In which Winter arrives and the tank is dry

[rolanni]

This morning, we arose from our rosy bower to an outside temperature of 16F/-9C and an inside temperature of 61F/16C.  We turned the thermostat up to 69F/21C, Steve started breakfast; I fed Mozart his breakfast; we sat down to eat; finished up; had a second cup of coffee and. . . it was still sorta cool in the house.

Steve looked at the thermostat, which was set on 69F but still reporting the whole-house temp of 61F.  It then dawned on both of us that we hadn't heard the furnace actually come on, so Steve went downstairs to see if we had a malfunction.  The good news?  The furnace appears in good working order, as far as we can tell without it actually, yanno, coming on.  And the reason it hasn't come on is?

We're out of oil.

Completely out of oil.

I'm trying to remember if this has ever happened to us before.  Certainly, it hasn't happened in the 24-or-so years we've been in this house, thanks to the wonders of automatic delivery.

Thinking back, now, I'm not remembering a delivery in. . .a couple months.  Which is what I'll settle with Dead River Company on Monday (oh, joy!  a phone call.), since they've certainly been remembering to bill us every month.  For today, we called the Emergency Number, which isn't easy to find, and have now spoken with Gary the Emergency Delivery Guy, who will be over "directly" to fill us up.

In other news, I have in my inbox this morning not one, not two, but THREE reminders from Various Organizations relating the joyous news that the open renewal period for ACA coverage starts today!  Which is lovely for them.  I?  Have no idea how we're going to figure out next year's health coverage, without having any idea what the final income figure for 2014 is.  We only have to cover Steve through July, when he transfers over to Medicare.  I suppose I can go without, if necessary, and pay the fine, though I really don't like to tempt fate quite that much. . .

Well.

Now to put all that behind me and get the heck to work.

Everybody stay warm.  And healthy.

Comments

[malkingrey.livejournal.com]

Have no idea how we're going to figure out next year's health coverage, without having any idea what the final income figure for 2014 is.

Ah, the wonderful world of government forms that don't have a space on them for "Do I look like I own a crystal ball?"

I spent over a decade filling out FAFSAs for one or another of our collegiate offspring, and never did figure out how to do it. Usually I wound up looking at the previous year's income and extrapolating a plausible lie estimate.

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

Weird on the oil delivery -- we were with DR (or their lineal ancestors) for over 30 years and they never left us freezing. Now, of course, we've switched to gas. The pipeline would have to go dry.

[martianmooncrab.livejournal.com]

I have natural gas here, but I sill had to replace the batteries in the thermostat inside the house to make it start. For want of AA batteries, things could have gotten ugly quickly.

[bandicoot.livejournal.com]

I recently went through the blowing cold air thing with my heat pump. It wouldn't come one. A bit of diagnostics and an order from Amazon of a dual-run starting capacitor and I was back in (warm) business. Those things happen with a 12 year old system. But depending on someone else to provide the heat juice and then having no heat juice is scary.

And gooberment. Sheesh. I always challenge those who think more government is the answer to point out one. single. thing. the government does well and efficiently, and better than private enterprise. Post office? (Snicker!) Best military in the world? (Only someone who's never been in the military would say the military does things well and efficiently.) Foreign affairs? (I laugh!) Land management? (You're kidding, right?) Anything. And to put our so-called "health care" in their hands is even scarier than having not heat.

Someone pointed out to me that if you really look at the US budget, the Federal government is just a massive insurance conglomerate with a large standing army :)

[kalimeg.livejournal.com]

Pick a number and save for the fine? Better than skipping altogether if you are over 50. And Medicare has costs...the Medicare supplements may be more thrifty. Sounds like you need to get back with the Guide to figure it out.

[kalimeg.livejournal.com]

You mean there is no space that says "By Order of the Emperor Gregor"? That needs to be changed.

Automatic(?) Delivery

[aska-kettlingur.livejournal.com]

Make sure that the fact you ran dry doesn't mean that the crud in the bottom of the tank got into the line. A new fuel filter might be in order. And if it's their fault for not delivering, make them check it out at their cost.

I have a monthly budget payment and automatic delivery. I also have a reminder in my Outlook calendar to check the level in the oil tank (frequency depending on outdoor temperatures). I guess I just don't trust anyone where my comfort (and the comfort of my cat) is concerned.

[attilathepbnun.livejournal.com]

Oh mygoodness!!!!!! SO GLAD you two and the cats didn't freeze solid!!!