Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Day Off??

OK - there is NO SUCH THING as a day off!! Yesterday I was not in the office at my paying job but it was certainly NOT a day off. It started bright and early. I had 3 different service technicians coming for 3 different jobs: install a new windshield, replace a leaky/broken kitchen faucet and an annual AC check. Everyone got here when they were supposed to. The windshield got replaced. The kitchen faucet got replaced - it works like a charm and the AC/furnace checked out fine. So what's the problem??

In the course of the plumbing job and AC job - same company but 2 different technicians, they checked our water heater and both agreed it needed to be replaced. In their words, "this is an accident waiting to happen. This thing could go at any time and flood your basement." So, we agreed on a new water heater to be installed at a time to TBD. We also decided to get an electrostatic furnace filter with a lifetime warranty. Well - AC guy did not have said filter on his truck so he said he would bring on back later in the day. All technicians were done and out by 1300 (1PM). We go to lunch and I run errands. DA requested some fans...something about it getting up to ~120 degrees Farenheit. So a trip to Walgreens and Walmart and then to Post Pack n' Ship to get the fans and other goodies out to DA.

I get home ~1600 (4PM) and dad and I are going through our trip/cruise arrangements. Making sure we have everything, etc. AC guy shows up with plumbers to install new water heater...he still does not have new furnace filter! (They had not called or anything, but no problem we were home and had no other plans!) (Dr Dave was off for the afternoon since he had worked the weekend). They get the old water heater emptied and disconnected BEFORE they realize they have brought the WRONG NEW WATER HEATER. They brought a propane HWH instead of a Natural Gas HWH. They are NOT interchangeable. So we now have 2 choices: no hot water until tomorrow (today) OR they can go the Home Depot and buy a new one and install it for the night then come back in the morning with the new 50 gallon one we had agreed on. So we decide we do not want to be without hot water for the night and morning showers, so off to Home Depot they go. They are back in short order and a new 40 gallon HWH is installed for about 14 hours. BTW - all this extra cost is on them - we had agreed on a HWH AND the price to install it, etc.
So the AC guy shows up this morning to help carry the newly delivered 50 gallon HWH down stairs so the plumber that is on his way can install it. Oh - and he has the new electrostatic filter with him!! YEAH!! They are both downstairs now emptying out the NEW 40 gallon HWH so they can install the NEW 50 gallon HWH. Hopefuly the plumber knows what he is doing and can work by himself because the AC guy has been called to go to another job. There are alot of things I learned to do by myself while Dr Dave was active duty, but installing a new HWH was not one of them!!

Moral of this story - don't call your day "away" from your paying job a "day off"...there is NO SUCH THING!!

P.S. At some point yesterday afternoon, Dr Dave notices that the BRAND NEW WINDSHIELD that got installed just hours before is CRACKED!! Luckily, that will be repaired at no extra charge since it is warrantied 100%.

Hope all of you had a good Tuesday!!

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