I’d like a new hot water heater for Christmas. I know that’s a strange request, but ours just up and died.  Will it fit in your sleigh?

Seriously though, we picked my sister and her husband up last night from the train station after they had been delayed by Amtrak for over four hours in the big train snafu at Penn Station. There was a strange odor in the house but only just. I happened to go downstairs to get the festive Christmas headgear for the dogs (silly antlers and such) and the minute I opened the door to the basement I could smell something electrical burning. When I turned on the light there was a pall of smoke hanging around the ceiling! Yikes! I yelled for Rick and we turned on all the lights to find the problem. He immediately checked out the furnace which was okay, then the hot water heater. Blackened marks around its panel told the grim story of a hot water heater that had fried itself. Too scary! As I type at 7:52 a.m. this morning, the plumber is installing a new one.

My poor sister and brother-in-law couldn’t even take a shower! Things happen at the most inconvenient times. Well, at least it happened last night and not tonight, Christmas Eve. Imagine the plumber coming on Christmas Day because you don’t have any hot water!

I hope all of you out there reading this have a very Merry Christmas! I hope Santa brings you what you asked for, even if it’s as banal as a new hot water heater!

P.S. Yes, that is me in the photo with Santa!

Happy Christmas and happy hot water! Yikes. So glad you found the fried water heater before something really bad happened.

Hope we’ll see pics of the dogs in their antlers?

You on Santa’s lap? Adorable!!

Word veri: “family”

What a precious picture. I love the coat! And I’m glad that, despite the fried heater, things worked out. Please post dogs in antlers photos!

I hope you have a nice visit with your sister and a wonderful Christmas!  Would love to see the dogs in thier togs!

O does this bring back scary memories for me! My hot water heater caught fire the year before last at Christmastime. I arrived home from work to fire trucks surrounding my home. I sat out in the snow on the stoop of the park steps ridden with anxiety not knowing if I would have a home to go into. As guardian angels would have it there was only damage to the old cellar. Shower your guests with love and they wont even miss the hot water…well for a little while anyway.
Wishing you a season of CoMfOrt & jOy!
LiBBy BuTTons

Glad you found your hot water heater problem and was able to get it fixed.  How scary was that…glad you’re ok.  Love the photo…I had bangs just like that.
Merry Christmas!  Looking forward to your adventures in 2010

I LOVE that picture of you! Looking forward to seeing the pups in their gear! What a relief you found your heater before much more damage was done.
We had a blizzard all day yesterday- but today is bright and beautiful and the boys are content playing with the loot from Santa.
Have a wonderful Christmas!!

Merry belated Christmas, Lynne! Hope your water stays hot from now on!

Thank you all, and Merriest of Merries to you all in the coming year!
I tried, I truly did to get pics of the kids in their antlers, but Alex was the only one who managed to keep his on long enough for a photo op. Hailey kept hers on for the few minutes it took for Bella to pull them right off her of her head. Oh well… I’ll post Alex’s photos soon!

P.S. Now we have lots of hot water! All brand new and many $$$ later ...

Happy holidays, I know I’m seeing this a little late, but glad to hear you got all taken care of and the hot water is back!

Love the picture you chose, adorable!

Maggie
This Life Thru the Lens

Great photo of both you and the reindeer-puppy!  Glad the appliance issues got worked out expeditiously.  Timing is everything!  My company is leaving over today and tomorrow.  It will surely be very quiet this next week.