Notes from the cold depths of hell.

Y'all would be perfectly normal if you wondered WTF is going on here at Chez Kat™ that we allow our house to be so cold. Here is what I wrote to a commenter who raised that question yesterday:

Our heating system -- forced air warmed by a ground-water heat pump -- is on the interruptible (off-peak) grid. The power company can turn off the power for 4 hours in any 24 hour period. The cost/kilowatt hour is about 2/3 of full price, and our power company -- the only one we can get electricity from, of course -- has the highest rates around. As soon as the temp goes much below zero we can count on the power being off for 4 hours during the peak demand time between 5 pm and midnight. Today they took the unusual measure of also turning it off early in the morning -- Smokey said it was 57 in the house at 5 am -- probably because the forecast is for warming and they do not think they will need to turn it off later today. The whole situation is exacerbated by the fact that our remodeling is not done, so there are more leaks than there should be.

We like it cool, we are cheap, and thus... 49 in the house. It does make for good horror stories, no?

In northern Minnesota where I went to high school, -26℉ was not unusual. Heck, I remember going skiing when it was -20℉ and not understanding why my mother thought I was nuts. (For the record, I understand now.) Some schools would close if the temperature hit -40℉, but not mine :-(  To this day I do not understand why not -- our school district was 60 miles across and pretty desolate in some areas. Kids might have died, or at a minimum suffered frostbite and/or hypothermia, if a bus had broken down out in the woods somewhere. I don't think that ever happened, but still.

I shall always remember a little story my dad told my mom and me one bitter January morning. Dad was a mink rancher, and January through March was his slow time. Mom was a first grade teacher. During the cold weather Dad would warm up her car every morning and move it from the garage to a spot right by the front door.

One morning he did his usual thing and thought to himself, Pretty nice out here today. Then he looked at the thermometer and discovered it was 20 below. He laughed at himself as he came back inside.

It just shows that everything is relative. Twenty below was mild compared to minus thirty or worse, plus the sky was clear and there was no wind.

Note re: today's title. One of my high school teachers used to tell us that his vision of hell was not fire and brimstone; nay, to him hell was being on a windswept field at 2 am on a January night. Yep, that would be hell alright.

Comments

[dale-harriet in WI]

Couldn't agree more. What are shawls for? (Of course, nevermind that I'm wearing THREE of them and it's 60 in here.) It really IS relative, and once it's -20 or colder it feels pretty much the same. Yesterday, when the temperature was -17 (that's NOT windchill) the husband walked up to the Museum, some 9 miles. But he has an expedition parka, insulated boots, a balaklava (not a knitted one, a better modern one) and appropriate gloves, caps, &c. His motto is "dress for it". But still -- if it were 200 years ago and I was tucked cozily into my wigwam by Lake Number One, I don't know as I'd be going to the bathroom much. Know what I mean? (And won't we love it when it's +50 and we can get by with just a little sweater?)

[cursingmama]

I don't "do" cold very well, my nose and fingers freeze up and then my brains fall out. As you can imagine that gets a little messy.

[Cookie]

Please tell me you're wearing a hat and lots of other lovely hat knits. Please.

I think people can adjust to whatever Mother Nature gives them/us. It might not be fun, but, for the most part, we survive.

Right? o.O

xo

[Jeanne]

I don't run much A/C in the summer, but in the winter I expect a nice 68F at the very least. 49F inside would make me cranky, indeed.

[Chris]

I'm so over this winter crap.

[deb]

Hell is cold!

[Erika]

Brr! I'm having to conserve firewood (my only source of heat), because although I ordered firewood last September, it has not yet arrived. And everyone else is out, too, so basically I'm SOL this year, and having to eke out heat from whatever was left over from last year.

It's 59 inside right now, so I guess I should feel lucky! It's really put a dent in my knitting productivity, because I find that my fingers have trouble knitting when it's below 60.

[lisa]

I dunno, we have oil fired hot water radiators... and a farmhouse with an ell. We generally keep it off/cool and use the woodstove (in the ell). But when it's cold like this, we turn it up. To 60 or 65. Which means that when the heat kicks on (about 4-5 am), it gets wicked hot upstairs (it can be 80 degrees in our bedrooms), but it remains cool on the first floor (54-56). I want it REVERSED! I grew up near a mink farm in MA, and when I was little I'd have these nightmares about the minks. They'd march through the woods (between the farm and our house, now it's all developed) in military formation, let by the captain mink.

[tammy]

Thank goodness for handknits eh? You keep warm girl!

[k]

-30 just a bit north of here when I drove for work this morning. Only -26 here, proper.
It occurred to me after I'd gotten to work that I was being pretty calm about being out in the middle of the night in that kind of cold.
Once you get below-10, it all seems pretty much the same.

[Gillian]

I like winter and clear, crisp days, but I would have trouble if I couldn't keep the house reasonable. My hands freeze and I wouldn't be able to knit. It's difficult as it stands. It was -30 C this morning.

[Helen]

Brrrrr.
Thanks.
I feel warmer now.
My house is warmer than it was moments ago. And my yard... is SO much warmer! All because I get to compare it with yours.
.
I'm still knitting a cowl for my neck though.
Brrrr.

[Jocelyn]

I'm so totally meant to be a Duluthian. They've canceled school the last two days--for THE COLD--and I'm indignant. Dress the kiddies in layers and cover all exposed kids and get them to school, me says.

Of course, we're in the city...

[Vicki]

I'll never forget -- I think it was January '77 and I was living in Solon Springs, my dad was in Oregon fishing and, naturally, the talk turned to weather during one of his calls home. It was a balmy 50F where they were fishing, I was hauling in firewood at -50F. A couple thousand miles difference, a couple-few degrees...

They have that same deal here and my boss goes off the grid regularly. I think I could handle it, but my Southern California-raised husband could definitely NOT... and I think the girls take after him in that area.

[Diane]

I hope the temps are finally giving you a break today.

I see there are a couple neat knitting events coming up in Minneapolis; the Bohus weekend at the Swedish Institute next week and then the Yarnover all-day event in April with lots of marvelous teachers. I can't make it to Minneapolis next weekend, but am wondering if you've ever been to a Yarnover and what's your opinion of them. I'm considering registering for a class or two.

[cindy]

Dante would agree.

[Nora]

I'm getting here late. I'm fascinated by the concept of the interruptible grid. You are a lot tougher than I am. I would deal with the cold, but if I couldn't make a cup of coffee or see to read or knit, I'd be whining profusely.

[5elementknitr]

When I was in elementary school, our dad would put our school clothes in front of the fire so when we got up, we'd race downstairs and put on our toasty clothes! Very sweet.

Good thing you know how to knit warm stuff!

[Jen]

If you saw my indoor thermostat, I think you'd want to slap me around a little.