Friday, January 29, 2010

Regaining equilibrium



This week hasn't been one of the best. The busted water heater is an ongoing saga. The ones we had to order arrived yesterday. In the process of hoisting them up into the attic both Stephen and Bruce accidentally stepped off the attic flooring (ours is a bit sketchy), and put 2 holes in the ceiling. Whats the saying? One step forward, 2 steps back?? It was so frustrating. Bruce came close to a nuclear meltdown over it. But then....he calmed down and got himself together. Its unfortunate, but its not the end of the world, after all. He ran out to Lowe's and picked up not only the plumbing supplies we need to install these heaters, but also lumber to extend the floored space in our attic.

And beyond the chaos here at home, work has been just about as stressful as it ever has been. Yesterday? I thought I had blown a fuse in my brain I got so angry/upset/frustrated over things that just shouldn't happen. There were delays and mix-ups that put me over 2 hours behind. I was really late getting home. I was tired and disgusted and ready to collapse, and once again....I missed my yoga class because work just sucked. Its not just that it sucks....its the NEEDLESS sucking due to general stupidity and incompetence. If I could just go in there and actually DO my job without having to wait and then rush to make up time. Those are the things that kill me. Get it together people! Just let me do my job!!!

Today I am taking a mental health day off. To get myself together and regain some equilibrium. My blood pressure was off the charts last night. This morning its a bit better, but not back to normal yet. I have a blood pressure cuff and I am supposed to keep a check on it since I have so much trouble with it. Being angry and frustrated does nothing to help. But I am trying to catch my breath and put things into perspective. As my friend Ana pointed out yesterday: its not ideal, and its all certainly a pain in the ass, but just remember Haiti. And she is right, you know? My troubles are insignificant compared to what those people are going through. I need to remember that and muster some gratitude....seriously.

As for the holes in the ceiling? We have chosen to ignore them for now. They don't go all the way through. Its more like bulging cracks. We will deal with those later. Maybe not until spring. I was just warming Bruce up to the idea that we really needed to repaint the interior of our house (he loathes painting, so it takes some coercing to get him prepared). I guess this is just motivation to get all of that done. I actually do not hate painting. I can't do ceilings, because it wreaks havoc on my back and shoulders. But walls and trim? I not only CAN do it, I am GOOD at it, and its almost therapeutic for me.

In the meantime, we have plumbing to do. And we have snow on the way....so stay warm, and stay safe. I am going to find my happy place, try to chill, and get my blood pressure out of the stroke zone.

Monday, January 25, 2010

Mondays

Its definitely Monday, alright. Waking up to torrential rain and wind? Yep. Of course we did. Busted water heater? Certainly. How could it be any other way?
Hours of running up and down attic steps helping husband try to rig up something so we could have hot water for showers for just 1 night until the plumbers could get here tomorrow? Absolutely.

At least, at the VERY least hubby got home before we had catastrophic flooding in our house. So thats good news. Our water heaters were just installed so weird and complicated. There are 2. They are linked together. One goes out and they both stop working. It took a whole lot to unconnect them. Literally hours of trying to figure it out, cut and cap pipes, a couple of trips to the hardware store.....

Anyway, we have hot water on one side of the house. That would be the kitchen and Stephen's room. I will have to shower in the wrong bathroom tonight, but at least I CAN shower. The plumbers though...they have their work cut out for them. Its not just installing a new water heater (which they will have to do). It will be figuring out the complex configuration and simplifying it so that one heater will heat one side of the house, and not be connected to the other. Lots of plumbing to do in tight attic spaces. I don't envy them that job.

Just send us some happy thoughts that we get this all sorted out and have hot water all over the house by tomorrow evening.