So This Is What It's Like...

When you don't pay your heating bills? For the homeless?

We woke up Sunday morning to a VERY cold house. I knew immediately that something was wrong, because according to the clock, the house should have been a cozy and warm 70 degrees. Instead, I was COLD. I checked the heat vents, and they were blowing...COLD AIR!!! The thermostat read 54 degrees, and I immediately called the heating company.

They sent their on-call technician and we started a fire in the fireplace. Too bad it was so stinking windy that the wind sucked all of the hot air up the chimney! We set up our two space heaters (yeah, like they did a lot of good for 1800+ square feet) and waited. Unfortunately, the technician told us that a part on our furnace was broken and they didn't have it in stock. So, the earliest it could be repaired was Tuesday. (Seriously though, why do these things only happen on weekends when the outside temperature is below freezing? Why can't these things happen on a Monday when it's 60 degrees outside? I hate Murphy's Law.)

And poor Marilyn, her party was scheduled for Sunday afternoon (see previous post). She immediately started calling friends to warn them to dress warmly, including hats and gloves. Ernie said we should turn it into a theme party - Graduation in the Alps. We ended up curling up under blankets and watching movies.

We are blessed to have wonderful friends, Aaron and Shannon, who happen to have a guest room available and live very nearby. So, we packed up and headed to their house for the night. Thanks again you guys, for providing us a warm place to sleep!

Ernie and I decided that after a few repairs to our furnace already and this and another that was recommended, it was time to just get a new furnace. So, I called first thing this morning, and by 2:30pm, it was installed and blowing hot air! Yippee! It is currently 63 degrees and climbing! Not quite comfortable yet, but we're on our way! Big thanks to Feller Heating for getting the job done so quickly!

Of course, a new furnace wasn't QUITE in the budget, but we'll figure that out later. (Ernie has an extra kidney for sale, if anyone is interested.) In the meantime, we're enjoying being in our own home and not needed hats and gloves.