Baby, it's cold inside!?!

It was a balmy -5 when I got up this morning. I don't know what the windchill was, but the wind was definitely waaay down from yesterday. Anyway, I turn the heat down at night, only to 65, but that drops the temp in my bedroom down to about 61. But then it goes back up about 1/2 hour before I get up. At least that's the theory. I got up this morning, it still seemed cold, but I've been known to override the timer and forget to reset it.

I took my shower, and when I got out I thought I was going to turn into an ice cube. So I pulled on my robe and ran down to the thermostat. And it's reading 61. Which means it's about 57 upstairs. I hit the run program button and the little system on light comes on. But the furnace doesn't turn on. Uh oh.

So I push the button repeatedly (cause everyone knows that if it doesn't work the first time, surely the second, third or fourth time will fix it). Then I go over to the furnace closet, open it and stare at it. Yep, it's still there.

I check the breaker box, flip the breaker, cause really that's about the only technical skill I have. Then I stare at the furnace some more, willing it to awaken. After a couple of minutes, I look at the directions for resetting the pilot light. And step by step, I do it. But still the beast will not wake up.

I sigh, grab the phone and call the maintenance line and wait for the return call. This complicates my day greatly. I have a babysitter coming to watch the girls. I explain to her that there will be people coming to work on the furnace, that it is cold and tell her that it's ok if she wants to cancel. But she comes anyway because she's the babysitter sent from heaven and not only bakes gingerbread men to both distract the girls and keep them warm, but deals with all the workers (there were four separate people that came over) and calls me regularly to update me. And she's only 16!

So I needed a new thermostat and they put in a new one that doesn't have a timer and is significantly smaller so my wall needs repair and painting, but at least I have heat!

Of course, now that I have heat, in the next 24 hours we're supposed to go up more than 30 degrees...