DISASTER

My furnace hasn't been working. Instead of heating, it blows gusts of air that are more frigid than a polar bear's fart.

So what could be worse?
It happened on the coldest week of the year. Tonight is supposed to get down to 12 degrees (that's Fahrenheit, for those of you in Guam).

I've often said (without exaggeration) that this is the coldest house I've ever lived in. On a warm day I freeze my ass off when I'm inside. You can imagine what it's like in frigid temperatures.

This morning (Monday) it snowed lightly. There was frost inside the house and my astonished breath was coming out in white puffs. 
With nearly frozen fingers, I managed to dial the number of a local heating and cooling company.

I'm wearing four layers of clothing.

The guy showed up within a few hours (which is surprisingly quick) but he couldn't find my house (no surprise). I had to run outside to the road and flag him down. 

No happy endings here. My furnace needs two parts - one of which is extremely expensive. AND they have to be ordered - which will take weeks.

The guy is going to try to find a less expensive part and said he'll get back to me as soon as possible.
Hopefully he'll "get back" before summer.

Incidentally, a new furnace will cost thousands - which I simply don't have.
I was saving up my meager money to buy other things that I need (like a new clothes dryer) but now I'm wiped out.

My biggest immediate concern is surviving the cold - and I'm mostly worried about my cats (who are presently both sleeping under the bed covers).

It's late afternoon and I'm DREADING nightfall. Last Saturday I drove to town with the intention of buying a space heater. Walmart was all sold out and only had a few crappy, flimsy, Mickey Mouse heaters left. I (reluctantly) bought one. Tried it out last night - and it hardly heats at all. I'd do better with a candle and a pack of matches.

Tonight I think I'm going to move my mattress into a small interior room and sleep there with the cats and the crappy heater.

If I (we) survive it will be a miracle. To be brutally honest, I really don't give a shit whether I survive or not. I'm completely physically and emotionally drained from all of my (many) problems.
I plod on - always trying to keep this blog upbeat - but in reality I'm thoroughly disgusted with everything.

This post is getting long, but I want to mention one more "adventure":

When I went to town on Saturday I bought a lot of food - some of which was still piled up in the kitchen.
Everything looked sloppy, so I decided to QUICKLY clean up this morning before the repairman arrived.

I haphazardly shoved a lot of stuff into the oven: cookies, donuts,. potato chips, loaves of bread, - even a dish towel.

SO -
after the repair guy left, I decided to make an early dinner (before I froze to death). I turned on the oven to pre-heat it.

While I was peeling potatoes I started smelling a GHASTLY burning smell. Couldn't figure out what the hell it was.
The stench kept getting stronger...and stronger...

...and then I remembered the things I had shoved in the oven!!!!!!

I frantically pulled everything out and many items were burned - but some were only scorched. Most of the food is crispy but edible.

Tonight (and the rest of the frigid week) is going to be a living nightmare.

Wish me luck. I'll need it.