The furnace elf came today to turn on the boiler!! It's been doggone cold in here for the past week, especially. The other night, the temp got down to 30 degrees outside. It was warmer than that in here, but i don't think it got much over 55 or so.
I feel something of an expert at judging indoor temperatures, having learned in that great school, experience. My dad's rule, when we lived in Fargo, was to keep the thermostat at 55 degrees at night. When I got tall enough to read the thermostat, I was aghast to see that it was set at 60 degrees during the day! I remember pointing this out to my mother and having her chuckle in response. Dad set it at 60 because we had one of those new-fangled oil furnaces, and oil cost more than coal, which just about everyone else burnt in their furnaces.
We had to go get more oil one night when the oil ran out the day before the scheduled refill. I remember my dad and my brother Gene wading through deep snow that night to pull a 50-gallon oil drum on a toboggan. There was much activity outside as they wrestled the smaller drum into position and, using a big funnel, poured it into the pipe leading to the large tank, but I was not allowed to open the door to watch--that would let out all the "warm" air.
I'm feeling a bit sad, actually. Nothing heats like an old-fashioned steam radiator. They get hotter than blazes and make a room toasty warm. I've backed into the one in the bathroom several times and branded myself with bright red stripes on my backside. Even so, I don't hold it against them. They're wonderful. And they've kept this place warm and cozy for the ten years I've lived here. I hope my next place has steam radiators....
I had steam heat in my old apartment and I loved it! The landlord paid the heat and that was a HUGE bonus! Where I am now I have to pay the heat and it isn't nearly so cozy but more rxpensive. I'm thinking of moving next year.
ReplyDeleteWe have oil heat now after years of fiddling with coal and it is a dream. It's an expensive dream and we never kave the thermostat set higher than 15 C.
ReplyDelete"If you're cold, go put on a sweater."
This is usually said to a child who is wandering around the house in a t-shirt in February.
I totally agree with you on the radiators. We had them in the house I grew up in -- the best thing was putting scarves and mittens on them to get them nice and warm before putting them on to go outside!
ReplyDeleteWe still have radiators in our circa 1950 two-flat. They do have metal covers so you can't get branded. We never get the kind of electric shocks from touching each other in the winter - the way you do with forced air heat. We kids used to torment each other with those little shocks in the bad old days. The D.N.
ReplyDeleteWe just moved into a small bungalow three towns east of Toronto. He house was built in the 40's and the craftsmanship is stunning. The house holds the heat forever and is a fraction to heat of what our old 80's two story was.
ReplyDeleteI am excited about discovering your blog. Kay Dennison turned me to you and am glad she did. I so enjoy what I am reading so far.
You have a magnificent "voice".
David