Thursday, November 6, 2014

Dear Fall....

How I love you! You're beautiful colors, pumpkin spice everything and of course being able to lay around watching endless shows on Netflix, sipping tea, knitting, snuggling and not feeling a tad bit guilty about it. But I hate getting sick. And as of right now I am officially drowning in my own snot. I am not very good at being sick. I require a lot of pity, attention and sleep. Every night this week I have been in bed by 8pm and asleep by 8:30....thank you Nyquil and Sleepytime Tea! Thank you!

So with fall comes the colder weather. So far we, up here in New England, have had a pretty mild start to the great freeze ahead. We all know it's coming. Endless nights of below zero weather, bundling up like a zit about to pop with lots of wool and PRAYING for sun shine and no wind chills.

Sunday night I came into my apartment and found a little surprise. The heat wasn't on. It was FREEZING. I mean like penguins are about to move in freezing. I think it could have easily been about 50 degrees. I turned the heat ALL the way up and just waited.....waiting turned into hoping which then turned into swearing and then became acceptance that it was going to be a VERY cold night in casa de beth. SHIT!

I piled on the blankets, put on a very comfy hoodie, wool hat and some fingerless mittens, took some sleepy cold pills and drifted off into a drug induced como. Woke up all snuggly toasty warm and had immediate flash backs of being a teenager and not wanting to get out of bed to go to school. I haven't lived in a cold apartment with hardwood floors in years. There is something so fabulous about being extra snuggly in bed when the room is cold but not when it's Monday morning at 6:25am. Nope, nope that is hell! That go on the list of things I truly hate.

- Hate list updated.....

*Traffic
*People being late to things (that keep me waiting)
*Waking up early in a very cold room when I am snuggly warm
*Long lines for anything
*Being hangry with no food insight
*Running out of water to drink
*Traffic (did I say that already)
*Bad weather at an airport when I have to be some where....like the start of a vacation kind of some where (ooooooo that's a good one!!)

So I manned up and called my landlord to figure out what's wrong with the heating system. I have steam heat. I don't know how the steam is made but some where in that creepy basement below me steam is created and then set up (loudly) into my fabulous apartment with tall ceiling and lots of windows.

My landlord finally called me back later that afternoon,,,,

Very nice landlord, "Hey Beth! So it looks like I forgot to tell you that you have Oil Heating"

Me "huh?!"

Landlord, "Yeah you need to call and get some oil for the heating system"

Me, "Seriously?! How much is that?"

Landlord, "ummmmm it changes all the time but it's about $3.50 a gallon right now"

Me, "WHAT?! Soooooooo how many gallons do I need?? 10?"

Landlord, "HA! Ooooooh no! The tank is about 250 and you will need to fill it up every other month during the cold months"

Me, "I am going to officially freeze to death"


Next DayCalled the oil guy he recommended. 8 hours later Mr. Jackson called me back....

Mr Jackson (in a THICK Boston accent), "Hi There! I'm Mistah Jackson! So how can I help ya!"

Me, "I am cold...so cold! I need oil and I have no money. What can you do for me?"

MJ, "Have you checked the Boilah? Is there Watah in the tank? Is there oil in the tank?"

Me, "No because I am scared of the basement and won't set foot in there alone."

MJ, "ummmmm ok dearah! Are you home now?"

Me, "No I am stuck at work and won't be home until after 7 tonight"

MJ, "Yikes! That's late! How about tomorrah? I'll come by around 6 and take a look at the Boilah!"

Oh great! So not only am I sick but now I have to go down into the creepy basement and look at a Boilah! GREAT! So far this week is 275 Beth 2.

Last Night: Mr. Jackson came right on time, went through everything really quickly. I manned up and went downstairs in the creepy basement with him which is still super creepy and then figured out that I will not be able to afford to eat for the rest of my life because I need to heat my apartment. HOLY SHIT OIL IS EXPENSIVE!!! So $458.75 later I now own 125 gallons of pure black gold, texas tea! (as theme song to the Beverly Hills Hillbillies said) which apparently will only last me....now hold on to your seats people....ONE MONTH. Yep, ONE FREAKING MONTH!!!!!

As those words came out of his mouth I looked up at my high ceilings, large windows and thought...SHIT! I am so screwed! So now I completely understand why people keep their homes at a brisk 60 degrees in the winter time because IT'S SO FREAKING EXPENSIVE TO HEAT!!!!!! I had no idea how good I had it with plush wall to wall carpets and forced hot air and a/c in that gosh darn condo!

So word to the wise if you come to my apartment at all this winter...bundle up people because yours truly is about to try and set the world record for making 125 gallons of oil last as long as humanly possible. I think I may need to buy another space heater or 10.

Week 733.75 Beth -10 (ate more Halloween candy)

2 comments:

  1. Good Lord Beth, that is so expensive. There goes Kate Spade.

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    Replies
    1. ha ha ha ha yes....Kate Spade has not made an appearance in my world lately and to be honest that isn't a bad thing. :)

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