Long day.

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So far so good on the furnace. The heating guy who came out yesterday replaced the whole pilot assembly and it has not gone out yet. It's only been one day but I am hopeful. It was the first day in a very long time that I walked in the door from work and the house was warm. So again, I am hopeful.

What I'm not hopeful about is keeping up with all these blog posts! All of you wonderful people that I love to read who are participating in NaBloPoMo, you're killing me! It's really nice when people post a lot, but every other day is fine. Every single day is simply too much for me to read without sacrificing my sleep or my sanity. So I really hope you will forgive me if I do more of that skimming I was talking about not too long ago. And I probably won't comment as much either because after I read one post, I know I have fifty two more to go!

I feel bad about that, and not for the reasons you may think. It's more selfish really. I'm disappointed because I am sure there are posts being written that normally I would really enjoy and I know I am going to miss some good stuff. Posts that if they came out at a normal speed as opposed to rapid fire, I would love to sit back and fully enjoy. The way it is now I feel a little bit like I'm on the other side of one of those machines that whip tennis balls at a player, or maybe like Lucy stuffing her mouth and her blouse with chocolates because too many have come down the conveyor belt.

A few have dropped out already and I am quite pleased. Sorry to the rest of you who are doing quite well with posting every day. It's an achievement to be sure, I know I would have a great deal of trouble with it. But from this side - I'm hoping for a few more drop outs.

On a totally random note here, I almost peed myself at work today because of my natural gracefulness. Walking back to my desk after going to the fax machine, I stumbled over my own wide, Flintstone feet, and had to put my hand out to stop myself from totally falling down and ending up with my face resting on the wheels of my chair. The heel of my hand smacked right down on top of the banana sitting on my desk - literally squirting banana out the end and onto my wrist. I truly almost wet my pants I was laughing so hard. And why can I eat a banana and not find anything at all wrong with it, but get totally grossed out by that same banana smooshed onto my arm? It was like a cartoon and it was worth tossing out the banana just to have that giggle.

Hope you find something to giggle about today!
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Earrings and heat, earrings and heat ...

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For those of you who have asked, the chandelier earrings are coming. I made some this weekend, but my photography was a little dark. I thought gee - when I get home from work today I'll take some better pics with the daylight coming in the window. Works wonders. Uh, no. Because of the time change, it's now dark when I get home from work. Gr-r-r-r.

Since I will be taking a half day tomorrow, I will get some pictures then, and will list the earrings tomorrow evening. Really.

Why am I taking a half day tomorrow? Thanks for asking! I will be home by noon so I can be here to graciously welcome the furnace guy. Again. Yep. The pilot still keeps going out and my landlord is under the impression that the pilot just needs to be adjusted. She thinks the pilot is set too low, which proves that she hasn't seen it because when it's lit - it's not one tiny flame. It burns more like a flower, with flame all around the metal core. The furnace guy told me it's a gas hog with a pilot like that.

My landlord is basically telling the heating company that she doesn't want to pay for another service call, she wants them out there to fix what's wrong. Her contention is - it's not the furnace that's not working, it's the pilot. Fix the pilot, the problem will be solved.

Here's the thing. The suburb I live in has some prime real estate in it. The land this house is sitting on is worth a bunch. The house? Not so much. Down the street from me they pulled down a cute little home and put up a great big house - and it's going for just under a million dollars. That is a single lot. I am sitting on a double.

I'm thinking my landlord plans on renting out this house, putting as little into it as possible, until it's not rent-able anymore. Then she will sell it for the land, not the house. She knows she has to keep the furnace running, but she isn't going to replace it until she absolutely has to.

I almost feel like telling the furnace guy not to bother because I don't believe there is anything else they can do, but we will see. Tomorrow is another day, right? One way or another, I will have heat that works all of the time, not just some of the time.

I really do hate this house.
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Sigh-h-h.

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Here is the new 'piece of furnace' I got today. I believe it is a gas valve. It's not the heating guys fault, I mean - I'm sure they would make a bunch more money if they said the furnace was just plain broken and had to be replaced. They are being honest when they recommend the furnace be replaced, but still fixing a part that can be fixed to make it work. At least I have a brand new Carbon Monoxide detector right outside my bedroom door, right?


To make myself feel better and to show that I have more things in my life than big rusty appliances, here is a picture of the lovely flowers my lovely BF brought me today. Nope. No reason. Lovely, right?



Oh and this? This is my cranky old man cat, Riley, having a bit of a snack when my back was turned!

Yummy!
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THIS is my life.

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I know nobody cares about this stuff. But oh my gosh, this is my life! If the power isn't going out the pipes are clogged or .... the furnace pilot won't stay lit. Yes, I said pilot. This - this is my furnace. Isn't it pretty? Yeah, I love it too. Not so much. Let me make one thing clear, I rent. I do not own this lovely piece of machinery. No, I pay rent to light the pilot on this converted oil burning furnace that was put in the house when it was built in the 50's. It really is that old.



There was a heating guy here a week ago because as it started to get chilly in here, I discovered that unlike last year when I just had to re-light the pilot once or twice a day, this year it simply wouldn't stay on once I let up on that red button no matter how long I held it down. I have lit the pilot on this thing so many times I could do it with my eyes closed so I know what I'm doing. It's not me, honest.



This is where the red button is, and behind that rusty metal panel is where the actual flame belches like an angry dragon once it is lit.




These are various thermocouples that have been replaced in the past, one of which was replaced last week as well. The furnace guy told me this furnace is oh - 30 years past it's useful life. He said if he could have found a crack in - well - something I can't remember - he could have told my landlord the unit had to be replaced. But there was no crack, technically nothing dangerous. But again this week, it won't work.



I have to take more time off work which everyone knows is just not my favorite thing to do, uh huh, and come home at noon so I will be here when that van pulls into my driveway and spend my afternoon reading blogs or something while the guy works on the furnace. Ugh, particularly painful. And when the guy is done, I am hoping that this time, oh please please please I will have a brand spanking new furnace and I will sign the invoice without having to pay anything at all.


Who wants to send me good vibes and thoughts or prayers - that tomorrow I can open that closet door and take a picture of a bright and shiny new appliance???


I mean, think about it. If the furnace gets replaced at least it will be one less thing like this I will feel compelled to write about! Send me good thoughts - it's for your own good.


Really.
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