Jim's birthday is Jan. 22 and we always try to get away to gamble in celebration. I think only one year has produced a winner and that was back when he was
in his early twenties. This year was 32 so you see how long it has been! Since the 22nd was a weekday, we set up a room at Harrah's for Saturday night,
arranged for my brother to watch the dogs and my Mom to watch Jamie. Money out of the bank Friday morning, gas in the tank, air in the tires, players cards
glossed and ready to go.
Friday night, Jim and I are in the basement playing poker and watching some crappy movie and I remember that my favorite jeans are dirty and need to be washed. It's after midnight but if I at least get them thru the wash, I can throw them in the dryer when I get up and we can still get out the door fairly early on Saturday. The water clicks on to fill the washer and Jim says "Hmm, that sound is different". (The hot water heater is right behind where he sits on the couch. The door is slightly open because of an Internet cord.) He leans over, opens the door and says there is water. I am like "Duh, it's a hot water heater, if there isn't water, it isn't working!" He is like "You are a #@*!$$%. Shut up and look. The water is on the floor!" Oh.
The damn thing was old as sin and we knew it. Apparently, the bottom finally gave up the ghost and started to leak out on the floor. Luckily it was a slow leak and we got out the wet/dry vac and sucked it all up. Thank God it was only 30 gallons and took about two hours to clean out. Thank God that Jim works with a guy who used to be a plumber and he came down the next day.
So we are still thinking that we might be able to make the trip happen - just a little delayed. I call my brother to tell him we have been detained a bit longer and he tells me that my nephew has been throwing up and having a really tough time with liquids. Okay, but he still says he can come by in that voice that says "Why are you still asking for my help when I just told you my life sucks right now?" I tried to ignore it and call my Mom. Dad answers. Uh-oh. The same sickness that took down nephew Asher has struck at their house and both my Mom and Grandmother got a nice dose. I make an attempt to pretend that I didn't understand him and am still going to drop Jamie off and give up. Trip officially cancelled.
Jim is downstairs in the meantime getting the furnace relit but nothing is happening. He tries forever and gets nowhere. I sit down while he takes a break and realize that the switches are screwed up for the blower and are upside down. I also notice there is a disconnected wire hanging down. Jim says that he had noticed a loose screw and hooks the wire up to it. We flip the switches and whoosh! Heat!
We walk upstairs and you know you get that smell when you first click the heat back on? (Gas furnace btw) Well, the smell didn't disappear in seconds. Jim goes back down and yells for me. He had already put out the fire! Apparently, the wire wasn't supposed to be connected to that screw and I tried to burn all the wiring! There is a reason for professionals. Luckily, he was able to remove the bad wiring and resplice the wires but the pilot light wouldn't stay lit. We have a friend of the family that came out and saw it yesterday. I burned up the gas valve in my attempts to fix it and it the part will be here tomorrow.
SO, I am sitting here with the laptop keeping my lap warm and a couple of heaters going to keep the doggies toasty. Our trip was a nothing and the money we were taking went to repairs.
End of that story.
Friday night, Jim and I are in the basement playing poker and watching some crappy movie and I remember that my favorite jeans are dirty and need to be washed. It's after midnight but if I at least get them thru the wash, I can throw them in the dryer when I get up and we can still get out the door fairly early on Saturday. The water clicks on to fill the washer and Jim says "Hmm, that sound is different". (The hot water heater is right behind where he sits on the couch. The door is slightly open because of an Internet cord.) He leans over, opens the door and says there is water. I am like "Duh, it's a hot water heater, if there isn't water, it isn't working!" He is like "You are a #@*!$$%. Shut up and look. The water is on the floor!" Oh.
The damn thing was old as sin and we knew it. Apparently, the bottom finally gave up the ghost and started to leak out on the floor. Luckily it was a slow leak and we got out the wet/dry vac and sucked it all up. Thank God it was only 30 gallons and took about two hours to clean out. Thank God that Jim works with a guy who used to be a plumber and he came down the next day.
So we are still thinking that we might be able to make the trip happen - just a little delayed. I call my brother to tell him we have been detained a bit longer and he tells me that my nephew has been throwing up and having a really tough time with liquids. Okay, but he still says he can come by in that voice that says "Why are you still asking for my help when I just told you my life sucks right now?" I tried to ignore it and call my Mom. Dad answers. Uh-oh. The same sickness that took down nephew Asher has struck at their house and both my Mom and Grandmother got a nice dose. I make an attempt to pretend that I didn't understand him and am still going to drop Jamie off and give up. Trip officially cancelled.
Jim is downstairs in the meantime getting the furnace relit but nothing is happening. He tries forever and gets nowhere. I sit down while he takes a break and realize that the switches are screwed up for the blower and are upside down. I also notice there is a disconnected wire hanging down. Jim says that he had noticed a loose screw and hooks the wire up to it. We flip the switches and whoosh! Heat!
We walk upstairs and you know you get that smell when you first click the heat back on? (Gas furnace btw) Well, the smell didn't disappear in seconds. Jim goes back down and yells for me. He had already put out the fire! Apparently, the wire wasn't supposed to be connected to that screw and I tried to burn all the wiring! There is a reason for professionals. Luckily, he was able to remove the bad wiring and resplice the wires but the pilot light wouldn't stay lit. We have a friend of the family that came out and saw it yesterday. I burned up the gas valve in my attempts to fix it and it the part will be here tomorrow.
SO, I am sitting here with the laptop keeping my lap warm and a couple of heaters going to keep the doggies toasty. Our trip was a nothing and the money we were taking went to repairs.
End of that story.
............EdB
It
couldn't have come at a better time, with your unexpected expenses.
