On the Bright Side...

Recently, I wondered what else could go wrong in a week (see my post Do-Over Day). I should have known better than to tempt fate, though the effects weren't immediate.

Earlier this week, there was a power outage in town for about two hours. The sun was shining so we weren't in the dark, and the house held its heat long enough so that I was warm enough with an extra sweatshirt rather than a parka.

This morning, however, it felt unusually cold in the house. Turned up the thermostat, but nothing happened. Flicked the switch on the actual furnace, and it came on...for a moment. It promptly shut down again. Brrr!

A phone call, a visit from a repairman...nope, it's time to replace it. Great. So, we put on extra sweatshirts and sat down with the salesman/estimator. The crew is here installing the new system as we speak.

Now, I'm no Pollyanna or Mary Poppins. I'm  not always "glad," and a "spoonful of sugar" won't make this go down any easier. But in the interest of keeping some level of sanity, I must look at the bright (or brightish) side of things and remind myself that things could be worse.

• This happened on a weekday, during the day, so it wasn't an emergency night/weekend/holiday service call.
• The temperature outside isn't quite as bad as it has been during these two waves of "Polar Vortex." I think it's even above zero.
• The service company did provide a couple electric heaters to hold us over until heat could be restored. After all, we're in a "no-heat" situation!
• Although they aren't yet finished, we're on the right track to have the new furnace up and running on the same day.
• Though it's a healthy chunk o' change to spend, it should reduce our energy consumption (and bill) now and long term. Efficiency is key!
• We were home--and awake--when the furnace quit. If circumstances had been different, there could have been issues with leaking natural gas or a fire. Had we been out of town, we could have come home to NO home! I won't rule out a guardian angel!

Am I happy with today's events? Certainly not. But instead of pulling out my hair or crying in my beer (or hot coffee, as the case may be), I will keep a stiff upper lip and look for the silver lining. Call it cliche, but I'd rather count my blessings than wallow in self-pity.

Don't forget to find your own bright spot in your dark days!