It's Not A Tumor
Have I named a post that before? I feel like I have, given I am a bit of a hypochondriac. This week, I honestly thought I might have a brain tumor or some neurological disease because I spent a large portion of the week feeling as if I were having a constant mild case of vertigo. Like, a weird dizzy feeling. Turns out my brother-in-law has been having the same issues the last 2 weeks because we're having the worst pollen in 20 years. Talk about relief to find out that I wasn't dying (or, rather, dying faster, really, since we're all going in that direction). Just a horrid case of messed up ears from wack allergens. I am still feeling slightly off - there's only so much Claritin can do.
I had been planning on doing a post about my kitchen remodel cost/budget breakdown (which I am going to do, soon) but with the in-laws in town for the Husband's birthday, it's hard to get anything done, really. I am pooped from the weekend. Weekend was not relaxing. Was more a constant preparing and cooking of food. So much so, that last night, as I was falling asleep I had a semi-awake dream where I panicked that something on the stove needed to be stirred or else it would burn and be ruined. Seriously - neither myself nor The Huz signed up for the party so it didn't feel all that great plonking down the moola for all the food (and replacing the empty keg in the kegerator), and then busting our asses through the day. Though I'm sure most were thinking that they offered to help and we were just putting the work on ourselves (myself) but the reality is, it's hard enough cooking recipes you've not done very often by yourself. Having to delegate, under time pressure, to anyone other than your spouse - who understands your method of madness - is even more impossible (and frustrating). If I ever have an involuntary party (meaning people just sort of tell you you're having a party even though you are not really wanting to have one) it's going to involve grilling and absolutely nothing fancy. I don't care what the occasion.
I hope to be better rested next weekend.
Anywho. House Updates. The week before last (Easter weekend specifically) we bought a water softener because Sears was having 0% interest. Why? Well, the biggest reason is that tankless water heaters do not run very well in hard water conditions. But, really, our water is so damn hard, it's like showering in mineral water or something. Instant spots all over your shower doors. Back in Massachusetts, where I grew up, the water hardness was 1 grain per gallon. Our water here is 15-19 grains per gallon. Freakin' hard water.
Hard water means you use more soap, your pipes get more mineral deposit build up (which, with copper piping means higher likelihood of leaks), your dishes look like ass when they come out of the dishwasher, your skin feels like sand paper (in an already dry climate), etc, etc. The tankless water heater was the straw that broke the camel's back. It's been a week and a half and I can feel a bit of a difference but I'm thinking we need to up the hardness setting on the softener. I used 15 gpg (from the city water quality report - it said it was the average - with a range up to 19) but I'm thinking it's probably closer to the 18-19 number and needs to be ticked up a bit. I would think it should replace most of the hardness and it still feels hard to me. Anyone out there with a water softener? And the install cost was almost as much as the heater due to the way the pipes had to be run. That was less than fun - paying the $500+ install on top of the $400+ softener price tag. Oh well.
But we got our TAX REFUND! Woo Hoo!!! Finally. Which means... MASTER BATHROOM REMODEL this summer!
I would love the tankless heater and water softener. It is amazing what hard water can kill.
ReplyDeleteThe husband made a brisket with all the sides on Easter and may I say...that is an all day affair.
So I feel for ya...keep the fires burning takes on a whole new meaning, huh?
My husband had that last year, I think...the vertigo thing. I was about to suggest you might be pregnant, but hey....that's what pregnant women do. :)
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