Both orison, lament and joyful celebrations

Someone seeking a house to buy inspected our tankless water heater and doubted its ability to  heat all the water fast enough. I can assure her that it works well, although my hubby had difficulties convincing her at the time, and she couldn't run away fast enough.

We had a houseful last week with the two of us, plus visitors: three adult children, one son-in-law, a toddler and infant (18 diapers/ day!), and my brother.

Caitlin's birthday was a hit, with fruit bouquets from Creative Fruit Bouquets in Bracebridge.

I updated my facebook status:

‎5 loads of laundry done, the 6th on the line (soaked, but well-rinsed) 7th in the dryer, 2 dishwasher loads done. I'd forgotten about babies and diapers, guests and guest towels, and sheets.

Splashing in the lake

Somehow, even with the rainy weekend, we had much fun playing in the water. The circle of life is unending.

Life change in any form is difficult. For some it is caregiving for ill loved ones, job loss, moving, all sorts of psychosocial trauma changes our circumstances. How well we deal with it varies.

For me, during those long months of helping my dad die with dignity, it was my blog friends who read my posts. People who laughed at my trite comments, fun photos, or complaints about noisy folks on the lake.

Bala Ski Show a hit!

As we anticipate another move (3rd in 7 years) I am holding fast to my blog buddies. A simple comment warms the heart. I know you are giving back what you received and you are the better for it. Thank you!

The joy of having family here is balanced by both orison and lament for family that has gone before. For if you cannot celebrate death, then celebrations of life are so much less meaningful. And do enjoy each day!

We interred my parents, accompanied by a toddler. We explained that this was a treasure that we buried to remind us of my parents. Of course, Josephine misunderstood and spent that day and the next asking me if I was dead! I explained that it was MY parents, not her mommy's parents.

 
Requiem in pace

A. E. Housman (1859–1936).  A Shropshire Lad.  1896.

XXXII. From far, from eve and morning

FROM far, from eve and morning   And yon twelve-winded sky, The stuff of life to knit me   Blew hither: here am I. Now—for a breath I tarry   Nor yet disperse apart— Take my hand quick and tell me,   What have you in your heart. Speak now, and I will answer;   How shall I help you, say; Ere to the wind’s twelve quarters   I take my endless way.

Tankless water heater update

Picture this...for a week your hot water was tepid, hubby notices (long showers?). You do research on tankless water heaters, phone a company, get a quote= $3300, to remove the old, rusty hot water tank and put in a propane tankless water heater. It is wonderful. I love it. I am VERY conscious about using hot water!

You feel good about this.
In a week, the Bracebridge company has the new tank. You go another week with NO HOT WATER. You know, with Haiti's and Chile's earthquakes, that you cannot complain. You don't. Washing your hair in cold water, from the tap, having sponge baths from heated kettle water, for many is a luxury.

In two weeks, you have a date of installment, they arrive with the tank, you have a heckuva time as they realize that the propane tanks leaked, and had to be replaced.

You see, propane tankless heated water is more efficient than electric heated water. You have propane onsite, for the new furnace you put in the weekend your mother was dying. You saved the environment, spending thousands of dollars, but this is before the new program, for which we didn't qualify as it predates this program (May 12, 2006 - Mother's Day weekend!)

It makes sense to install this new heater for us. It takes up less space, it is more efficient. With only one bedroom upstairs most of the water is heated and piped to the main floor from the basement, meaning you are not running heated water, except for morning ablutions, to the distant 2nd floor.

Oh, says Ottawa Green Party Candidate (S-I-L), you can get money back from the government for installing this efficient system. After phoning the company in Orillia (the closest to us in Muskoka) that does this Energy Assessment, they explained that they will charge us $349, plus GST 14 %, to do the assessment. Fortunately, they do not charge mileage, like all the other contractors in Muskoka! Orillia is an hour away.

The government rebate for this is $150,  therefore of the $390 assessment, - 150 = $240, have to have the  inspection done. We will get back $325 from the prov, plus, $325 from the Federal government.

The catch: even, with a former business manager husband to interpret the detail on the government website, you realize, after phoning the 10 places that do this Preinstallment Survey, that you needed to have the survey done before you had the tank installed. Two weeks without hot water, maybe it could have been done if we'd known. But we only knew that we needed a new tank, toute de suite. So no Ontario or Federal rebate.

Tricky work amongst Muskoka trees

Firstly, we ordered a tankless water heater. The old hot water tank was leaking. We were taking tepid showers, then cold showers, then I would simply wash my hair in the cold water in the tub. BRRRRRR!!!! (With folks in trouble in the earthquake in Haiti, I cannot complain!)

The new propane, tankless heater arrived. It was installed, with much installation of pipes and uninstallation of the old, rusty tank.  The old one removed and taken to metal heaven. 

From son-in-law, Green Party Candidate:
Jean-Luc Cooke http://www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca/residential/personal/retrofit-homes/retrofit-qualify-grant.cfm

$315 from the feds, plus $315 from ontario for installing this.
All is good.

Except, our crew found that our propane tanks, which primarily heat our house, had leaks. Toute de suite, Brian phoned Superior Propane at 3 p.m.,  in an hour someone was here. (I was out working with my Hospice Client!)


The new person checked the tanks, yes, a leak, ordered some one in to plow the neighour's driveway and a 1/2 hour later (where the truck was going to work) the driveway was redone.

Paul was brilliant. Firstly, backing the truck down the neighbour's driveway. (It is partly hers, partly the municipality. )  This is our view from our living room window.

This is how you take away a propane tank in Muskoka. 
Next, the arm had to bo through the two trees, swinging a 75% full tank.

Jim arrived, and unhooked the old tanks, unplugged the new hot water tank (I still hadn't had a shower yet!) and Paul picked up the old tank with his hydraulic arm. 
  
He said it took him awhile, when first hired, to master the fanny pack of buttons.

I tell you. This retirement life is never boring. Here is the first of the new tanks. "Here, catch!"

This was all finished by 9:15 in the morning, as the ground gets pretty mushy as the warm sun heats the land.

I did a workout.

We took the cats for a walk on the lake,

and I had a wonderful, hot shower!

Here is the video of the removal.

This was a delivery of new propane tanks. What a time we've had. No hot water for two weeks, then the old tanks had a leak. Superior was there the next day. Good job, all.