Waiting for plumber to show up

8:07am . . . Realize I've missed a call from the plumber's shop. Panic that they aren't coming.

8:08am . . . Confirm with the plumber's shop that they are, indeed, on their way.

8:20am . . . Still waiting

8:30am . . . Still waiting

8:45am . . . Still waiting. Call Karen to remind her why I am not in the office.

9:00am . . . He's here! There are two of them! Ken (he told me his name, but I don't remember it because I was too busy trying not to gawk at Brian - who is super hot, and I actually remember his name) asked to see "what we've got goin'" And I really, really hope he realizes he's here to install a water heater.

9:06am . . . Ken has spent the last 5 minutes letting me know what a horrible job the last water-heater-installer did. He has also expressed through a series of heavy sighs and mutterings under his breath that he is not in the mood for a water heater install.

9:07am . . . I decide Ken doesn't really exist and pour all my attention to Brian.

9:30am . . . There has been a lot of going in and out of both house doors. And some bang-type sounds from under the trailer. I reassure myself that these guys are professionals and know what they are doing.

9:45am . . . Ken becomes un-imaginary when he asks me if I know who runs the mobile-home park. The master shut off in "the pit" isn't working, and they will need the park to shut off water. I am, supposedly, supposed to know what "the pit" is. I imagine it to be the place where future holes in the floor lurk until a time when they can attack.

10:00am . . . After calling the park office and not getting an answer, I spend time driving through the park, looking for Rob, the manager. I find him and he calls Gary, the maintenance guy and asks him to go to my house to turn off the water.

10:15am . . . Gary and his young side-kick (I can never remember his name - ufdah, I'm awful with names) shows up and within 3 minutes shows Ken and Brian that there is a direct shut off valve for the hot water heater. They both look embarrassed (which could be because Gary is about 165 years old and speaks with a condescending tone that makes you question every decision you've ever made in your life, even if he's just saying "Hello") but to be honest, it's pretty hidden and I can understand how they missed it.

10:20am . . . Gary sends his side-kick to check the valve in "the pit" and make sure "it'll kick in" - no clue what he's talking about. My neighbor comes over to check on me (I have the best neighbors!) and chat with the guys.

10:30am . . . The guys are still chatting about . . . stuff?? So I excuse myself and come back inside, because DANG it got cold out!

10:45am . . . I realize that my new water heater is sitting outside, so I take a selfie with it.
11:30am . . . Lots of pounding coming from the back of the house. I believe they are putting in a new floor.

Noon . . . New water heater is carried in!!

12:37pm . . . I realize the cats, who have been locked in the storage room, are trying to burrow their way out, so I wedge a towel under the door. They are so mad at me.

1:04pm . . . Old water heater is carried out!!

1:15pm . . . Lots of clanking. I realize I've had two men in my bedroom for the last 4 hours, all in an effort to keep me hot and wet. (Get your mind out of the gutter.)

2:00 . . .There is confirmation that shut-off valves have been put on inside. Yea?

2:32pm . . . There is a leak in one of the new lines, so it has to be replaced.

2:50pm . . . About 10 minutes spent getting the pilot light going strong.

3:15pm . . . Ken and Brian start closing up all the trailer skirting while the water heater does it's job. I'm trying to think of what I can say in order to get Brian to smile one more time.

3:30pm . . . Ken comes in and shows me how to adjust the water temperature.

3:32pm . . . Brian comes in a breaks my heart when I realize he's wearing a wedding ring. Dang it.

3:40pm . . . After testing that the water is actually heating, they are off!

3:50pm . . . I head to school! I will make it in time for one meeting.

6pm . . . Back home, I test the water. It is super, super hot. Too hot. I turn it down a teeny bit.

6:10pm . . . Luna CATCHES ANOTHER FREAKING MOUSE!! I scream.

6:11pm . . . Mouse escapes. I set mouse traps.

7:40 . . . Luna CATCHES THE SAME DAMN MOUSE AGAIN.

7:41 . . . Mouse escapes again.

8:24pm . . . There is much commotion in the corner of the kitchen. I think the mouse is being terrorized. I wish it would just GET IN THE DANG TRAP.

8:27pm . . . I am done with this live blog. Unfortunately, I think there is still a mouse murder to occur tonight. At least I'll have hot water to wash away the crime scene.



1 comment:

  1. It takes TWO men.. And FOUR hours... Dang woman!

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