Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving my loyal readers! (All two of you!, LOL)

Boy am I glad it is Thursday... I didn't think Wednesday would ever end.

My alarm that I have had since I was twelve went off simultaneously with my phones alarm, playing Fox's NFL theme. I 'put my feet on the floor' as Dad used to always say, got up and did my morning business. All pretty typical so far. I got on the road at a good time.

It all started when I pulled up to the Starbucks Drive-Through. My grande almond latte tasted as if it was made of Folgers instant and cardboard. Blech! The time was 6:30 am, the next twelve hours would be much of the same.

At work we have a project that is pouring concrete on the second floor Wednesday and I needed to get the drawings out to our foreman by the end of today if I didn't want work Friday (I didn't). Problem is, I need the drawings from someone else before I can start. Now the anxiety is kicking in. I keep myself busy until I get the drawings around 11. Since I usually take lunch at 11 I decided to get that out of the way so I could pound the drawings out.

I headed over to Whole Foods to pick up the ciopino (fish soup, sublime) that I craved, a mini-loaf of french bread, and a green tea. The place was packed with people getting ready for turkey day. I was in and out without any issues. When I arrived back at the office, everybody was outside. The fire alarm was going off. Great. No worries, there wasn't a fire but you couldn't go in our office as the alarm was bloody loud! I bum rushed our kitchenette and grabbed a spoon and paper towel, turned around and bolted out. Eating lunch in the truck was uneventful, no spills, got to watch big ladder 16 show up and firemen check all the units in full gear (oxygen and all). Finally they shut down the alarm, I was done with lunch, time to get on with it.

What I had to to on these drawings wasn't difficult, it was tedious. Basically, all the pipe we put in a building has to be hung from the ceiling. Before they pour the second floor concrete we drill holes in the metal deck and put inserts through that we can hang the pipe from. Once the concrete is poured, these inserts are securely part of the floor. I have to basically draw (with CAD) each individual insert, just a dot (there are hundreds), and dimension each one so the guys in the field can put them in the correct place. Remember draw by numbers? It is that in reverse.

I forgot to add that today was the day they decided to collect all the leaves around the complex. The blower guy had that thing running full throttle ALL DAY! I elect the drone of a blower as the most annoying noise know to man. As the day went on, my anxiety to finish my project combined with the tedium of doing it and the drone of the blower was winding me into a rage. It took all my strength to keep me from storming out to the guy, ripping the thing off his back and smashing it to bits. Aaargh!

All this is going on when C calls. She asks, "why is there water in the garage where we park?"

I answer, "that is because it has been raining and the cars are wet..."

"uhh, there is a lot of water..."

Crap. Is this really happening today? Sure enough our water heater had given up the fight... Luckily it didn't spray out, it just dribbled. It was fast enough to overflow the pan that I have been meaning to drain to the outside and seep through the wall into the garage. good work by the designers of our house to slope our laundry closet towards the garage or we would be tearing out the carpet today. I hopped in my truck which now stunk of ciopino and garlic. Awesome. C had the water shut off so there was no further damage.

I was now so worked up that my hand was shaking... Not good, Wednesday was beating me.

Anyhoo, to end this long story (at least when typed). With only a bit drama, we went to Lowes, picked up a new heater and parts, removed the old, cut and sweated some pipe, fixed the wiring, filled it up and switched it on. It worked beautifully! I don't know what I would have done if it didn't...

I pulled the truck in the garage and left the windows down to clear the stink.

Since yesterday was a pseudo-Friday we went to Los Margaritas, and I had two of their magnificent ultimate margaritas with dinner. All was well in the world. Before I went to bed I stared at the new water heater installation for a bit. (cue the music) Yeah, the day sucked for the most part but overall it came together at the end and I would consider it a success.

Yay!

Ten things I am thankful for this Thanksgiving....
(in reverse order)

10. My Cottonelle toiletpaper with Aloe
9. My new water heater
8. My couch
7. My Xbox 360
6. My TV
5. My house
4. My health
3. My friends
2. My family

And coming in at #1 by a mile.....

1. My wife - thank God she puts up with me!

[edit] C just complained that I didn't put her on my list.... She thought it was done with #2....

Hope all you have a happy Thanksgiving, wear loose pants!