Year 2 in Brazil, The Year of the Cold Shower

Tuesday morning we woke in relaxed manner since it was a Brazilian holiday, and there was no school/work for the day. We sauntered into the kitchen to find a small puddle of water near the washing machine and the hot water heater. The question: Was it from the washing machine or the hot water heater. The answer: The hot water heater.

It seems this decrepit old device has some mild corrosion (mild used lightly here), which caused the leak that was progressively flooding our kitchen by the minute. Joe commenced to fixing the problem, which would involve removing the existing, crumbling pipe, saudering a new piece and reconnecting.

Now, if we had the typical American garage overflowing with tools, this would not have been as big a problem. But we don't. If it had been a regular Tuesday, the hardware stores would have been open, and we could have purchased the assumed needed materials, but it wasn't. Instead, we made due, attempted to fix the problem with what we had, and ended the day with cold showers. While running in and out of the building in search of various materials, Joe spoke to one of the doormen who said all the required materials/tools are right here in the building, and he could use them--the next day. We swallowed the fact that it would be a night of cold showers based on the element of expecting all to be fixed the very next day.

So, Joe awoke Wednesday to wait for the arrival of the doorman and his trusty toolbox, determined to fix this stubborn unit. Around 4 p.m., the man with the tools arrived only to tell Joe that he wouldn't lend him the tools. We could pay him to fix it, but he would not let Joe use his tools. Talk about a territorial issues with tools. In turn, Joe ventured to the nearest hardware store to buy what he needed. When he returned, he got right to work. The thought of a nice warm shower was clear in my head.

I heard banging and pounding and grunting. I peered around the corner to find the washing machine doubling as a step ladder. I was thinking there must be progress with all this racket. More pounding, a little cursing, and the clank of a tool hitting the tile floor beneath the water heater. Next thing I know, Joe appears from around the corner, sweat glistening on his brow line, perplexity written all over his face.

It turns out, with each crank, shimmy, tap tap tap, the pipe on the water heater did nothing but crumble more and more and deeper and deeper into the tank, which is also corroding and crumbling and on its last leg. In the end...day 2 in the cold shower.

The spirit of Mr. Fixit was not diminished. He woke again this morning with a new aim and a new hardware store in his sights. He had a revelation sometime in the night, and he was determined to fix this broken down, outlived, needs to be retired hot water heater. So he set out right after Sierra and I left for school.

Sometime between 7 and 11 this morning, he was forced to face the truth, accept the facts, and holster his hammer. The old water heater was going to the grave whether Joe liked it or not. With every turn, tap, and manuever the tank and pipes continued to disintigrate. He called our trusty HR lady at school a.k.a. Vania (she handles the housing things for all us expats here) and asked her to contact the landlady about replacing the unit.

The current status: unresolved, torn apart, non-functioning hot water heater littered with tools and stuff decorates the back corner of the kitchen approaching the laundry area of our apartment. The email has been sent to "Elaine" requesting replacement; we wait, psuedo-patiently, her reply. We have been given directive to buy a new hot water heater Saturday whether or not we hear back from "Elaine" (going rate, with installation, roughly $R950 or $500). Cash up front by us, hopefully reimbursement over the next 3 months through deduction in rent once approved by landlady. Until then...another cold shower night.

And likely another tomorrow and hopefully warm shower on Saturday. I'll keep you posted.