It’s been warm these past few afternoons, and I am very happy for that.
Trouble is, in the morning, the temps are hovering between 20 and 30 up here. I do not like that one bit.
Normally, I’d just get up and turn the thermostat. But, very sadly, I cannot do that these days.
This has been a more than vexing, depressing week. It all started Monday, as these things sometimes do. I woke up feeling not so good. I won’t go into what my health problem is, but it’s a big one that necessitates a trip to a specialist, and some unpleasant stuff, I am sure.
But, back to the heat. In short, I have none. Monday, the fellas came for a routine furnace cleaning. They weren’t down in the scary basement for long. I heard one tromping up the stairs.
“Ma’am,” he said, “have you been having headaches?”
“No.”
Well, he said, you’ve got a cracked heat exchanger. I think that’s what he said.
“That sounds expensive,” I gulped. “Can you fix it?”
“No ma’am; you’re gonna need a new furnace.”
ACK! Anything but that!
I was speechless. Then, I uttered a swear word or two.
“How much is a new furnace?” I asked, already dreading the answer.
“About $4,800, I’d guess.”
Gulp.
I wondered if I could be okay with the cracked doohickey for a while. The furnace seemed to be working fine, I noted. He said no, that would put carbon monoxide into the atmosphere, and I could die.
Uh.
He said he is required by law to disconnect the thing, and leave me without heat.
I don’t recall being so depressed.
As I mulled over my huge dilemma, I thought to get a second opinion. What an optimist I am!
I called Mountain Air, a company of nice guys who always know what they’re doing. They are coming to check things out. And probably, I fear, sell me a new furnace.
The whole thing is sickening, really. As a retired person, I don’t have a spare $4,000 sitting around. Reporters don’t make the kind of money that lends itself to savings and 401Ks, and such things.
What will I do? I do not know. After all, taxes are due in less than a month.
At least, I don’t think I need to fret about the charges to fix my medical problem. Thank God for Medicare, and thank heavens I pay extra for that “gap” coverage. Believe me, it is worth whatever they charge – and it’s not a heck of a lot – for that extra coverage. It cost upwards of $130,000 to get both my knees replaced, and I owed nothing. So, there’s that to be “happy” about.
Meanwhile, I am cold this morning. My fingers are having trouble hitting the right keys on the computer. (Which could also go kaput soon, the way my “luck” is going.)
So, I bundle up in the morning, and drape myself in a woolen lap robe, and try to make my fingers work, and my mind kick into the right gears.
With so much trouble in the world, I feel a little guilty griping and worrying about my current problems. I pray for the brave people of Ukraine every day. Now, I’m praying for myself, too. Lord, help us all!
Life … sometimes you just can’t love it. But I will do my best.