The Furnace Broke: But It Could Be Worse

It's a gray, damp, chilly, drizzling day.

My cold, or whatever has been ailing me, isn't doing well at all: but I'm feeling much better. I suppose someone could work up an ethical concern over massive casualties in the rhinovirus population, but I won't bother.

Oddly enough, I can't remember any protests as smallpox was heartlessly driven to extinction: and that's another topic.

I've been getting some work done, more of which won't happen if I keep writing this post.

We've had someone look at the furnace/heating system. Good news: the situation showed up in our yearly maintenance check of machinery that keeps the house warm during winter. Not-so-good news: there isn't just one malfunction. A whole mess of parts either aren't working, or aren't working properly. Sort-of-good news: we found out before the serious heating season started; and the parts can be replaced. More precisely, the parts can be replaced: once they arrive. There's a fair-sized order being, I hope, processed correctly.

Meanwhile, our main heating system is offline, and the household is setting up space heaters to keep conditions inside somewhat comfortable.

One of the benefits of higher energy costs, compared to what householders paid in my youth, is that it's been decades since the start of heating season was punctuated by news reports of exploding houses. In some sorts of stories, it would have been a funny situation. The reality wasn't amusing. Folks whose furnaces failed catastrophically didn't always survive.

Considering some of the alternatives, spending money on this year's repairs doesn't seem like such a bad thing, after all.

Vaguely-related posts:

• "Fogbound Streets of my Mind"
  (October 3, 2013)
• "I Got What I Asked For"
  (September 29, 2013)
• "Minnesota Winter, and the Furnace is Fixed!"
  (January 5, 2009)
• "I'm Sick, the Furnace is Kaput, There's a Storm Coming: but Other Than That, Things are Fine!"
  (December 29, 2008)
• "Thursday: Furnace, Glasses, and a Violin Bow"
  (January 25, 2008)

A Rabbit, a Haircut, Soo Bahk Do, and Phone Calls

It's been a a good day. My wife gave me a haircut this afternoon: no more 'ancient wizard' look for me. I haven't measured, but my hair's maybe a quarter-inch long now. Probably less. Tomorrow, I trim the beard to match.

There's plenty of time for it to get long and curly for the 'Santa Claus' look next Christmas.

I ate an apple today - not entirely so that I could give the core to Giol, #1 daughter's pet rabbit. But that was a factor. This time Giol hopped a couple feet away from me before starting to eat the apple core. He does that, sometimes: more often when I make it a little harder to get the thing. I think he may be protecting 'his' treat.

My wife and #3 daughter went to Soo Bahk Do class this evening. They're preparing for a test. My son stayed home this time. The rationale was that he wasn't going to be taking the test - and prep for the test was all that'd be happening in class.

I didn't get out for a walk today - but I did go through some of the Wii Fit routines. I'm rather serious about undoing the effects several years (decades) of comparative immobility.

And, I'm catching up, more or less, from the break I took to write about lint. Earth Day and all that, you know.

A Bulletin and Clerical Errors: Two of Them

It could have been worse.

Somebody at the Post Office called me this morning: either my numbers were 'way off, or we were missing over 50 bulletins.

Not good news. Particularly since there would have been no way to know which 50 were missing.

I was pretty intense (sorry about that!) with my wife and daughter, who had dropped the mailing off at the Post Office. At the time, what I thought I was doing was making it very clear what might have happened - and that this was non-trivial. That's not, I think, quite how it came across.

They came home, with news that they hadn't seen bulletins on the ground/streets/sidewalks around the Post Office. Which I believed. Even with today's wind, that many would be hard to miss.

So, at the Post Office I discovered that I'd made a sort of double clerical error in one of the forms. Not my best work. I'll be reviewing my procedure, next month - and paying particular attention to some of the details.

Knights of Columbus members should be getting their bulletins in tomorrow's mail, unless they live well away from Sauk Centre.

Blue Sky, Comfortable Chair, Routines and Schedules

Friday morning. Blue sky. Almost 50 degrees out. (Fahrenheit, of course.) My wife and #3 daughter are off for their Friday morning routine. My son seems to be sleeping in - not a bad idea, actually, since he's got what sounds like a cold.

I've gotten the postal paperwork done for the Knights of Columbus council bulletin I edit: The ladies will drop the mailing off at the Post Office in the next hour or so.

Me? I'm sitting in that hand-me-down chair and - I see I'm scheduled to be spontaneous and creative now. I'd better get to work on that.

Prayer, Hair, and a Rabbit

My son gave me the 'chaplet' (a crucifix and knotted cord of the sort we pray chaplets on, actually) - looks like I'm the one he's been praying for during this Lent. Well, I can use all the help I can get. I'm wearing it now: swapped out the one I've been wearing and using through Lent.

And, I've already used the 'new' one: Someone on Twitter suggested: "Please pause whatever you are doing and pray for your family and country." It took me the usual six minutes to run through the particular chaplet I've been doing: but who's counting?

My wife got a haircut this afternoon: a sort of rite of spring. Also a practical matter of staying comparatively cool during summer. A - tech school grad, I think - did the work, and a fine job it was.

Giol, #1 daughter's rabbit, is doing fine. He doesn't say much, but he's been using the pet taxi and rabbit run my wife set up for him with evidence of satisfaction with the arrangement.

Apart from that? I'm probably forgetting something: But so far, that's what I've pulled out of memory.

"A Nun's Story" - Pretty Good Movie

The family watched "A Nun's Story" (1959) tonight. I hadn't seen it before: and am glad we corrected that oversight.

Other than that, it's been a fairly routine Wednesday: tasks done, Garfield read and all that.

Springtime: I Think It's Here

I might get to bed in reasonable time tonight.

Or, not.

I've had a pretty good day - tired: probably still getting over that daft stunt weekend before last.

My son and I read Garfield and sang, #1 daughter's rabbit Giol danced for an apple core, and I've gotten a few tasks done.

Yeah: It's been a pretty good day.

Monday, Garfield & Routines

I've read Garfield and sung with my son, got some work done - and stayed awake all day.

Another few good nights' sleep, and I may be back to 'normal.' I'm taking steps to see that I don't pull another all-nighter for taxes.

One more set of tasks, and I'm turning in. Goodnight.

Nothing Out of the Ordinary

It's been a good Saturday. I spent some time talking with #1 daughter, grilled burgers, and relaxed. And, again with #1 daughter, watched one episode each of Bleach and Princess Tutu. Meanwhile, over in the living room, my wife and #3 daughter were watching - I think it was "Yanni at the Acropolis."

Like I said, it's been a good day.

Sunday: It's been a Good Day

It's been a good Sunday. The family and I went to Mass, I grilled burgers while #1 daughter enjoyed time with #3 daughter and my son, goofed off much of the afternoon, and got a bit of meditation in, too.

That sounds highfalutin, doesn't it? I looked it up, and to meditate is to "study: think intently and at length".

It's Lent, and I'm taking that as an opportunity to think back and have another go at sorting out what I've done, and what I should do now. Part of today's dredging resulted in a few posts in other blogs (I'll link to one of them at the end of this post, and a related post from last week).

#1 daughter left after supper - with longer days, she can stick around for the evening meal now, and still drive in daylight. She should be back in Alex now, getting ready for classes tomorrow.

#3 daughter, my wife and my son went to Soo Bahk Do class this evening, as usual. And, again as usual, came back a bit pooped and with more knowledge.

I've wrapped up the tasks I do Sunday evening. It's time to call it a day.

Next week will be a little off-routine. My father-in-law is spending time with one of my brothers-in-law, so my wive and #3 daughter will be minding the shop quite a bit.

Related posts:

• "Valley Forge Village in Sauk Centre: Why Was I So Intense?"
  Sauk Centre Journal Blog (March 7, 2010)
• "Prayer, Medicine and Trusting God"
  A Catholic Citizen in America (March 4, 2010)

Burgers, a Rabbit, and Family

Excellent day: I grilled burgers in company with #1 daughter, read Garfield and sang with my son, talked about her writing with #3 daughter, and watched Giol, #1 daughter's rabbit, engulf two apple cores, and a small tub of (old) sprouts. Don't worry: the sprouts weren't that old. We could have eaten them, but my wife probably wanted to start a fresh batch.

And, I think she has a soft spot for the rabbit.

#1 daughter and I watched another episode each of Bleach and Princess Tutu. Watching those two back-to-back makes for a fast shift of mental gears.

I've gotten some work done, too: including long-overdue graphics for the Easy Griller blog and website; and Apathetic Lemming of the North posts for tomorrow and Monday.

That'll give me tomorrow for family - also reflection, silence (no small feat for me), cultivation of the mind, and meditation - all with a view to furthering the growth of this Christian's interior life. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2186 - we've got rules for just about everything. More: "Working on Sunday: At Growing the Christian Interior Life," A Catholic Citizen in America (January 2, 2010))

Enough with the link-dropping.

It's been a long and enjoyable day: and it's time to turn in.

A Pulled Muscle, a Bulletin, and Insomnia

I was up until about 3:00 this morning: Can's say that I recommend the practice. Oh, well. I've read that occasional insomnia isn't anything to worry about, so I won't. Sleeping until almost noon gave me enough sleep - although at the 'wrong' time.

However, I'm less out-of-focus today, so something's going right. And, I'm determined to have a shot at a saner sleep-wake cycle tonight.

I've gotten a bit done today: including cleaning over a half-gigabyte of excess files off my hard drive.

My wife, son, and #3 daughter went to Soo Bahk Do class this evening, which gave me a quiet house to work in. I got the Knights of Columbus bulletin counted and the postal forms filled out. It's good to drop at the Post Office tomorrow, right on schedule. My wife, as usual, attached the labels we got from the printer's.

#3 daughter managed to pull a muscle at Soo Bahk Do, but I think she'll be okay. "Doctor Mom" knows how to deal with that sort of thing.

My son and I read Garfield and sang, as usual, again this evening. And I have only two posts left to write: then I can call it a day and turn in.

Soo Bahk Do Again, and Goofing Off a Day of Rest

Sunday is almost over. I've grilled burgers, hung out with the family, talked with #1 daughter and my son, watched Giol, her rabbit, gotten some reading done, and - while my wife and #3 daughter were at Soo Bahk Do class - finished another entry for the Sauk Centre Journal and did some work on the Knights of Columbus bulletin. I plan to wind the bulletin up tomorrow morning: I do not want another SNAFU like the out-of-date 'events' section of last month.

I'm steeped in the American culture, so I tend to feel that a day spent without producing all that much is a day spent 'goofing off.' I know better, but the feeling is still there. (More: "Working on Sunday: At Growing the Christian Interior Life," (January 2, 2010).)

Goodnight, and may God bless.

Saturday: Soo Bahk Do, a Rabbit, and Wii

I've got a task or two left to do today, and then I'll be (fairly) free for Sunday.

My wife and #3 daughter got back from the Soo Bahk Do clinic before 6:00 - earlier than I expected them. A happy surprise.

My son and #1 daughter had me run through a tutorial for a series of Wii games: Mario Brothers Smash Brawl, or something like that. That was fun, although I doubt I'll spend the time it'd take to get really competent at it.

I've read Garfield and sung with my son, and then watched one episode each of "Bleach" and "Princess Tutu" with #1 daughter, and watched her rabbit eat three apple cores. Not at the same time, of course

It's been a good day.

Friday: The Day's Work is Done

I finished the last post of the day (apart from this one) a few minutes ago. My son and I have read Garfield and sung. #1 daughter is home for the weekend, and all I have left to do tonight is get some dishes washed.

I've fed Giol, #1 daughter's rabbit, an apple core. Two, actually. He's gotten quite good at walking on his back legs:

"Will walk for food"

brigidtheirish, YouTube (October 26, 2009)
video, 0:12

It's late: time for me to turn in.

Goodnight, and may God bless.

Thursday: Routine, Which is Fine By Me

I'm caught up now, from Tuesday's malware situation.

And, thanks to a big of sitting with pencil and paper (pen, actually), I've gotten some work done part of the setting for a story or three. Which is another topic, for another blog.

It's Thursday, so my wife and #3 daughter went to Soo Bahk Do this evening. My son stayed home: he's been under the weather. Nothing serious, but why take chances? Besides, there's a Soo Bahk Do clinic this weekend, and I'm hoping he'll be able to go.

Apart from that, and talking briefly with my son-in-law about some family business, the day's been quite routine. Right down to the Garfield-and-song with my son about an hour and a half ago.

It may get better than this: but I'm glad with what I have.

Goodnight, and may God bless.

Wednesday: Caught up After Yesterday's SNAFU

I took an unplanned sabbatical from working on the computer yesterday. A rather nasty piece of adware started burrowing its way into my system. On the up side, my son knew of a fairly straightforward way to extract it.

The process of deworming my computer, although largely automated (this time), encouraged me to find other work to do. For one thing, I figured that the less I used the computer, the more of its resources would be available to the software that was patrolling its innards. Mostly, I thought that working at something that didn't have me looking at the monitor would be less stressful.

I think I made the right decision, but I hadn't caught up until late this evening.

I'd have been done earlier, but I decided to relax with the family and watch the two new Aaron Stone episodes that aired tonight. It may not be 'quality time,' but we had fun.

Somewhat after that, I read Garfield and sang with my son.

It's been a good day.

Another Day: For a Monday, Not Bad

Another day is (nearly) over. I've gotten the day's tasks done, not well perhaps: but done. My son and I read Garfield and sang - a happy routine - and earlier he showed me an online game he's discovered.

From the Red River Valley of the North, I hear, second hand, that my son-in-law is making preparations for #1 daughter. I'm not clear on exactly what he's got in mind, but that no doubt will become clear as time goes on.

And now, it's time for me to sign off.

Goodnight, and may God bless.

Of Routines and a Rabbit

#1 daughter is back from the Red River Valley of the North; Giol, her pet rabbit, has had two apple cores for treats (dancing each time); my wife and #3 daughter have been to Soo Bahk Do practice; and I've finished Sunday's Sauk Centre Journal post.

It's been a good day.

And now, goodnight and may God bless.

Of Yogurt, a Rabbit, Movies and Routines

I'll be switching yogurt brands, after using up the current supply. According to the charts I've been using, that half-cup of yogurt with rice puffs should have been good for breakfast.

But before-and-after blood sugar readings say otherwise. No real surprise, in 20-20 hindsight. Sugar comes pretty quick on the heels of milk on the ingredients label. Oh, well: There are alternatives.

My son and I read Garfield and sang tonight, as usual. That's a pleasant ritual. My wife and #3 daughter were watching a "Nancy Drew" video while I've been catching up on today's posts.

Good grief! That's a syntactic monstrosity, but I'll let it stand.

I watched "2001: A Space Odyssey" this afternoon. That makes three movies I've seen on television withing the week. The others were (part of) "Aliens" and (part of) "The Incredibles." The latter I enjoyed. The former? I know more about the approach of the franchise - and congratulate myself on not spending money on a movie ticket.

Add "Avatar," (a week ago tomorrow), and I've been spending a whole lot of time this week, watching movies. I don't intend to make that a habit.

Giol, #1 daughter's rabbit, has had an apple core from my son this evening, and one from me. He likes those things - and has gotten quite good at walking/hopping on his hind feet to take them from our hands. My son's reasoning is that Giol enjoys the apple core more, if he has to work a little for it, so he makes it a bit more difficult for the rabbit. He could be right.

#1 daughter is, presumably up in the Red River Valley of the North, visiting #2 daughter and my son-in-law.

Which pretty much sums up the day's happenings. Right. My wife and #3 daughter have been out, getting groceries and something at Wal-Mart - the latter including a refill of my glucose test strips.

And now, I can call it a day. Good night, and may God bless.