A few weeks ago while trying to get ready for company to come I realized that it was a little chilly in the house (we were having an early cold snap) and maybe my guests would not prefer to have to wear a sweater indoors.. so I sucked it up and pushed the “heat” button on the thermostat for the first time since moving into the house. I waited and sat over the floor vents only to discover that COLD air was coming out!! I figured that maybe something hadn’t been properly turned on so I waited until hubby came home for him to ‘check’ the heater… he walked around and then crawled under the house to discover that not only was the furnace not working… it was NON EXISTENT! Yeah, turns out that we don’t HAVE central heating in the house – when the house was converted from gas to electric (for cooking, heating hot water, and logically HEATING..) the 50 year old gas heater was disconnected, capped off, and left to rust under the house. The living room fireplace and the wall mounted electric coil heaters which are in the bathroom, laundry room, and living room (that my MIL deemed “quaint”) are the only heating in the house! Uhm… yeah. Our landlord had no idea that there wasn’t central heat and since he’s not planning on continuing to rent this house after we leave (its going to be turned into a golf driving range in the future) he isn’t going to “waste” the money to put in heat. He did go out and buy us a nice electric heater to use, and the wall heater in the living room works very well (plus we do have acres of land and a fireplace) – so I think we should survive the winter. We do have 2 other (very safe) small portable electric heaters for Munchkin’s room and my husband’s office, and to be honest we’re really not in any position to move to another house anytime soon. We’ve lived in old, badly heated houses before and are well versed in the art of weather stripping windows, hanging quilts in front of them at night, and blocking off unused portions of the house with curtains to keep the heat in the living areas… plus, thankfully I know a little something something about making woolly stuff!
Its 35ºF outside right now (though thankfully it is a comfortable 65 in the house without the use of heat) and suddenly my whole household has decided that the wool slippers that I’ve offered in the past were JUST what they wanted to keep their feet snug and warm. *sigh* My husband has a pair of crochetted slippers somewhere but he can’t find them.. so I’ve gone stash diving and wrangled up a skein of olive drab Cascade 220 to make some Fuzzy Feet slippers for him. Munchkin has 2 pairs of ‘slipper socks” from Jane the Sock Queen (who was nice enough to give her accidentally felted socks to my son.. he LOVES them and they still fit great!!) and he requested a pair of fingerless gloves for in the house and at school.
So, as of right now I have Marina from Wooly Wormhead on the needles with 2 pattern repeats completed, queued up Small Fry Fingerless Gloves, and have one slipper zooming along on size 10 (6.0 mm) needles… If anyone needs me I’ll be on the couch with a blanket and my knitting!
13 Responses to “Knit 1 Burr 2”
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I love it that suddenly you’re the hero!
The one winter I lived in Orlando, it was apparently record-breaking cold (below freezing for longer than is common) and people were freezing to death (which freaked me out – in MN, people only freeze to death at extreme subzero temps and when alcohol is involved). Anyway, I discovered I didn’t have any heat, either. The dim-witted landlord suggested just leaving the oven door open… Fortunately, I was able to buy the last portable heater at the store.
Our first apartment had those electric coil heaters, and as I remember, they worked very well. And, as you say, you have other means of keeping warm. Just think of the money you’ll save on heat, too.
Ooooh, that bites about the heat. BUT the bright side…handmade knits work wonders for the chill. I make a lot of slipper socks, fingerless mitts, pullovers, etc to wear around the home. I also have a black ratty hoodie that I wear almost daily.
It gets downright cold here, sometimes, add in the dampness, and we live in a really drafty apartment, despite the baseboard heaters for heat. (old drafty windows be damned!) LOL!
Knit faster!
HUGS!
What a strange heating (or non-heating) situation. Capping off the heater. Thank God you’re in Georgia! Well, I’m glad you’ve got a plan and lots of wool.
Have you seen this “Grown-Up Booties” pattern? http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/grown-up-booties It’s a free download at the moment, although that was supposed to change a few weeks ago. I keep meaning to make a pair — they’re so cute!
That’s amazing! I can’t believe landlords sometimes… I hope you’re able to stay warm.
For the past three years we’ve had such mild winters (thanks, global warming!) that I’ve pretty much lived off my neighbors’ heat. Third floor, it all comes up to my apartment making it about 65 degrees without my electric heater being plugged in. I would’ve had the thermostat down to that anyhow if I’d turned the gas on.
Knit up some wool underwear! I’ve got some woolly knickers (1940s pattern) that are too warm for the apartment but are pretty damn snazzy for outdoors under skirts.
burr is right! but I’m glad to hear you have some options! here’s to keeping warm this winter!
On the bright side that sounds like a knitting challenge?!
I don’t suppose the landlord is cutting your rent?
I guess the silver lining is the appreciation for your amazing prowess with wool and needles.
Dayum, that sucks! I used to live in a big house that was hard to heat and I found those radiator-shaped oil-filled heaters to do a pretty good job. Now I’m happy we have central heat, even if it does dry my skin like crazy.
Ack! Mousie! No heat!? Wow, you are my new hero taking it so in stride! Stay warm!
Are you sure I can’t Greyhound Monk down to keep you warm?
I’ve been using my small electric heater in the living room since last year with great results. It’s not quite the same as having the “real” heat on, but it’s enough to keep me alive.
Of course I have the option. I can’t imagine discovering that I have no furnace! Sheesh. You are a trouper, that’s for sure!
Omg, that’s crazy! Have you been knitting extra thick socks then?