WHOOOSH, or how to remove leg hair in 1 second
I just want to start off by saying this blog isn't about bashing Merida, Mexico or the people here. I want to detail the activities that transpire so that I can a) remember them later and tell great stories (over and over) when I am old and senile 
, and b) share the experiences with others so that they can get a laugh out of it too. Throughout almost everything we are going through with getting the business setup down here, because I was forewarned and prepared it has been amusing rather than aggravating. For the most part the people you will deal with on a daily basis here don't intentionally lie to you. However, the best way I've heard it put is that they tell you what they wish they could do for you, rather than what they really can do for you. The problem is they substitute "I will do this..." rather than "I wish I could do this...". That said we don't have electricity anymore, it is a long and complicated story, but suffice it to say our contractor actually turned on the electricity, not CFE. When CFE came out to actually turn it on they weren't happy. So now we are working with a different contractor and Luis, the VP of Operations, is dealing with CFE himself. Perhaps one day we too will have electricity...
So on to the good part, how to defur your leg in 1 second.
The apartment we are all staying in uses propane to run the water heater, stove etc.. Up until the other day we hadn't made the time to get the propane filled and we were putting up with cold showers and eating out. We finally got the tank filled in the morning and then we left for work. When we got home in the evening we tested for hot water and ooops, theres was none. First thought, "hmmm pilot light didn't get lit." Of course it isn't the gas guys job to go light out pilot light, we just forgot. Good thing the gas wasn't open on the water heater. We were headed out for the evening to go see the local "national basketball league" team, the Mayas.
Side note: For $15US you can get VIP floor seats, just like Jack Nickleson has with the Lakers. However, I'm pretty sure my high school gym was bigger than this place. It was fun but the other team stomped all over the Mayas. I think Emily would love to go see it, as she really enjoys watching people. So I'll make sure we get to go a couple of times after she gets here.
Ok, back to the story. It was dark outside and our water heater is outside. I was holding the flashlight while Luis was trying to light the pilot light. It wasn't lighting so we figured that there was alot of air in the line. The propane tank is on the top of a two story apt and the water heater is on the ground level, so the line is pretty long. We agreed that turning up the gas flow to purge the line was the right thing to do, right = fast. So we turned it up until we could hear the flow and waited. After about a minute Luis turned the gas back to the low flow point and lit the lighter well away from the heater. At this point all was well.
Luis being a smart guy, waved the flame in front and around the heater prior to sticking it inside to make sure there wasn't too much gas and still everything was fine. Then he stuck the flame inside the hole to light the pilot light. WHOOOSH There was a very fast flash fire (seriously just a micro second or so) as all of the built up gas sitting in the bottom of the heater decided the best place to be was outside of the heater, and the best way to be was lit. I was standing close enough that is singed the hair on my right leg and obviously Luis was close enough that it burnt the hair off of his hand. Other than that we were basically ok. Like any responsible adult men, after that we stood around laughing about it and making sure the pilot light was really still lit.
So, if I can make recommendations of how to light a pilot light:
- Don't wear shorts
- Keep your face away from the hole (we followed this one thankfully)
- Don't prime the line by putting the gas on high and waiting, turn it on low and keep the flame close to the ignition point
- Hire someone else to do it.
As I have said before, I'm really enjoying Merida. It is a great city, but it is not the US, you can't come here and expect everything to happen like you would want it to happen in the US. It is going to happen like you are in Mexico, because you are.
Hmmm Daniel Chapter 3 just kind of jumps out at me here. It isn't short, but is well worth the read.
Daniel 3
The Image of Gold and the Fiery Furnace
1 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, ninety feet high and nine feet
[a] wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.
2
He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers,
treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials
to come to the dedication of the image he had set up.
3
So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges,
magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the
dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they
stood before it.
4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed, "This is what you are commanded to do, O peoples, nations and men of every language: 5
As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp,
pipes and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image
of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace."
7
Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither,
lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the peoples, nations and men of
every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King
Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
8 At this time some astrologers [b] came forward and denounced the Jews. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O king, live forever! 10
You have issued a decree, O king, that everyone who hears the sound of
the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music must
fall down and worship the image of gold, 11 and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12
But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the
province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay no attention
to you, O king. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of
gold you have set up."
13 Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14
and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and
Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I
have set up? 15 Now when
you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and
all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image
I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown
immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to
rescue you from my hand?"
16
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar,
we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17
If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to
save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18
But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not
serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."
19
Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego,
and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated
seven times hotter than usual 20
and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.
21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22
The king's command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames
of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and
Abednego, 23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
24
Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his
advisers, "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the
fire?"
They replied, "Certainly, O king."
25 He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."
26
Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and
shouted, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High
God, come out! Come here!"
So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27
and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around
them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a
hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there
was no smell of fire on them.
28
Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach
and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They
trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give
up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own
God. 29 Therefore I decree
that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the
God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their
houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in
this way."
30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.
Let me just say, obviously we were in no way protected as Rack, Shak and Benny were, but God is protecting us, is caring for our needs. How we live our lives is a testimony to the people that see us, one way or the other. We always provide a testimony by the way we live, it is up to us to determine what that testimony looks like. Will we stand firm and show unconditional faith to God, or will we sway like palm fronds in the wind whenever the situation changes?
Via con Dios,
Robba