No hot water!

Sunday morning, as I am folding a seemingly endless pile of clothes (note to self and family: jeans can be worn more than once), I hear this very loud sort of swishing water sound coming from garage area.  When I open the garage door, I am greeted with the site of water shooting across our garage, apparently as my husband put it, "our hot water heater blew up"!!  After he finally got it shut off and contained (thank goodness I married a handyman), we began to discuss what needed to be done next.  After several attempts to fix it, my husband deemed it finished!  Most people at this point would get in the car and head up to Home Depot/Lowes for a new hot water heater.  Well, our family being "different" as our friends like to say, decided to take this as an opportunity to see if we could manage without instant hot water.  Also, combined with the fact we were no longer supporting "big box stores" and did not know if we even wanted a traditional hot water heater.  We have been talking for some time of building a solar hot water since we live in such a warm sunny climate, maybe this was our opportunity presenting itself?  Thankfully, we already do not wash clothes in hot water, but the looming question beckoned, "Can we do without the standard hot shower?"  So Sunday night after dinner, first we began by boiling water for washing dishes by hand, not too bad.  Then being the night before school started back, our boys needed baths.  After several pots of heated water had been added to the tub, one by one they got in and washed.  After each one, we would add another pot of warm water.  They were a bit chilly but I will have to say it made bath time very fast and efficient!  Then it was a race to sit in front of the fireplace to warm up.  But, all in all they did not seem to mind too much- something different!  However, mom and dad were not quite as brave.  We figured we could wait another day without a shower.  Monday morning for face washing, my husband was bringing around warm washcloths heated from the kettle on the stove.  Baby's diaper changing was done the same way.  We do not use wipes so this was not a big deal.  I will say after heating water all day for various needs, it truly makes you very appreciative for the warm water!!  So, by 11pm Monday night, after a lot of discussion, and I will confess a little pleading on my part (mommy really likes a hot shower every now and then), we decided to order a small tankless on demand water heater.  Now this would not meet the demands of a regular family of six having "normal" hot water consumption, but we hope to keep reducing our need for instant hot water.  Also, we still have plans to build a solar hot water heater...will keep you posted on the progress.  As for now the small tankless will be here by Thurs. at the latest!