Ever So Cold
Contrary to popular belief, California is a cold place. Its December, and last night it got down to the forties, and it will get colder as the winter marches on. I figured, when I have to wear a long-sleeve shirt, a cashmere sweatshirt, long flannel pants and warm cashmere socks to sleep in, while tucked in under flannel, fleece, feather and velvet bed linens, its time to light the heater pilot and get some warmth going.
I called the gas company and they very kindly dispatched one of their guys to light my wall-furnace pilot, which I had extinguished earlier in the year when we had some torrential downpours. Seems my roof has a leak that funnels water RIGHT THROUGH THE WALL HEATER and I was afraid of the pilot going out while the gas continues to leak out into the apartment. So yea, earlier this year, I went cold as well and hoped that once the rain started the landlord would fix the roof so I could run my heater. But then the rain stopped, the weather got warm, new problems came up, so I didn't think at the time to pursue it further since there was no immediate need.
Now, there is an immediate need. I'm cold. VERY cold. My hands hurt typing this. The gas company guy took a look inside my wall heater, and said he couldn't light it. Apparently, its so dirty and rusty inside (from the rain earlier this year...) that if he lit it, it WOULD produce carbon monoxide and that would poison and/or kill me. So, better cold than dead right now, I guess, though my hands are blue and I'm kind of shivering even though I have hot tea and soup right now.
I called the landlord and laid it all out on the line, said I needed her to call me back today, I'm cold, I can't light the pilot, and if the rain comes we're back at square one. Wish me luck, and send me warm thoughts.
Oh also...I went to the dark side. I've got a "My Space" page. LAME! The URL is www.myspace.com/neighborhoodbird. Big surprise!
I called the gas company and they very kindly dispatched one of their guys to light my wall-furnace pilot, which I had extinguished earlier in the year when we had some torrential downpours. Seems my roof has a leak that funnels water RIGHT THROUGH THE WALL HEATER and I was afraid of the pilot going out while the gas continues to leak out into the apartment. So yea, earlier this year, I went cold as well and hoped that once the rain started the landlord would fix the roof so I could run my heater. But then the rain stopped, the weather got warm, new problems came up, so I didn't think at the time to pursue it further since there was no immediate need.
Now, there is an immediate need. I'm cold. VERY cold. My hands hurt typing this. The gas company guy took a look inside my wall heater, and said he couldn't light it. Apparently, its so dirty and rusty inside (from the rain earlier this year...) that if he lit it, it WOULD produce carbon monoxide and that would poison and/or kill me. So, better cold than dead right now, I guess, though my hands are blue and I'm kind of shivering even though I have hot tea and soup right now.
I called the landlord and laid it all out on the line, said I needed her to call me back today, I'm cold, I can't light the pilot, and if the rain comes we're back at square one. Wish me luck, and send me warm thoughts.
Oh also...I went to the dark side. I've got a "My Space" page. LAME! The URL is www.myspace.com/neighborhoodbird. Big surprise!
posted by The Semi-Pro Chef at Monday, December 05, 2005
2 Comments:
I think they owe you a new heater, since the other would kill you...any laws about that in Cali?
People generally don't think cold when they think of Texas either (particularly those that designed my apartment). We have a Winter Storm Watch for tomorrow; crazy thing is it was 89 just last Saturday.
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