My lack of posting in these first few weeks of 2008 does not mean nothing has been happening. I’ll catch you up.

The best story is a wet one. I woke up one Wednesday morning for work bright and early at 7AM. I stumbled to the bathroom and reached in to turn on the shower. In stead of the usual torrent all I got was a trickle.

This was not going to be good.

My mind raced through the possibilities of what could be the problem. Staying at Jason’s was my first experience dealing with well water but I knew enough to first check the breakers on the fuse box to make sure there hadn’t been some problem during the night. Everything there was OK.

Now…panic set in.

Since this was not my house no plumber or electrician or plumber would work on the house without Jason’s approval and with his being in California , contacting him could not happen until somewhere around noon so, effectively, my day at work was cancelled. Jason usually uses his cell phone, which has some very bad coverage where he is living, and was out exploring northern California every time I tired calling their house number. It wasn’t until late Thursday night that I was able to reach him. Arrangements were quickly made with the company name found on the pump hardware for a repairman to come by Friday.

This had made two days without running water. Dishes started petrifying in the sink and I used the pool as a reserviour to keep the toilet running; filling the tank by hand for each flush. Showers? Yes, I took showers through the generosity of my friends two doors down. I would wake up a half hour early to walk down to their house and use their shower. It was either that or use the pool, and since the pool wasn’t heated I wasn’t looking forward to the shrinkage; my testicles would have ended up somewhere around my throat.

The repairman showed up Friday and stood for a moment looking at the collection of tanks and pipes in the garage. Within moments he said, “You problem is the pump, that’s not our equipment.” I think he saw the panic in my eyes and quickly said, “Hold on a moment.”

He went to his truck and returned with a screwdriver. Within thirty seconds he bent over the equipment, found what he was looking for, took the screwdriver by the shaft, swung it and tapped the pump twice.

The pump sprang to life!

“You’re shitting me!” I swear I could hear the pump laughing at me.
The repairman too his scientifically designed and calibrated uber-screwdriver and drove off to save another mechanically inept person.

With my luck, if I had tried the same thing, the house would have flooded. With each shower I take now I am secure in the knowledge that if it happens again I can respond like Bob Villa with my own expertly calibrated screwdriver.

A good new years?

The girl I have been "seeing" for the past three months is apparently spending her New Years with her family, including her ex-husband. Earlier in the week she had mentioned having some sort of small gathering at her house and had asked me to attend. As today closed in she talked more about her step-son still being in town and probably having to do something with that part of her family. I can deal with that...somewhat.

If you've known me or read enough, I sometimes set myself up for disappointment in such situations. Those of you who have known he long enough are shaking your head at me because here I am in my usual situation. I can deal with that...somewhat.

My son saved the day; mostly by being in the same boat as me. At around 12:15 the phone rang. He was at home. His original plan, and the reason he was not here with me over the weekend, was that his girlfriend was having a party. His mother and stepfather apparently were not to happy about those plans. As we talked I could still hear the anger in his voice. I don't know all of the details but, it was some sort of a big blow out between the three of them. My son was honestly pissed off at his mother. I can deal with THAT!

"Well, son," I said to him, "Us Eaton men suck at this girlfriend thing, don't we!"

"Yeah Dad," he grumbled "I guess so."

"Ain't genetics great, son?"

"Yeah, thanks Dad."

But he had gone out of his way and called me for something as inconsequential as New Year's Eve. Yes, it was partly because he was at his mother but he went out of his way to call me just to talk. I can deal with THAT!

So while other things in my life may be in question I still have my son. I sat that makes for a damned good New Years Eve.

After he hung up I put the Sinatra channel on the satellite, turned up the volume, opened the sliders to the pool, filled a glass with bourbon, lit a cigar and sung away in the hammock while Frank sang.

Yup.....a pretty damned good New Years!!!!