I ordered {and pre-paid for} propane today! This is cause for huge celebration, just trust me. Anyone who has readThe Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder will be able to understand why I've referred in my mind to November 2013 as "The Long Winter" for us. Here's the story.
Brian's mom and her husband had graciously given us an Indiana State Parks pass for Christmas. Many months later in October as we were {still} unpacking boxes we came across a gift certificate included with the pass, which we could use at any of the State Park Inns. Our 15th anniversary was just in August and we celebrated with a take-out pizza. :) So, we arranged an overnight away for a belated anniversary trip at the beginning of November - our first night away in 5 years! Two days before we were supposed to leave I was awakened around 5 am with a loud banging/clanging sound, and noticed how chilly the house seemed. Brian was not in bed, so I went searching for him. I found him in the basement and was informed that we were out of propane, or at least that's what it seemed as the furnace wouldn't turn on. We managed to get a few space heaters from family, and the kids were all set to stay warm while we were gone for *one night*. :)
Just a week before this, we knew we had about 20% in the propane tank, and I had called about getting it filled. The representative at AmeriGas kindly informed me that we would get a significant discount ($150 or more) if we waited until December 1st to order the fill. This was a 12-month promotion - the last time we ordered gas was in December of 2012. Mind you, last winter the propane was only used when Brian, with various others, was working in the house - we weren't living here, so it wasn't being used much, less than 50% of the time, and kept at a very low setting as manual labor tends to keep you warm. So, back to October, Brian and I thought we could make it on 20% until December 1st. A week later, we learned we were wrong. When it was really cold outside, there wasn't enough pressure in the tank to move enough gas to light the furnace. But we decided to hold out for the discount anyway because, frankly, we needed it. Though, in hindsight, it did prove to be more difficult to get through the month than we had anticipated.
The reason it's been a long, challenging month is because without propane, we have had to heat our home with space heaters {in the bedrooms and laundry room} and a little wood stove. This wood stove is "EPA approved", although honestly I question the EPA's stamp on this one. It is also about 3 times too small for the size of our 4000 square foot home. And it's chimney is several feet too short, which means the potential for back draft is huge, especially when it's really windy (and we have had plenty of smoke in the house to prove it). And - the icing on the cake - it is located on the porch. Yup, you read that right. The porch. The folks before us enclosed the wrap-around portion of the front porch, stuck a wood stove in it, and called it heat. That tiny 8x8 foot area does get really warm! But that alone doesn't do much for the rest of the house, especially the far corners - the dining room, kitchen, laundry room and pretty much all of the upstairs. Which is, obviously, why we need the space heaters.
This situation has just been one thing after another. First, in order to keep a little stove burning you have to constantly be adding wood to it! Which means we can't fill it and leave it to burn through the night like we could if it was the right size and in a central location. So Brian and I have had to take sleep shifts for the last 5 weeks - he staying up until about 2 am keeping the fire going, and me getting up at 4:30 am to keep it going until the rest of the family is up. Also because of the constant need for wood, and the fact that this is our first winter here so we didn't have any already cut from last year, AND the fact that we don't have the luxury of buying wood, Brian and Andrew have been chopping wood in their free time. Which, really, Brian doesn't have free time because in this house there is always something needing attention - plus his car broke down the second week of November, so he was also trying to fix that in his free time (still not fixed, but thanks to his brother we have a running vehicle for the time being!) Andrew has really gotten good at chopping wood, and he's very proud of the physical work he does - as he should be.
The third week of November the glass panel on the wood stove door shattered into a million pieces. That was exciting, and a little scary. Then also the rope around the door that seals it has come unglued and unraveled so that more air gets into the stove than should. This means that the wood burns at a much faster rate, which means that we are going through wood faster than ever and having to fill the stove more often.
The fourth week of November Brian injured his hand, which is swollen and painful and aggravated by the vibration of the chainsaw. But when you have no insurance, here's what you do with something that's not life-threatening - yuh deal with it! He has continued to work through the pain, because really, he has to.
And finally, the electric bill. Oh, my, today it came and it hit me hard. I thought the highest bill had come and gone with the heat of summer and the window a/c units and the dehumidifier in the basement. But, I was wrong. The blower and fan required to move the hot air out of the {tiny} porch and into the rest of the {very big} house, combined with the space heaters, apparently costs more than the previous scenario. :shrugs: What can I do? "Hey, South Central Indiana REMC, I think we should at least get a Christmas card for all the money we've sent you this year!"
Then of course it has been too cold or wet for the wood to dry outside, so we bring into the house enough for a day or two to let it dry inside. This is NOT recommended for those with allergies. We have had some issues, but again, what choice is there? We just step up the immune-boosting herbs, do nasal rinses, try to clean the ash/dust that is falling like crazy, and keep our faces smiling. :) Because in all honesty, it could be worse. I have often thought of The Long Winter just for the humor in my own mind, but also to remind myself that at least it's not that bad. At least we're not braiding straw to burn in a little lamp for heat.
Anyway, the propane is ordered, and paid and we have no idea when they will deliver but we trust they will and we are very much looking forward to flipping that switch on again! Until then, you'll find us chopping wood, or hauling it into the "fire room" as it has so been named, or filling "the little wood stove that could". But that season of life will soon be over, and we will be glad!
