it started a few days ago, with what i just thought was the normal draft in my old house. Only to find out that our gas heater was on the fritz. Isn't it funny how that only happens when it's like 12 degrees outside? I left for work and got a text message from Tim telling me he was on his way to buy space heaters while he waited for the service man to come. Several hours later, when the inside temperature almost mimicked the outdoor temperature, and when you opened the refrigerator door, you felt no difference, the gas decided to pop on, and 10 minutes later, the service man showed up. After assessing the situation, and letting us know what he would do (which was purchase the service contract for $1,000.) we decided it was just a fluke, maybe just a hiccup of some sort. Then it happened again, two days later. So we found a neighbor, who was a plummer, to replace the part. That, we thought, was the end of that. Saturday night my husband ventured out to watch the Jet game with some old high school buddies and i made a huge pot of Chili and was just about to jump into the bed with both dogs, and watch a movie I got in my stocking, when I noticed that despite the fact that the stove & the oven had been on for most of the evening, the house was freezing. I turned all the thermostats up, opened the basement door and listened for the loud hum that is usually followed by a buzz and a click, quickly followed by the sound of hot water clinking & clanking through the almost 100 year old pipes that run throughout my house. But the basement was quiet, completely quiet. Knowing that Tim was probably too many beers in to come home, i took the big space heater, all the pets, the biggest, thickest quilt and set up camp in my office. As Tim text me different directions to try to get it started, gave suggestions as to what i should do to prevent the pipes from bursting, and pretty much just felt bad for not being here with me, we decided to just wait it out. I woke up at 4 am, in a puddle of sweat. The heat must have kicked on hours after i fell asleep, and between the body heat of two dogs and a fat ass cat and the space heater, and the fact that i had turned the thermostats up to 80 degrees, it was like a sauna in that little office. When i opened the door everyone ran for the kitchen, lapping tongues sucked down freezing cold water, and even i needed to down a glass of water before taking the boys outside. Sunday I kept the heat on high, put on cashmere and thick wool socks and waited.The morning included a play date with Dakota, who is coming to stay again at the end of the week. the whole Hom family came baring gifts of stuffed bones and frogs for the furry Boyles and of course the ever popular Crumbs for the humans. I wish i had a shot of how great they looked, but they tasted too good
And just as the Homs pulled away, a long awaited visit from dear friends started. My very dear friend Maria (the kind of friend that is always there. The kind that no matter how long its been between visits, the conversation starts up right where we left off, the laughter is constant, the memories are vivid. The kind of friend you love with you're whole heart!) and her adorable boyfriend Gabe came to spend the afternoon, watch football, eat chili and drink beer, and make the house warm again. And of course, as soon as they pulled out of the driveway, and i was feeling a little sad that she was no longer around the block, able to drop by at a moments notice, in her pajamas at 1 am for a chocolate martini or to drop by on a Sunday morning a sit in bed with me sipping coffee, that all too familiar chill came across my body. I could tell by the cursing from downstairs that the heat was once again not working...
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