Monday, February 21, 2005

Monday, 21 February 2005 - My warmest sweater

Dear God:

Today, I am thankful for my warmest sweater, electric space heaters and one Chocolate Labrador Retriever asleep at my feet.

The weekend: Our furnace died - an event over which you panic when it's winter and you live in Colorado. My husband discovers the problem early Saturday morning when he awakens to a very cold house. I sigh deeply when I learn of our bad luck - seems like every major plumbing and heating problem we experience occurs at night or on weekends when service calls demand premium rates.

We decide to wait until Monday before seeking professional help. Fortunately, the weather cooperates. On Saturday and Sunday, mild daytime temperatures and bright sunshine warm the west-facing rooms. After sunset, we don extra layers of clothing and run space heaters in the main rooms and basement (to prevent the pipes from freezing). As usual, T is just fine, staying warm under his dense, all-weather fur. At night, he sleeps at my feet while I knit my latest project and watch The Lord of the Rings, Return on the King and Masterpiece Theater.

Monday: S finds a locally-owned HVAC company that doesn't charge an arm and a leg to diagnose heating problems. After meeting with the consultant, we ponder our options: (1) pay for one or more expensive repairs that will put our 18-year old furnace on life-support for a few more years or (2) buy a new heating system that costs much more than any repair but will last another 25 years.

We choose the latter. Now the fun begins. The consultant assesses our needs. We discuss makes and models before selecting a system that will work for us. S skillfully negotiates the price. We sign on the dotted line.

Our purchase includes a modern Lennox two-stage furnace and humidifer complete with the latest safety features and energy efficiencies. They will install the new system tomorrow - just in time for the next wave of wintry weather. We expect an arctic cold front and snow showers Tuesday night.

For this blessing, I am grateful.

Amen.

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