February 6, 2018
5:34 p.m.

Happy Birthday to my son-in-law, Jason. It took me awhile to find the appropriate photo to go with this birthday wish! Hope you're having the best birthday ever!!
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Updates to the hot water heater saga.

I have the absolute BEST parents ever. They called and offered to help their poor kiddo (me) out with getting a new one.

I don't know how anyone gets along without GREAT parents like mine. They are life savers.

Thank you, thank you, God, for sending me to them.

Anyway, there will be drama forthcoming, I'm sure. (Because it is me, after all!!)

I wasn't able to get the water heater I originally picked because it wasn't HUD certified for mobile homes. but I finally found one that is and got it ordered today.

Naturally, deliveries are backed up until Friday, and a lovely winter storm is predicted for Saturday. But, God willing, things will work out for an earlier delivery. You never can tell.

I still haven't gotten any of the accessories. There's no way I don't need them--because of the leaking, pipes and fittings will need replacing, and also the floor. Yay. But hopefully I have chosen the right guy for the job of repairing the mess, and for installation of the new unit.

In the meantime, I remind myself that back in the day, my parents pumped water and heated it up for use. They had wood-burning stoves that had to be lit and tended, and no indoor plumbing.

They survived. So will we.

Yesterday I heated water and took a lukewarm bath, and I have lived to tell the tale. We just turn on water long enough to gather what we need for the tasks at hand, like washing dishes or cooking, and then turn it off. It's not a HUGE deal, knowing that it won't last forever.

And we don't have to go out in the cold to an outhouse, so there's that! Ha ha!
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8:24 p.m.

On the minus side of the coin, my daughter and grandson are sick, the toddler is insisting that only SHE gets to be sick and get my attention, and I decided NOT to make chili on a night when no one can actually eat it and be okay tomorrow.

So I'm eating mozzarella sticks for dinner. Very nutritious. Uh huh.

I don't care. They are yummy.
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Tea and honey is not impressing the grandson. But I hope he'll choke some down. Honey good--sugar not so good.

Whee. It is fun over here tonight.

Granddaughter is at my side, hiding under my fluffy robe and playing with some electronic game. She's quite a character. Up until recently, she called me Gampa. She's made the transition to Gamma, but I miss being Gampa. She has now taken to calling her parents by their first names instead of Mommy and Daddy. Unless she's tired or really wants something, anyway. I think she's about a year ahead of schedule for that.

She counts everything, and quite well.

If you ask her a question, she doesn't answer yes or yeah. It's "Yeow." Very drawn out, like "Yee-0ww". She's going to outgrow that. What a bummer.

The hiding thing is new. Suddenly it became a fun thing to be unseen. Anyone coming home from work or the store might be required to find her. She's still at an age where if she can't see you, you can't see her, either. She covers her eyes and she's magically invisible. It's so cute.

Also--she forgets nothing. I wish my memory was half as good. I used my stool to reach something in the top of my closet one day and didn't put it back where I got it. (imagine that!) When I went looking for it, she told me where it was. I didn't really remember putting it there until she took me by the hand and led me to the closet. There it was! 

I should probably take her with me everywhere I go. Just to be safe.
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I can't believe it's already February. I have to call tomorrow and get my appointments for preventive care goodies at the doctor, and whatever else they think I need to get done before I go back to Wyoming for a little while.

Doctor, dentist, eye doctor. Got my new glasses RX and haven't even shopped for glasses yet. I don't know why. Have to finish the dang root canal, too. Yuck. I could potentially spend next week in offices. Whoopie.

None of it is a big deal. Except the root canal. I got treated for an infection last time I was in, and then I got sick, and the it was Christmas, and then I got sick again. Enough already. Gotta get it done!

I need to stay away from my family, so they don't pass on their illnesses. Wish me luck with that!

Right....
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Did I tell you I am now a Goodreads author? I'm excited about that. I get to belong to a group that includes some of my favorite authors.

It's kind of like getting to hang with the popular kids when you're just the class nerd. What can I say?
I like Goodreads, have been reading reviews there for a long time, and I feel kinda cool.
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Good night, all! I am off to re-fill water jugs and go to bed.