Gratitude Trumping Annoyance

Ok, so this post could have absolutely gone the route of:

Dear Home Owner,
We invite you to call us.
We offer 24 Hour Service...unless
it's a weekday,
snowy day,
rainy day
or an emergency.
With Love,
Your Local Electrician

Which is not to be confused with:

Seasons Greetings,
This year call on us,
for all your plumbing needs...unless
you are standing knee deep in raw sewage,
are without water,
without heat,
attempting to provide for 2 tots in diapers,
or at all optimistic about remedying a nasty situation.
As Always,
Your Neighborhood Plumber

No, this post won't be delving into that ungrateful, but all too often true territory. Today we are thankful for dear friends (Deb) and the ties we enjoy because of that friendship (Can you say County Sheriff?)

I was home again today with no power in the downstairs bathroom which is also our laundry room. Any other parents of toddlers? Do you have any idea how much laundry they generate? And me with my passion for fresh towels and clean sheets? And the increased protrusion of my burgeoning belly of which I cannot seem to remember as I do things like lift salsa laden chips to my mouth. Oh the stains and splats.

I spent the morning calling electrician after electrician, trying to explain our plight. It was a conundrum and my inability to retain even a limited grasp of the terms I needed to regurgitate made the clear delivery of our situation impossible.

"Ok, so was it the circuit or the breaker?"

"Umm, the fuse?"

"Within the circuit?"

"Maybe in the plug..."

"Did you check the box?"

"Is that the panel?"

"Do you know how many circuits are involved?"

"I know the number of outlets and switches."

"But are they one the same circuit?"

"Look, I'd love to answer that, and I think I can, but this feels like a bad game of telephone. Let's cut to the chase, is there a snowball's chance in hell you're even going to make it here today? Because if the answer is no, I'll gladly peddle my non-native English speaker rendition of my problem with someone who will."

Obviously I didn't say that, but about the fifth time I tried to recite by rote the issue about the main box having enough coming in, the panel having enough going out, the connections on the outlets and switches being fine, but the absence of power at each, well, I was fed up, cold and tired. And defensive, I kept wanting to sputter, "But I'm smart. This situation is an unfair indicator of my intelligence and general competence." I could almost feel their eyes rolling, hear the stories, "And then, get this, then she said...." followed by wild laughter and knee slapping.

Enter Jeff, former sheriff and new hero of mine. He swept in with with a toolbelt and head lamp to match the one Sean had been wearing for two days, and proceeded to charm our girls, restore the tender, loving personality of my husband AND get our washer, dryer, downstairs heat and peace of mind all restored. And, it cost less than a trip to the grocery store.

So, today, my gratitude is genuinely trumping any and all annoyance. And, in my next life I shall be a plumber or an electrician and I'll return calls and make emergency calls and become a legend, beloved by all.