Friday, July 13, 2012

July freeze

We have no hot water. The hot water heater, the one that has been on the fritz, sometimes providing hot water, and sometimes producing lukewarm water, has finally died. We have no hot water. At all.

I should look on the bright side, and be happy that it is July, and it could be worse. It could be February. And really, I am grateful for that. If I had to take an ice cold shower, I would much rather take it in the summer, than in the winter. And my hair and skin definitely look good from such an eye-opening start to the day.

I just can't stand to listen to Molly scream because the water is so unbearable to be in. I feel awful forcing her into the bathroom for a quick soap up, and rinse in ice water. She cries and begs not to go. And she fights to climb out of the tub while she is enduring it. She is mad at me for some time after each event. I feel terrible about it. I hate that I just can't fix something that breaks. I just want to do the minimum.

Not sure when and how we will be able to get the funds together to purchase and install one. I think it is going to be a while. No overtime, AT ALL. Very small paychecks. We are stretched beyond stretched. It is a constant game of catch up.

But it's July, and I shall be happy for small mercy's.

4 comments:

  1. Try filling a few big pots up on the stove and boiling them and tossing them into the tub. Much nicer.

    Our hot water heater broke in July, just after we bought the house and had no money in the budget for a new hot water heater at the time. So I did what I did in college - boiled water for a bath.

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  2. What kind of hot water heater do you need? Gas or Electric? Truly, we learned to save money by doing our own repairs. Youtube has been a wonderful tool. You tube has DIY videos for everything. My husband learned to change the differential fluid in my car by You tube. If he hadn't the repair would have been around $1000. If it is an electric hot heater, it should be doable by you and your husband. Gas, unfortunately, you need a gas tech.
    As for bathing the kids, have you thought about taking them to either the Stroudsburg or Dansbury pools? They have locker rooms and all public pools are supposed to have showers. Take them swimming then bathe them before you go home.

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  3. If you don't want to use the energy to boil water, prefill containers (gallon milk jugs, glass jars) early in the day and leave in the sun. The water won't be hot but it will not be ice-cold either.

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  4. Dammit Erin!!!!!!! Yeah, heat water on the stove and give the girls a bath that way...

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