Day 232
Back in the 70’s Saturday Night Live had the recurring character Roseanne Roseannadanna (played by Gilda Radner) as a guest bit on their “Weekend Update” portion of the program. She was a brash, opinionated, loud-mouth who always got things mixed up and ended up talking about “off” subjects in the most open, irritating, annoying and gross way. And she was funnier than hell. At the end of her spot she always ended up saying, “Well, you know – it’s always something.”
And it is.
This week was one I really don’t care to repeat. My neighbor had to cut down a 100 yr old, huge oak tree … my biz continues to not do so great … a friend died … another friend found out she has breast cancer … and on Saturday my new carbon monoxide alarm registered my house at 400 ppm (normal reading should be ZERO)!
It’s always something.
So, thankfully, the furnace guy came out (ca-ching for overtime and on a weekend – yay!) and assured me it was not the furnace that had the problem. Phew!
It was the water heater. Actually, the water heater exhaust pipe. He walked straight to it, pulled it off and turned it around to show me the 2 golfballs sized holes in it. Wonderful. So, for the past 4 months of me living here (because surely this didn’t happen since May – the piping was about 300 years old – so it’s been happening all along) … I’ve been exposed to levels of carbon monoxide whenever I ran the shower, dishwasher, washing machine, water … anytime I needed hot water. GREAT.
Just great.
I am now wondering if my not feeling great has been a side effect or just coincidental all these months?
In any case … the inspector who gave my house a “9 out of 10” is getting the old pipe smashed over his head tomorrow when I go visit him! Well, maybe not tomorrow … but I will show it to him … and I will report him to the BBB. This “great” inspector failed to notice the old CO alarm didn’t work. Failed to notice the leaking kitchen faucet and bathroom sink and laundry tub. Failed to notice the crack in the basement foundation wall. Failed to notice the Thomas Edison electrical wiring throughout the house and garage. Failed to notice the antiquated and hazardous gas heater in the family room. Failed to notice that the gas line to said heater was also hazardous. Failed to notice the piping on the water heater needed to be changed as it was not up to code. Along with failing to notice the 2 golfball sized holes in the exhaust system of the water heater.
I’m lucky the animals and I are alive.
In any case, it IS always something.
Tonight I put my coat away in the front hall closet and thought it was exceptionally chilly in there. There is a crawl space/attic access panel in the ceiling … guess I’ll have to go check that out and see if I need to add some insulation. Wonder if the house has any itself? Oh joy.
I would just like life to take a break from bad stuff for a while … but you know as well as I do that’s not always how things go. Cuz more than not … it’s always something.