Expensive Hot Water

I wasn’t up until 5:35am but didn’t really care too much. I’d have plenty of time to complete my routine. It was another clear morning with temperatures in the mid 20’s. Like usual, I did my exercises, walked Ykraps, enjoyed coffee and spent ten minutes meditating. I left for a run at 6:38am. I ran my normal track. Why wouldn’t I? I noticed that the number of homes lit up by Xmas lights is already fading. Like the day before, I made my own breakfast as Mindy and the kids were still sleeping. I warmed some of the breakfast strada and topped it off with a ‘dollop of daisy’ (sour cream). It was very yummy. I also packed a lunch similar to Monday’s. Like clockwork, the kids had already begun to stir even before I finished my breakfast. I simply allowed it to be. Mindy got Landon changed then put him in Bella’s room where he watched cartoons with the other kids. Work was similar to Monday – very quiet, especially early on. At lunchtime I took a trip to All Season’s Spas to get some chlorine for the hot tub. On my way back, I stopped at Home Depot to check out water heaters. Over the holiday, I discovered that one of our two hot water tanks was completely empty. I’ve been eager to replace them both for over five years. Research indicates that a 50 gallon would be perfect for our family size and water usage patterns. But I am also very intrigued by the newer tankless hot water on demand systems. The cost of a whole house version is quite expensive, however. The tankless unit alone is $1000, plus the venting system runs another $300. That doesn’t include any other miscellaneous parts and professional installation. I’ll most likely replace them both with one larger tank. Back to work. The afternoon moved swiftly. There wasn’t a great deal going on. Mindy informed me that she took all four kids out in the new Pilot this afternoon. Most notably, they went to Saturday’s where Bella, Rocky, and Landon all got haircuts. Brave woman! Jacob & Bella were leaving for dinner with their daddy. Mindy emailed asking how I felt about going to Barley’s with Rocky & Landon. That didn’t sound remotely good. I was thoroughly against it. I couldn’t relax with a two year old in tow. I was eager for dinner at home. Mindy ended up making chili dogs & green beans for the four of us. They were quite good. After dinner I spent time backing up all of December’s pictures to CD, downloading the kids pictures from their new digital cameras, and updating my blog. The kids were home by 8pm. Mindy and I got them showered and in pajamas quickly. We had them all tucked into bed by 8:30pm. During our quiet time we discussed what we might be taking to the neighbor’s New Year’s Eve party tomorrow evening as well as some home finances. The grown kids are eating a giant hole in our disposable income. Yikes!!