Early Start to the Day

When my alarm clock goes off at 6:30 a.m. (really 6:10 a.m. as it is set 20 minutes fast), I never ever ever actually get out of bed. I spend the next hour or so, until the very last possible minute before I'm going to be late and then wait 10 more minutes, before I actually get out of bed. It is then that I run around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to get out of the door on time... to which never occurs. My hubby asked me why this is today when I made the comment that I really should get up that early every morning. My response: "Because I like to sleep more than I like to be on time". I guess I've been lucky so far, but not everyone likes to get out of bed minutes, much less a hour or so earlier than they really HAVE to. I am a sleeper, have always been a sleeper and will most likely remain a sleeper for the rest of my life. At any rate... here's the reason as to why I actually did get up when my alarm went off at 6:30 (6:10 really) this morning. Because Hubby, who was up and getting ready for work said to me, the split second my alarm went off for the very first time, "you might want to get up".

Me: "Why"

Hubby: "Because the hot water pump is leaking"

Me: "How bad"

Hubby: "not too bad"

Me: "Well is there water everywhere"

Hubby: "No, the washing machine was open so it's leaking into there"

See... that's the beautiful thing. I always wondered why the damn hot water heater was suspended into air, 2 feet or so above my washing machine, boxed in, in such a fashion that I managed to hit my head at least once during each laundry session. And I always wondered how or why my husband hadn't managed to get us a new washing machine hose so that the washer and the dryer could swap places so the dryer would be on the right as nature intended. Now, I know why, so when the hot water heater leaks the water doesn't flood your garage and into the house... instead it just goes straight into the washing machine after which time you can hit the "drain" cycle and wa-la... problem solved.

So... on to my next wa-la... the most beautiful, ever useful Home Warranty. When we purchased our first home, a townhouse in the ghetto in Virginia, I insisted, without caring what hubby had to say that we would be purchasing the home warranty. Total up front cost is around $400.00 and each time you need a repair that is covered there is a trade fee of $55.00... TOTAL. When we sold that house, warranty went with it, unused, of course. When we purchased our house in N.C. I insisted, once again, that we would be purchasing the home warranty. Cost was round about the same as the first warranty. The warranty lasts a year and can be renewed. You may think... but $400.00 is a lot up front and $55.00 each time something breaks? Do not kid yourself. It costs way more than $55.00 get get a plumber or electrician to your door. Not to mention the cost of replacing said item that is broken and labor for the man with his crack showing to fix it should you not wish for your husband to tear something up worse trying to do so himself. That means, should our hot water heater need to be replaced today, which I just found out it does, instead of being sick over it, crying wanting to die... it's going to cost us $70.00 (the warranty people say we have to have some sort of valve installed that wasn't there before so we need to have it installed and they won't pay for it... $15.00 extra (I know that this really does need to be added because it is a safety thing we had to have installed to sell our home in VA). I shall keep a list of the items our home warranty, which has now been renewed one time, has so wonderfully replaced:

1. On/Off valve for refrigerator water. Hubby and FIL managed to strip it while turning it on. You see... WE broke it... but for $55.00 they fixed it;
2. Built-in Microwave. The house had a built in microwave that began cutting out occasionally after 2-3 seconds. Damn-it. Then you'd have to reset the time & date before you could begin cooking your food again. Try that happening 3 or 4 times when you are trying to warm something for 30 seconds. They replaced our 4 (or so) year old built-in microwave with a new one, Home Depot value of: $299.00;
3. Hot Water Heater; plumber said the value on this would be $360.00. I asked hubby to ask him how much his total "parts, repair & labor" bill would have been put I have not heard the results as of yet.

Now I shall keep a list of the items that I think I wouldn't mind if they broke:

1. Dishwasher. It has begun making this terrible, awful crying/groaning/whining sound as it transitions between cycles.
2. Heat Pump... I think it might be kind of old... but please, please, please on a wonderful spring afternoon!

I have told Hubby that we will be renewing this warranty every year until they tell us "hell no". You see. Right now. I am laughing, I am care free over this, I'm not about to go over the deep end because of "one more thing that we can't afford but can't afford to live without". Oh the joys of owning a home. So for today, until tomorrow when I move on to other subjects I'm itching over such as motherhood or pressure washers... Here's to Home Warranties and fully operative appliances!