Shhhh, Don't Tell The House

It's a big secret! Don't tell Casa de Lazy Bee!

It's getting a present while I am out of town!

It's a nice present and one that we have both wanted for a very long time.

It's big.

It's shiny.

It has knobs, pipes, and golden radiators.

Did you guess?

I am giving the house, in recognition of 15 years of unconditional love and devoted service, a new heater! Yippee! This is the most exciting thing that has happened, well, since I gave her a roof a few years ago!

You might think it a little odd that one would be so joyous over a bit of mechanical wonderment, but understand, please, that we have never had full heat in the house. Because of the house's age (we don't tell her this; it would hurt her feelings) installing any kind of ventilation system was out of the question, much less adding an air handler. So, our only heat source has been a gas fired fireplace in the living room and, in the dining room, a smaller heater called a Monitor which heats the room it is in and one more, with the use of a fan. So, we have worn a lot of clothes most winters, rushed showers, and then flown to the bed to get warm. There have been some very challenging times, such as this past winter, when I was ready to just sit down and cry icicles!

No more.

Nopers. I am giving the house a Hardy stove. It is wood fueled and will heat the house through hot water lines which do not require any kind of pump beyond the water pump at the stove and just the smallest of space under the house to run. It will provide all the heated water we need, too, so off with the water heater! Good-bye high electric bills! Huzzah and hooray! And, the very bestest thing, it is going to be vented to every room in the house. Every room.

Oh, joy! Oh, happiness! Oh, warm feet!

Do you think she will be surprised??