Extra Cold

While I wrote that last post there was a person from the electric and gas company here changing our meters to "smart" meters that can relay information directly to the company and also for analysis on our end. He was super nice. He said he had just been trained to install them, and this was one of his first. He did have to leave the door open for the two hours he was here, to let any gas that came out escape. It was about 30 outside. All seemed great. But cold.

When he finished with the gas, I turned on the heat, and the radiators got warm. He then checked a bunch of things on the boiler, gas stove etc, and he documented a bunch of things and then he left.

An hour after he left, I realized it had been 13.5 in our house, and now it was 13. The radiators were nearly freezing. SHIT. Landlord suggested turning the boiler off and back on. I tried that, and nothing happened. Our heat and hot water both come from a boiler in our kitchen that heats water and sends it to an insulated cylinder (we call it a tank) upstairs. The water then either goes to the radiators or the hot water supply. The boiler was working. The hot water was heating. There was gas in the house - also the stove and oven were working. The heat was not working.

I called the energy company back. Waited ten mins to talk to someone, and he said, "you'll have to call the gas pipe company to come out and fix it." He gave me their number. Five mins wait before I talked to someone there, and they said, "if you have gas in your house at all, then this is not our issue. Call the energy company back." So I did. Waited ten mins to talk to someone. She said she would look into our account and put me on hold for five minutes. Then the line cut out. I called back. Ten mins before I talked to someone. They said, "obviously we can't send back the same technician, and we don't have anyone else in your area, so obviously just call an engineer." ON THE COLDEST DAY OF THE YEAR when demand is SUPER high. ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON. AND what the fuck is an engineer? (and her use of the word "obviously" might be what drove me to tears). Remember my previous post from about two hours before this moment when I was saying HOW FUCKING COLD AND UNCOMFORTABLE I AM ALL THE TIME, and NOW I HAVE NO HEAT. I also had five kids coming home after school and no idea what an engineer was or how to find one or how I would find time to deal with all of it since I had to leave to go get the kids. (And also I had just lost a few hours of my life when I was meant to be working). She said I can just find a local gas engineer. No prob.

I texted the landlord and asked for suggestions. He suggested the plumber who still hasn't fixed our dripping shower after more than TWO MONTHS and FOUR VISITS and at least 12 hours on the job. And also he's in Portugal right now which is why the shower is still not fixed. Anyway, he didn't respond. Landlord googled (he knew what to google - I thought an engineer was a phd) and sent some suggestions for emergency plumbing responders. After calling four, we got one booked for today morning.

It was freezing last night. Like FREEZING. I was so grateful that we had hot water. Though when I showered I didn't realize Sam had taken a SUPER long shower (which they are absolutely entitled to on a Friday night when we have no heat - I just wish I knew), so I had a minute of a warm shower and then FROZE while I rinsed everything off). But everyone else had a warm shower. I also was very grateful for my AMAZING robe that I got last year or the year before and appreciate every moment of it. Unfortunately this early morning at 7, when Matt got up to move a space heater to the main room, he somehow accidentally spilled a cup of water all over it, so it's a bit wet right now. I know, right? Poor me.

When we woke up, the warm room in our house was 11, which is 51, but upstairs where we were sleeping was truly SO SO SO cold (but I don't have a thermometer there). Elie slept in a sleeping bag for down to 30 degrees F. Koby was somehow fine with a fleece blanket only (WTF?) but was up coughing all night. Matt and my duvet is magically warm, and Sam somehow was in a nest of blankets and warm pajamas and seems fine (still sleeping at 10am). 

A SUPER nice engineer showed up at 8:30 this morning and told us the problem was with some valve that needs to open to send hot water to the radiators. Apparently some box wasn't telling the valve to open. He says it's just coincidence it happened right when the smart meter guy left. Huh. He has been here since then, and our radiators work. It's up to 14.5 (58!!) in the main room. Hallelujah. Apparently they're ordering a new box and need to come back to install it.

And luckily the World Cup games yesterday took all of our attention and distracted us from this. They were SO SO fun to watch.

Though I was the only one who truly cared about being cold. Kids barely even notice. Matt left work a bit early and got a plug-in space heater radiator (and another ASL family who lives down the street, and I had had a tea with one of the moms yesterday morning, also loaned us two space heaters, which was SO SO NICE and the first villagy experience I have had here). But Matt was just trying to keep me happy. He was fine. 

Luckily, this seems over. I can't wait to get warm.