Unlucky, yet very Lucky

Thursday morning we awoke to find that we had no hot water. The most likely cause of course: frozen water in the pipe. Luckily the frozen spot was located quickly and was thawed with a space heater. Carlos and I then insulated all of the hot water pipe and overnight we left a slow drip on the hot water faucet. We were also lucky in the fact that we did not have any leaks or breaks in the water line. When we went to Home Depot to purchase the insulation we luckily got the last few segments of pipe insulation that they had. In was kind of fun climbing around on the rafters in the attic to install the insulation.

For those of you who are unaware... New Mexico has been experiencing very unusual cold temperatures. In fact New Mexico has been declared in a state of emergency due to the energy (gas/electric) shortage caused by unusual high usage for heating. Rolling blackouts have been implemented throughout the state. Water breakages and outages are very common this week. We were lucky in that our house did not experience any blackouts.

Late yesterday afternoon Carlos noticed something that sounded like running water. We immediately thought, "Oh no! Busted pipe!" Sure enough, a fitting on the pipe in our backyard had busted. Luckily though, this would be an easy fix and did not cause any other damage to the house (lots of local homes have had leaks in their attics/walls). We were able to turn off the water, purchase the necessary fittings and tools, replace the pieces, and get the water back on, all in a matter of 45 minutes. :)
We were also able to get to the hardware store just before they were about to close.

Below is a picture of the broken elbow:

Here is a picture of the repair (well, we still need to add plumber's putty):

So, to sum up... We were unlucky in that we had a frozen hot water pipe, and a busted fitting.

We were very lucky in that:

• The hot water pipe did not break.
• The cold water pipe was an easy fix.
• We got the last few pieces of pipe insulation.
• We got to the store to purchase repair pieces just before they were about to close.
• Neither pipe incidences were in a location to cause serious damage to the home.
• We did not experience any of the rolling blackouts that were prevalent here in town.
• Carlos and I had each other to help with the repairs/preventative measures.

SNOW!

We have snow!! :) It is quite a rare event here. Especially to receive an entire 3 inches! Lol. Carlos and I went for a walk this morning in the snow (8 degrees, with wind chill of -7). It was awesome! We bundled up enough that it actually felt quite nice. Carlos' grandparents live very close, so we stopped by to say hello to them.

Here are some pics:

The schools are closed, but the office where I work is open. It actually didn't have any power, and therefore my boss said that we could come in late to allow time for the power to come back on. The roads are pretty much pure ice. I have never before driven in these conditions. However, I felt like I was prepared to give it a try for my first time. My car did not feel the same way. I drive a small rear wheel drive vehicle. There are several hills on the way to work. The first hill I came to had a line of cars trying to get up it, and it also happens to be on a blind curve. So... When it came my turn to drive up... I just didn't make it. I tried all I could think of to get my car to get up the hill... I ended up just putting the car in reverse, and headed back home. It was a bit exciting in a way.

I called my job and let them know that I wasn't going to be coming in today. My coworker who answered the phone told me that he saw a lot of stranded cars on his way to the office, and that our secretary was currently stranded on a hill. Of my 11 coworkers, 8 drive trucks. Their trip to work probably was not nearly as difficult.

I am pleased with my decision to have a self proclaimed Snow Day!

Retreat & Family Health

The past couple of weeks have been quite busy, and slightly overwhelming.

The week before last was spent in preparation for the upcoming retreat that I was working. Despite all of the obstacles that the retreat was faced with, everything turned out wonderfully! Logistically things went very smoothly, and I believe we made a large impact on the girls who attended the retreat.

The morning after arriving home Carlos and I left to go to Albuquerque. We needed to go to Albuquerque for a doctor appointment for Carlos. He has been diagnosed with Grave's Disease, and the endocrinologists closer to our city are very limited. We loved his new doctor and are happy with the doctor's recommendations for treatment. We made the most of this trip. While in town we spent time with many of Carlos' family members, watched Carlos' brother's band, we had dinner with my brother and sister-in-law, and had lunch with a friend.

After one night in Albuquerque we left to go to Carlsbad to surprise my mom, who was in the hospital. Her reaction to the surprise was great. We were so happy to cheer her up, and to provide some support/company for Dad as well.

We spent two nights there and headed home. We had a relaxing weekend. I am actually excited about the fact that I have nothing on my calendar for weeks or even months to come (that won't last long). I will have plenty of time to both relax and to be productive. :)

Misfortune?

This weekend I am working a Christian retreat, called a Chrysalis. In fact, I am the lay director for the retreat, which basically means that I'm the one heading it up.

We have had a lot of misfortune befall our team members. First, one of our spiritual directors broke her back and was unable to continue serving on the team. We acquired a new spiritual director who is now in ICU with a blood infection, and is now unable to serve. Other team member issues include: death in their immediate family, stomach issues, a broken hip, and most recently... My mother was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia. She was so very excited to work this retreat. I am very sad, first of all because she is so ill, and secondly because I know how much she was looking forward to this opportunity. I was also looking forward to working this retreat with her.

It's hard to imagine so much misfortune for a team that is working to do so much good and to make a difference in the lives of the young women who will be attending the retreat. It's one of those times when I just have to ask... Why?

Our Cars & Kitchen

I have forgotten to inform those who read my blog who I do not keep in frequent contact with that... Our cars are repaired!!

We took my alternator to Autozone TWICE to see if it was working. Both times we were informed that the alternator was fine and that something else was wrong with my car. Well, after Carlos spoke again with our mechanic friend he decided to go ahead and just try replacing the alternator. The issues with the car have now disappeared! It's nice to be able to drive my own car again.

The turning signals on the other car have also been repaired. It turns out that the issue there was also something that Carlos had previously checked, and it was an easy fix!

The electricity in our kitchen has no longer been giving us issues (knock on wood), and our refrigerator is working like a dream again (knock on wood).

So... Yea! :)

Thanksgiving 2010

Carlos and I joined my parents at my sister's house for Thanksgiving this year. We all did our part in preparing the meal.





Most of what we had to eat were traditional items (turkey, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, etc). We had some delicious kabobs for an appetizer that consisted of various veggies, cheese tortellinis, olives, and summer sausage. We also enjoyed some pistachio wine with our meal.

We had a little mishap... My mom got a pretty deep cut on her finger. Luckily we had plenty of gauze, medical tape, and bandages.

Between feedings we kept busy with movies, a football game, shopping, and playing wii. It was a nice break from the everyday grind.

Halloween 2010

My sister and I co-hosted a Halloween party this year. Carlos and I dressed up as "that couple" which also involved a lot of improv acting.



My sister and her boyfriend dressed up as characters from a video game. She was a zombie and he was the zombie killer.



We had a really good time decorating and preparing food & drinks.