OH.....HOT WATER!!!!

A couple of weeks ago ( it was a Sunday night) we discovered we didn't have any hot water. The wind had been blowing all week really hard. The door to the hot water heater is outside so we just thought the pilot light had blown out. Mark was all ready asleep so I got him up and he re lit it. The next morning NO HOT WATER!!! This was bad because I had to shower and go to work. He tried to light it several times and no luck. So we started filling every pot and pan we own and putting it on or in anything that would heat it. The hot water heater is just a year old and still under warranty( good news), so Mark called the 800 # and ordered the part. This was Monday and we paid to have it overnighted. Yea, hot water on Tuesday!! So we kept the pans full and heated so we could keep clean and non-smelly, thinking we can handle that for one more day. Well no part on Tuesday or Wednesday. Mark calls the 800# back twice, is told they had shipped the part, finally they give him a tracking number and it was overnighted it just wasn't shipped until Wednesday. (i am soo happy we paid that overnight fee) So Thursday we are totally sick of heating water but I told Mark we should look at the bright side : At least we have water! Thursday afternoon the part came and we, cheering with glee, until we discover it is the wrong part. By now I have told Mark there is NO bright side and I am sobbing!! Poor Mark. So Mark calls the 800# once again and is told that the serial number he is giving them is not accurate. -a little info on Mark. He has NO patients what so ever....NONE- He really had been pretty nice up to this point. He argued with this lady for about 45 min until she finally told him "Oh there is that model." Then she tells him that they did send the right part and that maybe he just needs to hire a plumber to put it in for him! Flames are shooting out of Marks ears. He kindly explains that he took the part out of the water heater and the part that they sent are not the same. After another 15 minutes she says OH they aren't the same, hold please. She then admits they had sent the wrong part (imagine that) and she was overnighting , free of charge, the new part. So Friday we are filled with hope that we would have hot water for the weekend. The part comes and the very nice lady sent us the same exact part she had sent before. It was still the wrong part!! By now my sobs had stopped but Mark's cussing had begun. My sweet husband calls the 800# again, but this time demands to talk to the technician. It took the tech two minutes to tell Mark he really did know what the problem was and he overnighted, free of charge, the right part. So Mark calls the UPS store here to see if he can pick up the part first thing Saturday morning (yes, we have been a whole week without hot water). The UPS office is closed Saturdays but he can meet the driver at the airport at 9:00 am. So Saturday morning Mark is at the airport at 8:45 and the plane is late. He finally gets the part, and it IS the right part. Mark installs the part and guess what it still doesn't work. ONLY US!!! So he calls the 800# again, gets the tech again and they overnight him a different part, free of charge again. Since this is Saturday it won't ship until Monday. So Tuesday is the day. The part comes, Mark installs the part, the hot water heater lights and stays lit....for about twenty minutes!! This is just too much. At least we have hot water, Mark just has to light the water heater about 5 times a day, and the water temp still isn't quite right. We were telling our wows to my brother Mark and he told Mark to try a little trick and guess work? IT WORKS!!!! We have real HOT WATER. Thanks Mark we owe you BIG. So there is my long , drawn out story of hot water. I didn't know how much I love hot water and what a horrible pioneer I would have made!!!