March 19, 2004
Dear Everyone:
So what happened to Thursday’s Letter? Two things. First, the water heater.
As I was leaving for work yesterday morning, I noticed water on the patio floor. To confirm my suspicions, I opened the door to the shed where the water heater lives. Sure enough, water was dripping from the bottom of the tank, onto the floor of the shed and out onto the patio. Also onto the floor of the adjoining storage shed. Definite water damage to some of the stored items.
Having very little time, I pulled my computer cart back into the dining area and hurried upstairs to the office. Fortunately, I had completed the 2003 filing (and my taxes) the previous weekend, so it was easy to pull the file folder marked HO (short for “Home”) and find the home warranty contract. With this in hand, I headed for work, which happened to be in “Livermore” that morning.
Once I was logged onto my computer, I went to the home warranty company’s web site and submitted the problem. Their computer immediately assigned the job to a plumbing contractor with the assurance that the contractor would contact me within four business hours.
Five hours later, I called the contractor. The woman who answered swore that she had already called my home phone and cell phone and left messages at both numbers. I suggested that we treat my call as a return to her calls (which never actually happened as it turned out). She offered to schedule me for the very next day. Remembering the last plumbing problem, when I had to wait over a week with no kitchen sink or dishwasher, I jumped at it.
I was able to do this because I had no meetings scheduled for Friday and could simply take it as a vacation day. A quick email to our new manager (we are without a supervisor right now) confirmed that it would be OK. So that was settled.
As for the second reason for no Letter last night, the manager of my facility drawings audit project had asked for an update on how the team was doing. The meeting ran a little over the time we had scheduled. By about an hour. By the time I got home, I was exhausted. And… no shower or bath. I decided to bag it and go to bed early.
This morning, still no shower or bath, unless I
wanted to make it a very cold one.
We’ve been having a bit of a heat wave here in
The repairman was scheduled to arrive “
The actual cost of the new (40 gallon) water heater? The $35.00 co-payment. The insurance covers the rest. The insurance costs about $400 per year. It paid for itself today. So, for $135.00, I got a shiny new water heater.
And as for the water damage to the stuff in the storage shed, the only thing that really got hurt was the cardboard box that contains an artificial Christmas tree I bought some years ago and have never actually set up and decorated. Everything else was either expendable or wrapped in plastic.
As domestic emergencies go, this one was pretty painless. I even got to sleep in. And now, for the first time since Wednesday night, I can take a shower.
Love, as always,
Pete
PS.
Thanks to everyone who sent me birthday cards, gifts, phone calls, etc.
“Richard’s” card was the first to arrive except for one:
The one from the senior vice president of Macy’s on the West
Coast. They love me so much,
they sent a special birthday discount card:
$10.00 off anything I want, except at the cosmetics and jewelry
counters, my two favorite departments.
However, I can find somewhere to spend it.
P.
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