Oh, Brother!

Are you looking for good ways to hemorrhage money while getting nothing fun in return?  How about replacing two corroded water heaters?  One of ours started leaking all over.  Scott was panicked about the water ruining the carpet and flooring.  He had blankets and towels all over the floor, soaking up the leak.  He was practically up all night babysitting the water in the utility closet, directing it politely toward the drain.  He was worried sick.

The next morning, the plumber came over, took one look and said, "Yep.  It's shot."  He then reached his arm up to a giant, red lever at eye level on the hot water heater, turned the giant lever a quarter turn to the left and said, "OK, now I've turned the water to this heater off, so it won't leak anymore."

Duuuuuuuuh!

The lever practically said, "OFF!  ON!" With arrows.  A baby could turn it with one finger.  We wouldn't even have had to borrow a tool from Ross up the street to turn the water off ourselves.  But sadly, we were too home-improvement-challenged to realize that.

I have to give Scott credit, though, for not only saving our carpet with his heroic vigil, but also learning how to tile and grout this week.  He and his brothers, dad and mom tiled our two downstairs bathrooms over the course of three very long evenings, plus an extra day of hanging cement board for Bruce and Marlene.  I can't even thank them enough.  On the third night, I got home from teaching at about 9:30 to find a row of cars lined up in front of my house.  They guys were still working, and I knew their families were at home, they had come straight from work, and they were getting up early the next morning.  Their time is precious, and they shared it with us, no questions asked.  Thanks, Mom and Dad, Ryan,Jer, Jeff and Clint.  We really appreciate you.  It kindof makes me want to have two more sons, in case Freestone and Ptolemy ever need a helping hand turning off a water valve or tiling a bathroom!