Toughening up

Wednesday, 10:28 am

By Kate

Oct

31

2007

This morning when I woke up, I glanced at the upstairs thermometer and it said 62°. That’s about right where I want it. Very good.

Then, I came downstairs and the thermometer said 60°. Well, that’s pretty brisk. I still can’t keep the upstairs cooler than the downstairs unless the stove is cranking out heat. I can’t quite tell whether that’s because the downstairs is less insulated and losing heat through the windows or whether the heat eventually makes its way upstairs. Such as it is.

Since today is supposed to reach the mid-60s, I decided to forgo a small fire in the stove this morning. The downstairs temperature has only inched up to 61°, so far, and for some reason, I’m not cold. Of course, I’m also wearing a down vest, but hey. I’m comfortable and warm. That’s a few more sticks of wood saved for another time.

Two months ago, I’d have laughed to think I’d be any where near comfortable at 61°, regardless of what I was wearing. I seem to be adjusting.

Abbie isn’t, though. She has been quite aware that the upstairs has been cooler than the downstairs over the past couple of weeks. She doesn’t care for it very much. Instead of trotting upstairs with me at night, she gives me a sorrowful/apologetic look from her nest of blankets in her favorite chair. “Fair weather friend,” I say to her.

This morning, though, I told her she’d made a mistake. She should have come upstairs. It was warmer up there. But she was nestled deeply in her soft, fuzzy blankets and just yawned at me. I don’t imagine 2 degrees would have made much difference to her, though. I miss her at night.