water, water and more water

We finished October with a sigh, the house work was done and we had a sense that we could settle in to a season of rest. Ahhh, it was nice to walk through November with ease and only some unpainted drywall calling to me for attention.

That changed two Fridays ago. As I returned home from a day away I noticed a wet spot on a package below the water heater. Drip, drip, drip. Hmmm?? After surveying the hot water heater it was found to indeed have a leak- not common for a tankless hotwater heater. Home warrantee company called and end result is a new one is being shipped from CA to be swapped out. Yet the requirement to upgrade propane gas line came with the "gift". We have now completed that requirement and are awaiting the return of the plumber. Life here now means twice a day we turn on the water to the heater, fire it up, shower and do dishes and then shut it all off until the evening. We are thankful to have found a way to use it amidst its problems.

Following the hot water heater we had some fair days of weather and then a roof testing blustery windy rain storm. Hope was the roof would sail through it without our attention. Not to be, yet the seepage seems to be in the areas of caulking and flashing, not shingles. The first visit took care of the poor caulk around the roof mounted satelitte dish- yes someone (us) still has a monster dish - and we use it! Terry also properly reseated the exaust stack over the hotwater heater that had been moved for the reroofing. Another good seal it appears. The worst leak- as in streams of water down the wall, is in the boys room. The wall has turned black in one place which makes us think that it had been moist for a while. Terry tried one locations, but moisture came back. He was out again on Saturday to try again at stemming the leak.

I am told that roof leaks are common. that many people experience them. I believe that to be true, yet find it hard to fully accept that it is common to experience so many over and over again as we have. I have become a bit "gun shy" maybe even a bit fearful, or maybe just weary. As I spoke to the owner of the company he mentioned that he knew I was worried about my walls. I corrected him to say, not I am more weary. Tired of having to call, wait and hope that the water will stay out. Tired of looking at dark spots on the ceiling that will need to be repaired. Now as I look at the boys room there is enough damage that at least one piece of drywall will need replacement. The roofing company may pay for it, they might not- I am not sure. Until the leak is stopped I will wait and hope.

So water, water and more water has been involved in consuming time and energy in our lives. Saturday we had the revelation that the upstairs shower pressure was greatly diminshed. My dear husband, who is even wearier than I began to seek answer- hoping to not spend more $$ as the gas plumbers were there working and that was enough for one day. He found several large mineral deposits, but still not the pressure needed. He disassembled and reassembeled in multiple ways the pressure regulator and valve. I visited the water turn off multiple times. Finally from the depths he found and removed something that caused the obstruction and the pressure is back. A day spent on water again.

Throughout all these activities and interactions we try to be pleasant yet the strain comes through. I have been thinking about it a bit, wondering again what is to be learned and gained by all we have walked through with living here- no answers. I looked at a chart comparing discipline and pruning- based on John 15. I sense that this is a time of pruning in our lives. It is just hard as we feel like it is actually costing us time and energy rather than freeing up time and availability. Not sure what all is going on in the heavenlies, yet know that our lives are filtered through His hands.

So, we start a new week. It will be a rainy week. Another week for patience, or maybe a week of rejoicing. It may be a week to get hot water on demand, not twice a day. A week to see if the leaks have been stopped. A week to rejoice is stronger water flow in the shower again. Either way we are so very blessed. We have a house over our head, we have running water and the difficulties are being taken care of and resolved. Oh that we could keep perspective amidst what each day brings.