Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

I am grateful for heat.

Have you ever lived without heat? Or been forced to keep it so low that you have to turn to other forms of warmth? 

My furnace died in the winter of 2004 while I had pneumonia. My cousin came to fix it – about 8 hours passed with no heat. It was pretty cold toward the end. And I’ve had to sit in a rental house waiting to interview people when the heat was set to 50ish. Unpleasant.

I believe last year the heat went out at home one winter night. It was chilly, but didn’t get to the point that it was unbearable – I do recall we started brainstorming what to do with our pets and I mean that in all seriousness, can’t just go to a hotel.

We’ve gone nearly 3 days without electricity, several days without water (that’s AWFUL) here and there and so occasionally had no air conditioning or fans in the summer. Our biggest concern has always been our pets, especially when it was really hot or cold. We could always go outside and take a car trip to a restaurant, etc.  But not having water was the worst for us personally – wow.

But heat – lifesaving heat. As I mentioned in a previous post, we are pretty rigid about keeping the thermostat at a consistent setting. So the house gets cold in the evenings – especially these past few days. We simply migate to the bedroom, warmest room in the house and perhaps put on an extra layer.

I am so grateful that we don’t have to worry about losing it. I am grateful that we can afford our gas bill, have a furnace in good condition, and have plenty of warm clothing. I am grateful for having decent health – last year, my illness left me sooo cold all of the time, I would wake in the middle of the night and end up layering my heavy cotton bathrobe over my flannel pajamas because I was simply cold.

I can’t imagine using the oven for heat. I can’t imagine being so cold for hours and having no relief in sight, no warm front door, no sound of the furnace clicking on, no nothing. I can’t imagine what that must feel like, both physically and in your soul.

If you are grateful for your home heat, please consider a modest donation to the Dollar Energy Fund.