Ninth Life

It is one of those mornings that I'm grateful. Seems like a moment at the church pulpit when one claims "I'd feel very ungrateful if I didn't say..." I am grateful that things around here are working. Such is not always the case around here - things working nor my being grateful.

For the past week, I've tried to deny that our furnace was on the brink. The motor was certainly still up and running. The fan blew. Only problem was that the needed WARM air only lasted for the first 3-4 minutes of each cycle. Then cold air was pushed through the vents. Sure, it might be normal for cooler air to come out the last few seconds as the heater was shutting down after successfully raising the temperature to the set degree. But minutes of cold air?!? I didn't want to flip the bill for the energy that required.

Constantly I was asking one girl to "bend down and tell me if the air is warm." When the reply was "NO," I sent the other girl downstairs to manually "turn off the heater, it's not working." By turning the furnace on and off, on and off, and on and OFF again...and by moving around a portable space heater, we managed to keep our inside temperature around a balmy 62 degrees. Warmer than the outside freezing temps, but not comfortable.

Finally coming to terms that a functioning furnace was at its end, I posted such sentiments on Facebook. You know, put it out in the virtual void. I was humbled by handfuls of friends listing HVAC connections that'd likely have better rates and for several who offered portable heaters to see us through. In my mind, I had a short list of houses to drop by for heaters that could see us through the night.

But, I'd wait until Matt got home. I'd wait to see what he'd say and do.

He made it home just before 9:00. I asked if he needed the computer left on (my usual question as I shut things off for the night. His usual answer: "no, what would I do on that thing?"). Uncharacteristically, he said to leave it on. He spent some time looking up information on furnace parts (thanks Internet info). He spent some time jimmying a part. More time cleaning another part. Some time feeling the air coming out of the vents.

Just before I went to sleep he showed me the thermostat. It read 71 degrees. 71! Miraculously back in business.

Sure, we might just be setting ourselves up to limp along for another short while. Sure, I might be making big of something small. But, I wanted to record this time (among many) that things worked out for us.

I'm grateful that yet another repair bill was avoided. I am so grateful for the sound of the motor kicking on, for warm air blowing when it should, AND for a handy husband who SOMEHOW gives everything we own nine lives! I'm grateful that a blessing from above is keeping us warm here below - this morning I recognize it.