“Remoted – Hybrid” – Day 921 (Saturday) – chill

The cooler temperatures are hanging around. Maybe this will be the year that we enter fall and stay there, instead of jumping back into summer temperatures and out again. We’ll see. Another wave of warmer summer temperatures would be fine with me, because I’m not psychologically ready for fall yet. I sort of forgot to do most of the summer things. Again. It’s a troubling trend.

Professionally
styled.

The September gas bill under the budget billing plan finally paid off the usage from heating the house last winter. Last winter was pricey and this year looks to be even worse. The electricity provider sent a letter last week with the chilling news that the rate is increasing about a gajillion percent for this winter and suggested enrollment in their budget billing program. There are very few appliances left to unplug when not in use, so the winter electric usage probably can’t be reduced further unless I start lighting with candles or just going to bed once it gets dark. 

This morning, the house was 60 degrees and felt seasonally fall chilly and not spring warm. The wind blew against the bedroom windows and it was reminiscent of the dead of winter as the sweater drawer was ransacked while dressing. In the end, a winter base layer and shirt were chosen for the day.

The heater was turned on in the car for the ride to Worcester for a long-standing hair appointment. My hair was trimmed and blow dried and is shiny and smooth, but the real star of the visit is always the amazing scalp massage during the shampoo. The professional blowout will look great and slick and cool until I wash and style it myself, and then it will be back to the usual battle to tame it with the blow dryer and large barrel curling iron.

Over the course of the day and while I was out driving around with the car heater on, the temperature in the house rose to 65.  It did this all by itself, aided by the curtains that had been opened to let the sunshine in and lowering the storm windows on the porch.

An arbitrary target of October 15 has been set for the earliest heat activation date. It will be a real challenge to see if this can be achieved. A test of fortitude. A case of city woman against nature, accompanied by fervent wishing for a return to temps in the 70s or even 80s. The couch throw blanket was pulled out a couple days ago, and the winter puff has been on the bed for at least a week already. The worry is, if I'm this chilled at 60 degrees, will I be able to survive the winter? And why am I so wimpy?