As Kurt is fond of saying, if it's not one thing, it's two things. And by golly, two is where I'd like to stop, thank you very much!
Today is a balmy 12 degrees, and Kurt thought that the problems he was having with his computer were related to, oh, I don't know, icicles forming on the hard drive. But when it began making all kinds of noises, we knew there was trouble. Off he headed, computer in hand, to Skyhouse, land of Computer Geeks. (May I just pause to say how much I love and am grateful for Computer Geeks?).
When Kurt returned, we were standing in our kitchen. As he was telling me that his hard drive was indeed dead as a doornail, we began hearing a most peculiar noise. This was not Kurt's computer. It sounded like water pouring somewhere, which we've learned is never a good thing unless you are laying in the sun next to a waterfall on Maui.
We dashed into Kurt's office and watched gallons of water cascading from the ceiling. The only ceiling in the house, I might add, which has been completely sheet rocked, sanded, and painted. I dashed upstairs, thinking that somehow we'd sprung a leak in our roof (I don't know about you, but I don't always think clearly when water is pouring onto my furniture) but it was dry as a bone. Kurt ran to turn off the water pressure, grabbed some buckets, and then we moved the new sofa bed that was soaking up most of the water.
Kurt is now upstairs ripping up the flooring in our bedroom, which is directly above his office, trying to find the source of the leak. He is a bit like Nancy Drew, only without the red convertible. Of course the leak wasn't where he originally suspected, so our reclaimed lumber floor is aquiring a little more character. Here is a shot after the first cut. You see where he's kneeling? That is all now sliced with the saw and pulled up. On an eco-educational note, you can see the insulation we've used - it's that really fabulous recycled denim stuff that comes in a roll. It is a pleasure to touch, and guess what? It really absorbs water. Sigh.
We realize now that by closing the office door to keep the rest of the house warmer we were slowly freezing the pipes. The insulation was installed on top of the pipes, which insulated them from the warmth of the upstairs and left them exposed to the cold coming up from the office. OK. We've learned that lesson. We are humbled, and chastened. We hope to not learn any more lessons in the next few weeks. Keep your fingers crossed!
Bye Bye Maya
I am sad to report that we have lost one of our most faithful and charming canine friends. Maya, loyal companion to Tamar for many years, passed away last week. Known for her incredibly soft beige fur, loads of charm and the ability to con anyone out of a snack, she is sorely missed. Nicknamed “the Princess,” she spent many afternoons napping on a second dog bed we installed in our house just for her.
This is Maya, relaxing on our stair landing which is right above our kitchen. Just before I took this shot, she was standing and wagging expectantly, as if secretly hoping that I would trip and fall and spill dinner all over the floor, and require her assistance in cleaning up!
I always loved her ears best – they were big and pointy and reminded me of the Sister Bertrille character played by Sally Field in the 70’s TV show The Flying Nun. Just a long way of saying that I miss Maya and her ears. Our sympathy goes out to Tamar, whose thoughtful and tender care bought Maya many extra years.
Sally Field as the Flying Nun. See the similarity?
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