one hundred degrees

hi,
it's hot. How hot is it, you ask? Are you kidding... if you are anywhere in North America you are feeling the direct effect of Global Warming or 'revenge of Al Gore' as I have come to think of it. This was all his idea, like the Internet was, right?

I arrived home from my stay in Toronto to a house that obviously missed me. Marshall held the fort down just fine, what a guy, but the minute I got in, the place went to hell in a hand basket fast. Thursday morning, as I made my way down to the laundry room I was greeted by a swamped floor in the basements' unfinished area. I couldn't tell if the air conditioner had leaked, the dehumidifier was on a temper tantrum or the sump-pump had given out... or all of the above. I had to run upstairs to find the plumbers phone number (water equals plumber issues in my mind) and as I passed the heating-A/C control panel I saw the temperature in the house was already over 80°.. and it was 9:30am. Okay, I get the hint, leaving home is like leaving an untrained puppy to run around and pee everywhere or pull all the toilet paper off the rolls.....

Our plumber shows up a few hours after I call for help. The floor drain in the basement is totally blocked. Could it be that the burst water tank 6 months ago, or the expansion tank leak last month cause a lot of crap to build up in the pipe? Maybe the whole house hates me? The plumber has no success snaking out the drain, he gives me a number to a "Power Rooter" operation who has bigger and more powerful snakes. I in no way want to start any rumors about the size of my plumbers snake not being long enough, he's great guy and I'm sure his wife is happy with his equipment. The Power Rooter men are successful in cleaning out the floor drain and getting water to flow again. All I have to do is wash the floor for the 4th time. On to the A/C problem.

My plumber rescues me again by having a great A/C company for me to contact. They send out a repairman within 2 hours of my call. Nick is now my latest best-buddy. He tops up the air conditioner unit with F22 (freon?) and comments on liking the huge 1950's freezer in the basement. If he ever talks his girlfriend into letting him have it, he's coming back to take the sucker apart and put it in his house, power to him!  It weighs 2 tonnes. The house is now happy. The basement is dry, the A/C has our house back to a livable temperature of 78° and all it took was a little sweat and a lot of money. Own a house, write out cheques, it's the way of the world.

At least we can hide indoors in the conditioned splendor... that is until the power goes out again. The 100° heat has caused power overloads to black us out in the early evening. Sushi by candle light worked out perfectly last night for dinner. I had made the rice in the afternoon while waiting around for service men to appear. Timing is everything.... especially when it's hot.

xox
m