Tuesday, January 16, 2007

A Gas Leak

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

The wall that we were warned might contain various bad things had a bunch of old pipes. Nobody knew what kind of pipes they might be or what they might have done in the past, but they found out today that one of them was a gas pipe that still had gas in it. So the carpenters, Sue and T.R., opened all the kitchen windows and turned the gas furnace off. (It hit a high of ten degrees today in Minneapolis). When they were getting ready to leave at the end of the day, they told Jim they would go turn the furnace back on. "No, no," Jim said generously, "go home to your families. I shall turn the furnace back on myself." And he thought he did. When I got home, however, I observed that it was quite cold in the house. And a half-hour later, it was colder. And the radiators were cold. I mentioned that the situation did not seem to be improving, so Jim went down in the basement. He announced that he was fixing things. Another half-hour later, he came upstairs, looking sheepish. It seems he couldn't fix it but he had called the gas company. Did I mention that it was ten degrees at its warmest today, and it was no longer at its warmest? The Minnegasco man came not much later and assured Jim that there was nothing that he could have done because the thermocoupling was bad. Fortunately for us, he had a new thermocoupling that would do the trick. We got Chinese takeout, which we ate with our down coats on. Now, at 9:00, it's starting to warm up.
I'm going to Chicago tomorrow for an appellate training conference. I wish that somehow the kitchen would magically finish itself by the time I come home on Sunday. My sunshiny attitude has already gone entirely by the wayside, and it is only Day 2.

7 comments:

I need orange said...

It is very very difficult to maintain a sunshiny attitude when they are messing with your house.

I feel your pain.

-- Vicki, who can hardly hear herself type, over the compressor, the generator, and the pounding...

Anonymous said...

Marie, Chin up, Pollyanna! All kinds of bad things (I won't suggest them to you, as you might fixate on them) could have happened; but they didn't.
Bring out the BBQ. I think all your wonderful neighbors will invite you over to dinner if you are pathetic enough.
Melinda (who is sitting in a nice warm dining room)

Judy said...

Been there done that..we taking baths in the kitchen sink during a bathroom remodel...and the water froze up for 2 days..we went to a hotel,that a spa tub..wow what a treat..It seem things alway break when its cold too...8 degrees in Eastern Washington today..I enjoy your blog..Judy

evil cake lady said...

glad to hear that the remodel is going a little smoother now. when i was in 8th grade my parents decided to remodel the kitchen. my mom would "cook" using the microwave, which was in her bedroom, and we would eat dinner on my parent's bed. at least you're not doing that!

Anonymous said...

Hey,

Your blog is great. I found it just the other day and have since read it from cover to cover, as it were. You should write a book. Your writing reminds me a little bit of Laurie Colwin, it's really a pleasure to read. Big props for your 82 breads undertaking. I am actually planning to make my first bread loaf this weekend (the no knead kind) :)

Melissa

Patricia Scarpin said...

Hi, Marie,

I'm so sorry for what's happening to you!
I know I'm a little late with the comment but I really mean well.
I hope things are better by now.

Best wishes,
Patricia.

Marie said...

Vicki,
I feel your pain too!

Melinda,
I must have whined enough because our neighbors invited us for dinner tonight. Good idea!

Judy,
The baths in the kitchen sink may be even worse than the refrigerator in the basement. It's always good to have a little perspective.

Evil Cake Lady,
The kitchen remodel sounds like it was a very traumatic experience for you. I am grateful that no one is spilling microwaved soup on my bed. See above comment about perspective.

Melissa,
Thanks. How did your bread turn out?

Patricia,
Things are better, thanks--the heat is working, the gas leak is fixed, and the only bad thing they found in the wall was the bottle of denatured alcohol.