Monday, December 29, 2008

All I Want for Christmas

"Oh Jack, you romantic, you shouldn't have!". There were just not enough gifts under the tree this year, Christmas coming so quickly of course, so just as a special treat for the two of us we decided on the emergency "before your apartment catches fire" new electrical system, just what every girl dreams of!

It was warm in Chicago this weekend, upper 40's Friday night, and warmer still on Sunday. With warmth comes melting, inches upon inches of melting snow, coupled with rain all day Saturday, we were under water, and so was our basement. Handy Jack, who sometimes has trouble hanging pictures on walls, was out in the downpour at 1 am Saturday morning stretching a tarp across the neighbor's back deck in an effort to divert some of the roof snow from pouring into the semi swamp like basement. But it was too late Ethel, our turn of the century electrical system had had too much and poof! it was gone.

The crew arrived at 5:30 am today, turned off what limited power we had and set about installing an entirely new system. Jack went to his well illuminated office; the girls and I, after fumbling around in the dark, opted for a day at Tooty's apartment,with Eleanor Roosevelt, the Senator and the President elect. Bless Tooty. They were bored. We went out to lunch, or we tried. I thought perhaps a day out would be fun, maybe Water Tower? We don't often go to Water Tower, I hate malls, but it was cold and I thought they might enjoy the madness. Everyone in the Chicago area thought the same thing, it was packed, unable to move packed, 30 minute wait for an elevator packed. We left, so much nicer outside, not to mention much better food. A 45 minute wait for anything terrible inside but outside, cold air, and plenty of open tables to be found.

We are without power again tomorrow as they put the final touches on our big gift. Difficult to wrap of course but a lovely gift just the same. And the piece of mind that comes from knowing that you are no longer just a spark away from blowing up, the best gift of all. Pass the eggnog.

1 comment:

OJS said...

With such a romantic gift, who knows? Maybe next year, new plumbing?

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