And finally, a screw

Phillips-head, about four inches long, 3.9 inches of which I discovered embedded in my left rear tire as I backed out of the garage.

If you were wondering about the perfect end to the perfect day, well, that wasn't it.

On the upside, all the plumbing is done, and I mean all of it: not only is the new tank in place, but the modifications required by code have been completed, including a new gas line, a new flue, and a nifty little overflow pan that looks for all the world like something I used to collect Pennzoil in. What's more, while the old tank was draining, the guy replaced the leaky faucet at the kitchen sink, which was the next item on the repair agenda, on the basis that the sooner I get this stuff over with, the less I have to worry about it.

The new standard for 30-gallon tanks, it appears, is 28 gallons, which is not exactly progress. On the other hand, the piezoelectric pilot is kinda cool, especially since I don't smoke and therefore don't generally have a lighter at hand.

Total damage caused by leakage: zilch. (It pays to stay on top of these things.) On the downside, usually I have to go out of town to spend money this fast: this little excursion into plumbing cost more than my last trip to the emergency room. Probably did more good, though.

Posted at 3:44 PM to Surlywood