houston, we have power

yes, i'm back. i know, it was only supposed to take a couple of days BUT when the electric company does not show up between 8 and 8:30 like they said that they would and it takes 5 phone calls to get someone who will respond so you don't get the power off until after 5, you know this portends of things to come. ..and it did.

i did tell you that we decided the guys that wired this house were drunk and on drugs? from what dh told me, i think they shared some with the inspector! besides things being wired incorrectly, they weren't up to code. i mean they weren't up to code when the house was built.

oh, and it wasn't grounded.

and if getting the power turned off was a pain, getting it turned back on was just about as easy. talk about left hands and right hands not talking! we were cleared to have the power turned on before lunch...it took lots of phone calls to get it turned back on...after 5pm mind you. AND i got a call this morning to see if we were ready to have it turned back on.

but everything seems about right now and i have computer access so i am a happy camper....well, except for over 2000 emails!

but i have most of that fixed.

poor dh

this is the way it started.

him: the water heat has a leak.

me: can you fix it?

him (a couple of days later): well, i tried every thing i can think of. looks like we need a new water heater.

me: damn it. this will be the 3rd one we have put in since we got the house.

me (after doing some thinking): honey, can you find us an electric green water heater for the same price as a regular one would cost? i looked for one and all i can find are gas ones.

him (later): i found one.

me: then let's get it. how much is the installation going to cost on top of that?

him: nothing. (chest sticks out) i can do it.

(see a happy camper)

UNTIL he has every thing set up for the power to be cut off tomorrow and runs into something we have found with other wiring bits in the house.

me: i told you before and i will tell you again, the guy that wired this house were drunk and on dope and they must have shared it with the inspector or how the hell would it be this way?!?!?

(the was my comment when he told about a problem he found pulling cable and doing whatever else in the attic, only a mess that he said had to be fixed as it wasn't "up to code". now the guy is supposed to come tom...scratch that, today (sometime in the a.m.) to turn off the power. problem, this is a holiday so there is no way to stop him. so dh is trying feverishly to get thing finished up tonight. my thought, we call them at 0800 to say "houston, we have a problem" so come another day. but he wants to be ready for tomorrow, soo...

so far, he has come in twice to have me sterile wounds in his hand, a his head.

i think the next "honey due" should not be one that requires other people going poof and appearing on our doorstep. oscar has been none too happy with him in the attic either...just sits and stares up into the attic until dh come down.

the good news is that we may get a tax credit for it (going green) and it should bring down the utility bills and there will be more space in the utility room.)

at the sound of the gong it will be 0100 (1 a.m.)

oh, did i happen to ever mention we are in texas? and have you figured out that dh is filthy? do you remember that the water heater while installed, has no power yet as the new junction box has to be connected after the power is turned off tomorrow, then dh's work has to be inspected, and then the guy has to come back to turn the power back on? will you pray for a really cool day tomorrow?

the old grey house ain't what is use'ta be

once upon a time this was a grey brick house with a brown door at 401

the door is now blue, house yellow

moon over our house

clouds over our house

those now blue doors used to be a sliding door...note dog door bottom right. that ramp is supposed to be replace with a permanent concrete ramp.

this is the bottom of the garden. i painted the bird houses. (apparently the birds were not impressed as we have never seen any of them go near even one of them)

this is from the driveway. that is a vitec tree that in summer has lovely lavender blooms that butterflies and bees love!

clouds over the garage. aren't they magnificent?

and more clouds.

we love our little house. the white van has become a piece of driveway sculpture (engine is broken beyond repair...sniff)