One Heck Of A Crazy, Chaotic Week...Between Heaven and Hell...

This has been a real crazy week!  We came back from California to plumbing and appliance problems.  I had  previously scheduled our annual warranty check this Tuesday for our fridge, washer and dryer and our water heater.  I scheduled a repair appointment for the fridge because I noticed we were getting some floaty, whitish, opaque things from the water dispenser. YUCK!

To make a long story short, each of the check ups turned into separate hellish nightmares.  By Tuesday night, AFTER all the check ups passing all inspections with flying colors, we had no hot water in our water heater.  I could not run the WASHER MAGIC (for built up soap and residue, recommended by the tech) due to no hot water... And, we had no ice or filtered water because the tech refused to reconnect our source water from the wall, until we called a plumber.

I called the contracted plumbers for a "look see", who were hired by our housing community, due to an ongoing community law suit against Pulte/Del Webb.  Pulte built the homes with yellow brass or high zinc contact fittings which deteriorate with the Las Vegas Valley water.

The tech  had warned the corrosion caused from these particular fittings could clog and potentially damage the refrigerator, which would null and void our warranty protection agreement.  A new solenoids would cost from $300-$500.

The plumbers advised us to go to Lowes or Home Depot and purchase an additional filter to protect the fridge from the source water.  We went to Lowes and the appliance salesman looked at us like we were from another planet.  He told us in 35 years he had NEVER heard of such a thing.  He said he would love to make a sale, because we would additionally have to purchase five feet of new line to make the filter fit behind the fridge, but the only thing we would accomplish, in his opinion, was smaller ice cubes.

Frustrated, we left without purchasing anything but the Washer Magic and the lint brush for the dryer lint trap, suggested by the Sears tech.

Again, I called Sears, once we got home and I began to clean the washer...when I discovered we had no hot water and to have someone help us with the fridge.  I remembered this really nice tech named Rocky.  Two years prior, he repaired our ice maker and was not only friendly, good at his job, but full of helpful information.  I requested him for both the fridge and the water heater.  I was so fed up with Sears.  I have never been a big fan, but my husband is....but that is another story...

So Rocky came Thursday and I almost kissed him at the front door!  I told him our tale of woe, and he promptly went into the garage to check out the water heater.  He determined we had a small leak which was putting out the pilot light.  The previous tech, who took all of two minutes to check it,and  had pronounced it "fine".  Rocky told us it would be replaced, but we would probably pay extra for code upgrades and permit.

He checked out the water I had saved from the wall source water and agreed with the contracted plumbers, we needed to put an additional filter and five foot line.  We told him we were going to pay $80 at Lowes for the supplies.  He told us he would do it for $46.  We have to change the filter in 8 or 9 months, and replace the white hose line with a grey hose line, if we should start to notice an odor.  He told us to call him back and he would install it for us if we had problems.

Friday, our new water heater was installed ($186 for permits and code upgrades).  The Sears plumbers told us the replacement Kenmore water heater (made my American, our former water heater) had a nine year warranty...."if" we would have bought it ourselves, brand new.  The fact it was replacing a water heater on warranty, we would only have whatever warranty remained on our current warranty, which expires this August.  (This morning, two days after the install, Sears woke me up to ask if I wanted to renew our warranty...FIVE MONTHS before it expires!)  Total for our "free" annual check ups...$252, including the Washer Magic and lint brush.

Saturday, was spent cleaning and doing laundry which had piled up from no hot water...as well as dirty dishes, stored in our dishwasher.  I actually had sore ears from all the phone calling and answering of phones this week!!! I felt like a frazzled switchboard operator!

No, that is not Izzy, but she was extra interested in the dishwasher this week...

We did have a good time in California. We left last Friday, the 18th and returned to Nevada this past Monday, the 21st. It was sooooo wonderful to see my daughters, grand sons and grand pup...

Normally, when we take Izzy in the car, we tell her we are going "Bye Bye" and she runs straight to the car.  This time, we told her "Road Trip".  Her head did a tilt, hearing this new word...

Pardon my unmade bed and attempts at video recording...

She traveled well like she always does.  This time I had her seat belted in, (instead of locked in her crate) which tethers her enough to look out each side of the windows in the back seat.  I put her crate on one side of the back sear and left the door open, and her dog bed on the other side, preventing the door from closing.
She napped contently on the pink bone blanket my oldest daughter Holly made for her. She happily went in and out  of her crate, checking out the window scenery as we drove.  I could almost hear her asking, "Are we there yet?"

Upon our arrival to my oldest daughter, Holly's home, we introduced Izzy to Dutch (my 3 month old chocolate lab, grand pup). 

We let her say hello (smell his butt first), and when it was his turn... he attempted to mount her.  She did not appreciate his enthusiasm and promptly, turned and did a snap and growl at him.  My grand sons, the 8 and 6 year old got a huge charge out of this!  They belly laughed with glee seeing our scruffy terrier with a pink bow on her head, attacking like Kujo, to their dog, twice her size! My 9 year old grand son was highly impressed with her warrior attitude.

Holly cooked three delicious dinners for us during our three night stay.  Spaghetti and meat balls on Friday, chicken on Saturday and Tacos with all the trimmings on Sunday.  Friday night I watched the DVD, Despicable Me with my two oldest grand sons.  Both of them had seen it so many times, they took turns acting out the movie for me and saying all the lines! It was glorious and I laughed til' my face was sore...

Saturday we watched the 6 year old's T-Ball game.  He made two great hits, one of them a home run, plus two great field plays resulting in two outs.  He received the game ball and was so excited he slept with it.  We all laughed the next morning when he walked out with the game balls inscription, tattooed to his cheek!

Sunday, Jacob turned 6 months old.  My youngest daughter, Jodee, her boyfriend Jeff and baby Jacob came over to join us for dinner. They wanted to share in the celebration and to see Jacob debut his first time eating oatmeal...

First taste of solid food...

Oh yeah, he likes it...

Proud Daddy thinks his son is still hungry

A storm was due on Sunday, so I had brought Izzy's rain jacket in hopes my daughter could come up with a solution, since Izzy's expanding belly prevented it from fitting her. My genius daughter Holly invented an expander band of black felt with Velcro, allowing Izzy to fit into her jacket once again. She finished it just before the rain began to pour!  

Pretty awesome, huh?

Since Dutch had been banned from the garage for eating my son in law's wallet with his credit cards and photos, a la carte, Dutch stayed in the backyard and we let Izzy have the garage...except when he rained.  Dutch went in the garage and we put Izzy in her crate.  No dogs allowed in my daughter's house.  Izzy did well, especially with all the walking we did.  She also enjoyed watching the boys build things with their Legos. She did not eat much...not sure if that is normal for traveling with dogs...I caught my husband sneaking her treats...so maybe that is why... 

Holly suggested we go to Pet Co and buy her some sausage rolls, "made of all natural ingredients, no fillers and good for her". My daughter does her research and knows what she is talking about, so off we went.  I bought the turkey flavor and Izzy LOVED IT.
I walked Izzy every2-3 hours since she was more confined than she usually is.  We called it the Gauntlet, because every house in their neighborhood has at least two or three big dogs, plus several were off leash.  I had to do some "posturing" to prevent them from charging us.  Course Izzy was doing her stiff legged robot dog routine...to let them know they better not mess with her.  She has a Napoleon Complex with bigger dogs...

Holly and I talked in the living room, where I slept on the couch in the same room with Izzy in her crate.  It was so good just sitting and talking, looking at my daughter's beautiful face and hearing her voice... I miss these precious moments more than I can express... Our home is so quiet, and I felt emotional just hearing the sounds of children laughing and playing, the hustle and bustle of all the family talking, cooking and visiting...it was just pure heaven to me.