Thursday, January 8, 2015

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

Because of the wind chill, the state is in a cold weather advisory.  Which has led to hundreds of school delays this morning.....including our town.  So I am now missing about 2 1/4 hrs of work because of the delay (but thank you school for making this decision last night so the phone didn't ring at 5am to tell me).

Now, I fully admit it is COLD.  But we live in New England....is this really a surprise???  That is what always gets me when it snows.  People act surprised.  This isn't Florida....it is Connecticut.  Why are you surprised???

If there was no delay, I had already planned on driving the kids to the bus stop so they wouldn't have to wait in the cold.  But if this was not an option...my kids have coats, hats, gloves, scarves.  Is it terrific to have them out there?  No.  But if prepared....they would have been ok. And on a normal day, they are only at the bus stop a few minutes.

I could have gone to work on time...but that would have left the kids to get ready on their own, and leave at the appropriate time.  Plus, delayed opening usually messes up the bus schedule.  The bus never shows up when it is supposed to.  One time last year, I drove them to the bus stop, and the bus actually showed up 20 minutes late....which was the last time I drove them to the bus stop for the delay.....and now I just drive them to school.

Since I don't have any paid time off....I am just adding up the time I am missing from work in my head.  The office is closed for MLK day... I have to leave early one day later that week for doctor appointments for the kids (I managed to book 2 different doctors so I only had to leave early once).  The kids' conferences are in early February, so I may have to leave early for that (dependent on my time slot).  I have an annual review for Bossy in February (which was supposed to be in April and got moved up because the Spec Ed teacher is going out on maternity leave).  Oh, and Bossy is getting braces, and they don't "do" those appointments in the afternoon.

SIGH...tangent over.....

But back to the cold....the furnace is cranking away.  I am sure my car is going to groan when it starts.  And I am dreading  my morning shower.....hot water is at a premium already....but alot of it will get sucked away from the cold pipes. 

I won't miss this stuff!!!!!

7 comments:

  1. I HATE the cold. Yesterday's high was 10, windchill in the negatives. Right now it's 8 degrees, "RealFeel" -14. I'd love a paid "cold day" from work lol

    ReplyDelete
  2. I agree! it was 28 here this morning but the sun is out now :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Huh. Maybe you SHOULD take a vacation to Florida. Yucky!

    ReplyDelete
  4. It will only last for a week or so, I hope!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I don't get the hot water thing. Don't you have a regular water heater? Or does the city heat the water? I'm used to the cold living here and it doesn't really bother me.

    ReplyDelete
  6. We have a furnace that heats the hot water. Let's say the tank holds 100 gallons ( I have no idea). That is all the hot water there is until more is made. The hot water is what heats the radiators (hot water pushes through pipes to warm radiators). When it is cold...more water is diverted to the radiator to keep the house at a constant temp based on the thermostat ( and we have a programable one so it keeps the house cooler when we aren't here. Because the water is diverted. ..there is less available for showers, washer (not that we use hot water in the washer. ..). If the radiator takes 75 gal...then that leaves 25 gal fir everything else. You take a shower. ..you run out of hot water because whatever is in the tank is being pulled elsewhere.

    Now the furnace kicks in high gear to make hot water faster in order to maintain the house temp. So you are now burning more oil because it is trying to keep up with the demand.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Why don't you take cold showers then?
    -Lisa Parsons

    ...just kidding. My heat is running nearly constantly and I picture a meter with spinning numbers. That's my big climbing higher and higher. I'm going to need to brace myself when I open the next gas and electric bill. I can only imagine yours is a nightmare that much worse, being a latitude or two farther north. Even people down south are going to see bills to make them cry this year.

    ReplyDelete