So. We had our first snow (I know, this isn't the weather thread) on Tuesday.
And the electric company cut us off. My wife had neglected to tell me we were
that far behind... (she does the bills)
Two days of freezing weather with no power. Now, in the past, I was able to fire up the old coal boiler that was left hooked into the system when they added the gas boiler (which needs power to run). We'd at least have heat. I went to the basement with a lantern, cleared the packing boxes away from the boiler, gathered the kindling...
And found that it had sprung a leak on the inside. A little chunk of cast iron had popped out, and there's no way to repair it. A slow drip, and I could have built a fire under it, but I had a feeling that doing so would only make it worse.
The house got down to the low 50's the first night, and the mid 40's last night. Power went back on today (handicapped exemption, needed a doctor's note, gives us 30 days to settle the bill).
Aaaand... yeah, the leak got worse with heat and pressure. I put the bucket with the hose attached off of the dehumidifier under it and ran the hose into the nearby sewer cleanout so the basement won't flood from the fairly constant stream. Then went to see if it can be fixed (it's a 114 year old cast iron boiler,
said the plumbing supply guys), and if they have 3" fittings so I can disconnect it and bypass it (yes, they can be ordered, and they'll only cost an arm and half a leg).
But we have heat, and the food in the fridge didn't spoil. Except the ice cream, that didn't survive.
Did I mention I have a bad head cold? And that I'm selling the old ford Escort (1987, the only car I ever bought new) so I have garage space to fix the transmission in the Saturn? What I get for junk value will cover the cost of a junker's transmission...
Did I mention
I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!!!