The heating of our discontent, or, my kingdom for a home warranty

Note to self: when having a home inspection before buying a home, take the front of the furnace off and look inside.

When I went to sleep last night it was -13 outside, and 68 inside. When I woke up this morning, it was considerably colder. Nothing like frozen cockles first thing in the morning.

A technician was able to come out early this afternoon (but not before the temp on the thermostat dipped below 50-I evacuated the boy to Grandma's well before) and I wish I had taken a picture of his face when he took off the front of the furnace.

Let's just say it was a tad dirty. I was tempted to write "WASH ME" with my finger on the motor. He estimated that it hadn't been cleaned in over five years. Guess the people we bought the house from didn't care much about it.

Shame on me, though, for not checking it out before we sealed the deal. As it was, a sensor controlling the heating mechanism was shot, and would've anyway no matter how clean or filthy the furnace was. Still, it makes me wonder what else is lurking in the bowels of our new home. We got caught up in asthetics: every room has been redone in the last few years, and aside from a paint job or two, there is really nothing we need to do.

Well, except replace all major appliances in the next year, probably. I'm exaggerating; everything in the kitchen is new as well.

Ah, homeownership! It's been obnoxiously cold here this week, and it hasn't stopped snowing since Christmas. A few days ago I heard Kristen call me from downstairs smack dab at 7 AM: "We've got a water problem!" Being razed from slumber to news that water is causing a "problem" certainly gets the blood flowing. Turns out the ice damning up on the roof encased the top of the window in ice, and the heat from inside melted some. It had nowhere else to go except through the slats of the blinds. It actually wasn't much, and since the temp dropped twenty degrees that day, it hasn't come back.

It will, though, unless I get up on a ladder and get rid of the ice. Me on a ladder = high comedy. Pray for me, and help my wife with the insurance premiums.

I'm starting to wonder if I've moced into a money pit. The house is 57 years old, and five years of home ownership in the 90s taught me that things go wrong in houses all of the time. They are supposed to be mildly annoying.

This week mildly annoying would be an upgrade.

Ah, to whine about things that really aren't much of a big deal. At least I wasn't on an airplane that landed in the freakin' water yesterday. Wow. Color me impressed. Seriously. That pilot is more of a stud than Seattle Slew.

Maybe he can come over and replace my furnace.