some things are fixable...

After giving an extraordinary amount of money to the plumbers, we now have a new high-efficiency gas hot water heater that qualifies for a rebate from the gas company, a new pressure regulating valve (apparently our old one was no longer regulating anything, so the pressure in the house was too high and it blew out something in the water heater) and an outside faucet that will hopefully no longer drip in winter, thus providing us with interesting and somewhat frightening ice sculptures. The old shutoff/regulating valve had been making noise when certain fixtures in the house ran. These noises had been getting steadily worse, and I can't tell you what a pleasure it was this afternoon to flush a toilet and not hear a answering deafening groaning screech from downstairs. Simple pleasures, I tell you.

Me? I'm not fixed, but we got another day, so that's a pleasant surprise.

Enjoy your plumbing, everyone.