...until today.
The day after my boiler decided that it no longer wanted to heat my home and no longer wanted to provide me warm water in which to shower. Yesterday it was in the mid-50's (warm for these parts at this time of year), today I believe it may have reached the low 30's. So yes, it's cold. Last night the house felt pretty chilly. This morning it just felt downright cold.
I'm not saying that we're living at Ice Station Zebra, none of these guys were present when I woke up...
...but I swear I saw Patrick McGoohan slip around the corner of the house. Apparently in somewhat of a hurry.
So a new boiler for Chez Sarge is gonna set us back about 9000 simoleans, 9K, 9 grand, all in authentic US of A currency. Small bills, unmarked. (Actually no, they will take a check.)
Unfortunately they (and you know who I mean) will be unable to install the new boiler until Friday. So I will be another day (and night) sans the mansions organic heating capability and sans hot water. But as the Missus is Korean and I did live in Korea, where the winters can freeze the you-know-whats on a brass monkey, we are prepared.
We have this awesome ceramic Korean heating device which warms a room nicely yet does not feel hot to the touch. That will keep the designated shelter nice and warm. And we still have the capability of boiling water with which to clean ourselves.
So while we'll be roughing it for a couple of days, we're prepared. Although I did almost not shave this morning. Then realized that just because we were lacking some amenities, there was no need to go all uncivilized. So I boiled water, shaved and went forth to work. Clean shaven and civilized. Mustn't let the troops see me all disheveled.
Before I forget, I have a reading assignment for you. I've been following this chap for a while and his writing is simply top drawer. Today's post is particularly inspiring. Packed with action, gun play, guerrillas and Marines. So go thee thither and enjoy. This is an Old AF Sarge "Must Read".
Run along, we're done here. (Now where is my batman, I need another shave.)
And we still have the capability of boiling water with which to clean ourselves.
ReplyDeleteI have not-so-fond memories o' doin' just that EVERY damned winter when my water lines froze up. So: we know from whence you speak and we ARE empathetic.
Heh. Well we Air Force guys can commiserate about the rough times until some grunt comes along and tells us how he used to wash up using his helmet. And patrolled in the snow, uphill, out AND back. Well, I have done the "bath in a helmet" (can't do that with the Kevlar, but that's one thing the old steel pot was good for.) I HAVE humped a rifle up and down hills, in the snow, but that was hunting and the deer don't shoot back. Also when you're hunting you're typically not humping a ruck. Least ways not if you have any sense.
DeleteYeah, I know what you mean. It was so cold this morning here in San Diego that I had to wear a light jacket when I left the house. Ok, that was mean, or at least snarky. Sorry about that- just a little bit though. 9G for a boiler? Ouch. That could seriously break a family's finances. I hope you can manage. Is that something that every house on the east coast might have to deal with at some point in their life? Due to overwhelmingly high power bills even after new windows, we decided to go solar. While we were in the process (upgraded electrical, new roof) our A/C essentially up and died on us. The tech discovered it was unable to function properly due to the 2 feet of rat feces and dead rats in the system, and dozens of holes in the ducting. It was the same in the furnace. We went quite a bit higher than your 9 large, but luckily rolled it into a refinance we were going through. Again, I hope you can manage, and don't use this as an excuse to pull out your smokes.
ReplyDeleteOMG! A light jacket in Sandy Eggo? What are you guys like in a mini-Ice Age out there? I'd heard that the temp out there was always 72 degrees (+/- 5). (You weren't being mean or snarky in my book. You WERE being funny. I like funny.)
DeleteYeah, while 9 large isn't going to break us financially we will need to cut back on the fois gras and buy cheaper champagne. (Heh. Not!) On the up side no rotting rat corpses or piles of rat feces were the cause of boiler failure. Poor thing was just old. Tech told us that these things were designed to last about 15 years back in the day. Our house had the original boiler and the house is over 25 years old. So in some ways we were lucky.
As far as the smoking thing goes. Not going to happen. Like I could afford to smoke after buying a new boiler! Heh. Just another test in my anti-smoking campaign. Which I passed. Again. I don't want to get too cocky yet, not until I get past the six month point (which is where I failed last time I quit).
If you recommend a blog, I'm on my way. Before I go, though, I just want to say that the $9,000 is making me feel a bit happier about renting. Wow.
ReplyDeleteThere are things I remember fondly about renting, the biggest one is: Such-and-such is broken, mend it forthwith or I shall withhold the rent payment.
DeleteNow it's "such-and-such is broken, where in Hell am I gonna get the money to fix/replace/upgrade that?"
Sigh...
I think it should be "go thee thither." Hither implies movement towards you, as in "come hither," thither away. Know your old English!
ReplyDeleteI sit corrected, repairs have been made and I shall be more attentive as to word choice in the future! Many thanks!
DeleteBy the way, you got a great blog going here. I think I'll add it to my blog list.
DeleteI have returned the favor here c w.
DeleteSorry about you and your wife having to rough it, but looks like you've got that under control. The $9K boiler on the other hand...I feel your pain. Makes my coming outlay of around $500 for the dead computer look like chicken feed.
ReplyDeleteBut the boiler is just a boiler. With the computer you've spent hours on the thing. If you have a blog, you've poured your heart and soul out there via that computer. Yes it's cheaper, but I'd think it hurts more. Especially if you loss data in the process!
DeleteSarge, I've had a Carbonite backup going for about a month now. I've never used it before but it's supposed to have everything of importance (pics, docs, etc. backed up on the "Cloud," whatever that is. I guess I'll soon find out.
DeleteGood for you Dan. Hope it saved all yer stuff. I have my suspicions regarding the "Cloud" but that's just the Luddite part of me talking!
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