ARGHHHHHH! It has been one of THOSE days.

I went to take a shower this morning, no hot water. Took a cooooooold shower. I hate doing that; I can barely manage to take a cold shower in the summertime when I come in from the field. I figured the element was burned out in the *&%$ water heater.

Stopped on the way to work to get gas, climbed back in the truck, turned to ignition... click

click...

click...

Every once in a while the bendix will spin, but the starter won't engage, so I'm thinking this is just lovely, marvelous, I get to buy a starter today. I pushed the truck away from the pumps (a couple of guy who pulled in were nice enough to help me) and studied my options, which were limited.

I didn't have any cash to use the payphone.

My cell phone is dead.

I went with option #3

I walked down the road to the junkyard (they have a rollback) to use the phone and try to get somebody to take my truck to the garage. They had the rollback already out on a call, but they called my mechanic for me, who called another guy with a rollback, who was able to come right over and get me.

Loaded truck, went to the garage. Unload truck, pop the hood.

I am an idiot.

It was the battery cable. Something I could fix in 30 seconds with a pocketknife. If I had been in my old truck, I would have known this, but I was in my "New" (new to me at least) truck, which I've only been driving for a about three weeks.

Rob (the mechanic) is a great guy; he cleaned off my cables and refused to let me pay him.

Got to the office around 10 and spent the rest of the day with the usual fun and games we have at the salt mines.

When I came home, I checked the water heater (I flipped the breaker off and on this morning) still no hot water.

I moved all the crap from in front of it that sweetie had placed there and found a lovely puddle of rusty water. Flipped the breaker back off, whipped out my trusty pocketknife and started removing access covers.

Everything on it is full of water. There is water standing in the top under the access plates. There is water dripping down the side around the wiring.

Called a neighbor, who told me about the great mysteries of the reset switch. Tried that, the power came back on, but I've got water dripping everywhere. After consulting with him for a few more minutes, I called my brother, who advised me to go get another water heater.

Just back from Lowes, $470 poorer. It'll probably be Thursday before they can come install the %^&# thing.

I'm debating on whether or not to go down to the barn and get sweeties bucket heater so I can take a bath in the morning.

I am not a happy boy right now.