Musings on a cold morning (in front of the heater box)

I woke up early today, but I’m getting a ride to school (so my husband can take our son to Dave and Buster’s for half-off games Wednesday), so I can’t leave early. Instead I’m sitting in front of the heater, negotiating the many bandaids I have on my finger tips to help heal the skin fissures that refuse to close to tap out this post on my phone.

And now I’m also negotiating kittens.

Well the heater turned off and my sweater was done in the dryer so now I’m sitting in front of the heater (it came on again) but fully dressed and with my coffee ready to go too. I really love heaters. We didn’t have any heat for a couple years, when our heater broke and we were too financially strapped to fix it. Those years were rough. It was so cold at night and rarely got over 60* during the days.

I know it never gets truly cold here but our houses are also not built for the cold. We don’t have the insulation needed to trap heat. Our doors and windows are old and drafty. My good friend, who is from Chicago assures me that we hang out in much colder houses here than they did growing up on the shore of frigid Lake Michigan. My visits to St. Louis at Christmas corroborate her story.

The thermostat at my school is forever set to “Holiday” so it’s a crap shoot what the temperature will be when I arrive. On Monday it was 50* in my room when I got there. It took 30 minutes to get it to 64*.

But at least we don’t have to teach with the windows and doors open. Maybe that would be a good idea with all the respiratory illness circulating, but I just can’t bring myself to do it. It was so miserable last year. I am wearing a mask again this week, in an attempt to stay healthy for the holidays. Hopefully that will be enough.

My friend just texted that she’ll be here soon. Just two more school days.

Let’s do this.