When we returned from getting our flu shots at noon yesterday, I capitulated and turned the furnace on. The indoor temperature had gone down to 15.5C/60F, and even Sue, who is one hot chick, was cold. There have been night frosts, and the first snow fell on Sunday night. So, twelve hours short of winning the Great October Furnace Challenge, I threw in the towel and did not match 2019, when we made it for that one extra day.
Aside from me and Sue, even Sha and the kids had been chilly when they came over for family dinner on Monday evening, and they are not chilly types of folk. Then there is Lacey, le chat to be considered, for cannot put on a sweater or pull up a blanket.
From the long range forecast, I knew as much as a week ago that the last three days of October would be difficult, with temperatures dropping below the freezing point overnight and ascending not very much above during the day.
For the most part we did well until the last few days but with the indoor temperature staying around the mid-sixties, but when it dropped even lower it was getting tough. It is one thing to spend a few hours at 60F, but it is quite another to continue at that low temperature with no breaks.
On this rabbit rabbit first morning of November, old AC is feeling toasty and warm and not too defeated.
I usually fire ours up early to verify it works and then turn it on a heat/cool mode that will let it get colder and warmer than one might run in strictly cooling and heating modes. I guess it is designed for this time of year when it might be 80 degrees on day and 24 degrees a couple days later, as it was last week.
ReplyDeleteI haven't kept track of the dates each year, but I did wonder if I could make it to November. Nope. Yesterday I needed the furnace on. Temps in the low thirties overnight.
ReplyDeleteThe heat is on in my building.
ReplyDeleteWe keep our furnace at 69/day, 65/nite, in the winter, and our a/c at 80 in the summer. We like it warm.
ReplyDeleteI always think of making it to Nov 1 but we turned it on a week ago. We are in an old commercial building with brick walls and no insulation or even drywall. It looks great but when it gets cold it stays that way.
ReplyDeleteMy heat comes on automatically if the temperature drops below 68 during the day or 66 at night. 60 would definitely be chilly and the cat must be kept comfortable!
ReplyDeleteLike the young folks say, AC, "I feel ya'!" Yesterday, I also capitulated and turned the central heat on. I had to do it because the house was just a mite too chilly without it.
ReplyDeleteI'm getting my shot tomorrow. And our heat is on -- snow last night. Not much -- but it really hasn't warmed up, either!
ReplyDeleteWe keep our thermostat set at 75 degrees. Our daughter keeps hers at 60. When we go to visit her we wear sweaters and she grudgingly turns it up a bit. When she comes here we turn it down a bit. Life is made of such compromises.
ReplyDeleteWe put the heat on Monday evening. It was just too cold. It was two week later for us last year.
ReplyDeleteWell, good! I was afraid I might have to come over to your place and thaw you out.
ReplyDeletewe hae had our set at 68 during the day and 65 at night. We've been firing up the woodstove too. That kind of heat is lovely.
ReplyDeleteI have a cat who makes a tunnel and climbs under the down comforter.
ReplyDeleteYou set yourself up with a good challenge.
ReplyDeleteNope. We did not make it either.
ReplyDeleteYes I start the month with a first calling of "rabbit rabbit rabbit"
ReplyDeleteGlad you caved with the furnace - comfort of the cat is first & foremost a consideration (col).
I had to look up why you said rabbit rabbit, haaha! That's cool. Brings good luck if said on the first day. Now, what I do on the first day of nearly every month is take a short vid of me pouring my coffee, with steam rising and so forth, and send it to all the kids and say (like yesterday, with the Keurig in action) Happy November, my darlings! Come and have coffee with me! With orange hearts and fall leaves and a cuppa emoji and so forth. I think they roll their collective eyes but that's OK. Now as to the furnace challenge, don't beat yourself up because let's face it, you did well. I hate this time of year because in our room, which is as cold as a meat locker 12 months out of the year, if I turn on the furnace I have to remember to trot in there and close the two vents because I can't stand to have heat coming through the vents in my bedroom. Must have it cold. But although just after dawn today it did get down to 31 degrees for a little while, and it will reach 58 today with bright sun, the forecast for NEXT Thursday is 80 degrees! So there will be no furnace felt in this house for the nonce. Socks and sweatshirts will be the garb worn indoors and the A/C is still on when needed, haahaa! It's complicated. xoxo
ReplyDeleteI was happy to make a fire in the last few days.
ReplyDeleteBut the furnace IS on!!!
My daughter in Chicago tells me it was snowing yesterday and that the temps were in the 30sF. On the other hand... sigh... it was sweltering here in Hawaii. 89 degrees F. I have the air conditioner going. Sigh...
ReplyDeleteWe just emerged from a very cold spell and now it's quite warm and very very wet. We keep our place pretty cool, too.
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