Fathers Be Good to Your Daughters

Being a blessed father of three daughters, this was a perfect story to read on a cold snowy day, really warmed me up.

Having done mission work in Costa Rica, I well know the shower head that you're talking about. It's called a widow maker and for good reason. The first one I encountered had the cover missing off of the top with live terminals exposed. It was controlled by an open knife switch on the wall - the kind you see in old movies where they're electrocuting a prisoner.

Having six daughters and one son, I relate very much to you article. And you're so right: God made each one of them different with different abilities and interests.

So true -- one surely can never tell. I have two -- a son and a daughter. The son wound up being a world class ballet dancer -- and married a perfectly lovely girl, also world class. When they retired, produced two lovely granddaughters, went to college, and he's now a materials engineer; she's a high powered business person. My daughter loves history -- got a doctorate in it. Which one is taking over from me as I get old and creaky? The daughter -- and watching her fix a tractor or run a chainsaw is just plain fun!

I just sent email to my wife linking this story. Ever since your last one, I tease her by saying "it's under the vanity" when she's 'communication challenged.' Hopefully she won't arrange for me to be put in a Costa Rican shower.

CarstenNorgaard said:

Hello Erin and Dan
...Is the labelling of buildings not mandatory?

Carsten Norgaard

No, it isn't, and I am very thankful that it is not. Fortunately, we are free to choose what we would like, and equally free to obtain it, within our means. Not that there isn't a sizable group of people who would like to tell us what they think is best for us, and force us to do it...

But what on earth does all that have to do with "fathers be good to your daughters"? I have rarely read a more inappropriate reply to a thread.

Erin Holohan Haskell said:

@...
Do you all think things are changing with the next generation of homeowners? I'm noticing a greater emphasis on efficiency.

I think things probably are, @Erin Holohan Haskell . Not, perhaps, quite as fast as some would like, but they are. Although I suspect that it may be a long time before new homeowners show off their beautifully and correctly installed heating system with anything like the glee with which they show off their gourmet kitchen (except maybe some weird people like us?).

There are two things which I have noticed about the European situation vs. the US, which must not be overlooked. The first (and perhaps less obvious of the two) is that much of their new housing stock is a lot newer than ours; they did not see the building boom that the US did in the years immediately after World War II. A good bit of that older newer housing stock in this country is somewhat dubious. There also isn't, proportionately, anywhere near as much of it. The other is that, as a generalization (always dangerous) the European cultures are much more amenable to very strict regulations, codes and enforcement than the US is. Is this good or bad? Dunno, but it surely is. We Yankees tend to be a pretty independent lot...

HI Dan,
You must be very proud of all your daughters. I have enjoyed your books, jokes, and attended a few seminars you had since I started doing plumbing and heating in Wyoming in 1972. Met Hot Rod and Ellen at some of their seminars as well. I have been doing pumping away since you wrote your first book and it has never failed me. Just wanted to let you know, a lot of people have benefited from your teaching and knowledge. and maybe even more from your stories. By the way, we use the same boilers as the one in the picture, but we add heat storage to all of our systems now so the boiler saves even more energy...
Keep up the good work Erin!