Out with the Old

Our friend Patriot gave up the ghost this week, after five years of companionship and enjoyment. I'm not sure the life expectency of a Beta Fighting Fish, but he was a wisened old fella who came to the top of the bowl for a pat on the fin and puffed up to remind us it was dinnertime. He had a good life.

I'm watching a burgundy fancy fighter named Wasabi who was yesterday's purchase and is destined to become the Advisory class mascot tomorrow. Randy picked Sherman for home and Sherm has a brilliant royal blue body with fins trimmed in bright red. He is still in hiding, probably planning a big offensive.

We discovered a leak in the hall in late June from the a/c drain and insurance will help us replace some of the flooring. Some big decisions need to be made: replacing the heater and a repair or replacement of the a/c; flooring in the hall, the livingroom and the oval office. Complicated by the 'while we're at it' thinking which I am famous for, there have been earnest negotiations going on for the last several weeks.

We were astonished to learn the furnace was the original unit from 1969, still working and serving us well, giving heat on demand and without complaint for 40 years. Admittedly there are more energy efficient units on the market and rebates, too, but will they be able to boast that kind of longevity and service forty years from now? Are American products even being made to last? Either way, the old fella needs to go.

But the a/c unit is only about 14 years and just needs a tune up and repair, although we are being enticed by the sales promise of 30% savings with the new unit. But wait! The savings would only be on the a/c portion of the bill, and so the yield would be relatively small for the four months a year we actively use it. It would take ten years to recoup the cost of replacement. Final answer: we will replace the heater, repair the a/c, and wait for the eventual ban on freon. Add some paint and flooring inside after insurance kicks in and we're back in business.