Quote de jour
"Right now I'm just delighted to be alive and to have had a nice long bath."
                                                                                  ~Richard Branson

I haven't had a bath in over a week. I could have had a cold bath but I'm the type of person who won't swim in anything cooler than a Jacuzzi. You guessed it, the hot water is on the fritz. Last year we installed a fancy energy efficient new furnace. The hot water is somehow connected to it. I have no idea how it works but it took weeks to install. First they had to dismantle the old one which wouldn't fit through the door of our antique farmhouse. Then they installed the wrong model, it was removed and finally the correct model arrived. Visions of hot steamy baths danced in my head. The new one didn't quite fit, so they had to design a labyrinth of copper pipes resembling Frankenstein's laboratory.

Meanwhile, I learned to boil more water than a pioneer mid-wife. I mastered the eco-friendly art of watering can showers. One watering can was too heavy and cumbersome, one was too small, but one was as Goldilocks would say, "Just right," On hot days, I showered outdoors in the privacy of my backyard. Dare I say it? I secretly enjoyed the sun on my bare skin. My days of roughing it came to an abrupt halt when the monster in the basement roared to life. For our inconvenience, the heating company gave us a free two-year service contract. All was well for one year.

All monsters need proper care and feeding. This one had expensive taste. Only the the best oil will do. We figured the absence of hot water had to do with low oil levels. We ordered a tank re-fill. Still no hot water. The company who installed the furnace was no where to be found. I resumed boiling up vats of water for hand washing,
hubby's shaving and of course, watering can showers. This time, the rustic charm quickly grew thin. I wanted a hot bath. The heating company, it turns out went belly-up. So much for our free service contract. Our delightful oil provider suggested someone who could fix the furnace.  He was supposed to show up yesterday but didn't.

This morning, I sat in the garden with my cat Merlin, drinking coffee and reading the N.Y. Times. The headlines screamed trouble on Wall Street and woes of every kind. I put the paper down and felt a wave a gratitude. The sun warmed my face and I closed my eyes as cats do. So maybe I didn't have hot water but I had a full belly and cold water. Cold, drinkable water. Around the world, 884 million people don't have access to clean drinking water. Never mind hot and cold running water or the luxury of a hot bath. For those of us who have that luxury and would like to help those who don't please visit http://www.water4people.org

An hour later, the heating guy shows up. A few minutes later, I turn on the tap. It's cold. I'm not daunted and let it flow. Within seconds the cold water turns warm, then gloriously hot. Who knew hot water could make my day?


I'm going to have a hot bath now and you better believe I'm going to enjoy it.