AHHHHHHHHH...............

What do you treasure???? I learned this week that I really, I mean REALLY, REALLY treasure hot water. Now, you may have thought that in my absence I have consumed way too much Starbucks and coffee, but stick with me. (oh and I did consume way too much, but what's a schoolin, working Mama to do?)

On Thursday, my Hubby got up way too early. He went downstairs, and fiddled. Then came upstairs and started his shower. He was clamoring around in the bathroom, to the point I lovingly and sleepily asked "What are you doing?????" His response was that he thought he was sick, and was looking forward to a nice warm shower. Now that he apparently thought I was awake, he started talking to me ~ ughhhhh. As he chatted, and I "uh-hughed" he went to get in the shower. "Yowza!!!!" was his exclamation.

He: "Didn't I leave it on long enough?"

Me: "Yep, thinking....just get in so I can get back to sleep."

He: "It isn't hot"

Me: nothing, I had nothing

He: "I wonder if our hot water is working?"

Me: " It worked last night when I was doing laundry."

He: "I am going to go check it out"

Minutes later, after I had fallen back to a nice slumber.......

"I think a mouse is living in the insulation of the water heater"

"Yew!!!!!"

"Going to have to Italian Shower it today, as now I am late, and there is no hot water for now. You are going to have to Man up or figure something out when you take your shower."

"Ughhhhhhh! Did you check the gas and see if we still have gas to the house?"


"Ooooh good idea, I'll run down and check."


"Good idea, but nope. We have gas, just not to the hot water heater. Man up if you want a shower."
He did his "Italian Shower" which quite honestly I am not offended by. If you grew up with Italian relatives, you are familiar with the term. Every good Italian has the Uncle you can smell coming from his Cologne from a different state (gold chains optional, but some of my uncles have them!) You wash the important parts, slather on some cologne (or half a bottle,) and call it a day. It beats stinking up the elevator. Well, that is all relative to the cologne or perfume. I grew up Wappy enough to know it is a reality and sometimes, you gotta do what you gotta do ~ kapish?

I went on a walk with the puppy hoping to clear my sleepy head. I came home, ready to "Man UP" and get clean. How bad could it be right? Let me tell you. Yes, I live in So Cal. Yes, it is warm right now, but definitely not hot. Yes the nights are still chilly. The water was FREEZING. My bones hurt from the cold. I quickly washed the important parts, forget shaving off the goose bumps, and got out in less than 5 minutes. I was miserable, and grumbling at my stupidity. Man -up, Man-up! There is a reason I wear a bra ~ I am a chick!!! I don't Man up, especially for cold water.

We later learned via our friend, that it wasn't the hot water heater, it was the regulator. OK, but we still needed to fix it. Hubby and kids went to my parents that night for showers. The next morning I went to my parents after I took puppy for a walk for my shower. Ahhhhhhh. Warm water, in a bathroom that still is like home, even though I haven't lived there for 15 years. Then yesterday on our way to Open House at the school, we swung by Home Depot to buy a part.

This morning, while I was still sleeping......my Man got up and went downstairs. By the time I lazily followed, he had the part out of the packaging.....uh-oh. I went into the garage to check on him. He said "watch out this is where the flames can come out of the tank" I took my first swig of coffee. He lit the pilot and WHAMOH!!!! It lit, and stayed it!!!! Without blowing us up, or catching anything on fire, no flames either! My man did it!!! He fixed my hot water heater in a matter of 20 minutes!!!! I was so incredibly proud of him!!!

Three days of no hot water. No showers or baths. NO laundry ~ but who is going to complain about that? No dishes to do ~ again, no complaints here. All fixed for $11. My Man ROCKS!!!

Perspective Point: People in our neighborhood adopted 5 Haitian children. They had NEVER had hot water in their lives for a bath.