Chillin' but Grateful

Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful. And thank goodness since two nights ago (Friday) our furnace died. We had actually had Furnace Guy here that day and he said the motor was dying (prescient that one), that he would order part and be back Monday. So Saturday morning we sighed and called Furnace Guy, expecting to hear that they would be out, but only in exchange for next year's salary or one of the boys. Nope. Apparently the Lennox heating supply stores are closed on the weekend and no one could get that part. What?

It is like some small crack in capitalism--an error in the program. How could it be that someone had not taken advantage of a perfect opportunity to extract exaggerated profit out of the situation? Wasn't this a perfect example of limited elasticity in the demand/supply equation favoring the supplier?

Whatever, it is all to our advantage from where I sit (in front of the fire). Yes, we are a bit chilly here and there, but we also have so much to be grateful for--here is my list:

• Friends who immediately offered up space heaters and offered (nay, insisted) we sleep at their house.
• An adventuresome crew of a family who didn't bat an eye about how to make it work in the house without the furnace.
• The fact that we worked hard to finish the family room so we have access to the fireplace which has been cranking it out virtually all weekend.
• That we took the time to insulate the basement and family room to the hilt.
• The fact that we still have electricity and the water heater.
• The bacon and rosemary-wrapped pork roast we slow cooked all afternoon using said electricity, both warming the kitchen and our bellies.
• The fact that while chilly, it isn't colder out (low around 30/high around 40).
• The beautiful southerly slant of the sun yesterday.
• The Engineer's total willingness, even this morning in the icy rain, to head out back with me to split and stack wood.
• Games, music and movies.

Ultimately, life is still pretty darn luxurious even without a furnace, but we will also be grateful for getting it back.