Just coming back to say we are warming back up.  Gas valve replaced.

Dear January, you were obscenely expensive.  Go away.

Well, I was forced to issue formal apologies to my Nest thermostat.  The furnace ran all day without another issue - until it didn't.  I noticed as I ate dinner it was started to get cool.  Looked at the thermostat and I was at 65 (recall it should be at 68 during the day).  Went back downstairs and there is the code that was absent earlier today - six short, one long... it doesn't escape me that this is the cruise ship emergency horn pattern as well.

The internet (which cannot be trusted based on some of my recent searches indicating that 2/3 of an inch is equal to 7/16, but I digress) says on my furnace this means a faulty ignition system, gas supply issues, pressure switch problems, or thermostat problems.  I'm pretty sure the gas is good.  The thermostat is saying it's supposed to be running.  I have had issues w/ the pressure switch before.

Regardless, the HVAC folks are on their way.  Wish me luck.

I thought I was going to have to call the HVAC company this morning.  I drop the temp down overnight as I like it to be a bit colder to sleep.  With the kiddo on remote learning all week I've taken advantage by turning off the first alarm on my phone and getting a bit more sleep - so when I wasn't woken as the temps started to climb and opened my eyes thinking "dang my hands are freezing" I was a bit confused.

Once I got a bit of morning clarity, probably inspired by getting out of bed into the cold, I looked at the temp on my alarm clock (a neat little built in feature) and saw 55.  55!  My low over night is supposed to be 63, no wonder I was so friggin cold.

Came down stairs and looked at the Nest thermostat as it started running.  No reason for it to not be warmer according to those settings.  Checked the furnace which was firing up and not indicating any errors on the little green blinking light.

I kicked on the fireplace to help expedite the temperature change and everything was up to normal temp (68) within a couple of hours... but I have no clue why on earth it didn't warm up in here this morning.

I SWEAR the Nest just chooses to disobey... the AI is testing the waters for an uprising.  To those thinking about articles you've read on the topic:  no, it is no longer connected to the network, so this isn't a remote change/override.

I wrote a hard sql query today - it's been a loooong time since I had to do that.  Just feeling successful and proud of myself and I wanted to share it with someone!

I am also happy to note that I wasn't as sore as I expected to be (refer to my previous post).  I shoveled a couple more inches the next day and a dusting on the third day.  Is my lower back a bit unhappy?  Yes, but my arms are good and my shoulders didn't freak out!

I need to ready things for the floor work that is quickly approaching, so I've started pulling things from under the beds to carry down two flights of stairs.  This means I need to figure out where to put things in the basement as to not turn them into hazards while this work is going on.  I'll chalk the stairs and carrying heavy crap up to my necessary and long overdue exercise.

School has been FID all week and the local district is doing the same tomorrow, so I suspect it's coming for us again.  We didn't see the "no swimming" email yesterday that came out late, so we did venture out.  The roads are pretty clear -- at least in the middle.  Our normally narrow roads here in the plan are super narrow due to the piles of snow.  But at least the world has continued turning.

I probably won't be able to lift my arms to type tomorrow.  We got the biggest show storm since I moved here today -- shocking no one as I'm pretty sure most everyone from Arkansas to New York is prb saying the same thing.

My shoveling this morning was about 5 inches.  Midday was another 4.  This evening was another 5-6.  In advance I did buy some gas for the blower.  Ever the optimist, aren't I?  Needless to say it wouldn't start.  Not even after my favorite egg and one of our fantastic neighbors worked at it for an hour.  Regardless, my driveway (and the area around the fire hydrant in my front yard) are clear.

The temps at least came up a bit (as they do when it snows), thank goodness.  School is a no for tomorrow, we'll see what Tuesday brings.

Proving once again that my neighbors are the best, a little snow party formed.  The kids had a blast playing in the snow.  The dads and some of the kids were sledding down the street.  A fire was going in a pit on the neighbor's driveway.  We got to hang out and chat for a bit.  Bring your plastic cup!

Yesterday I woke up before the alarm and flipped on the TV in bed.  I was half awake and half asleep when I heard a noise like a spring snapping back together (bwang).  My eyes opened and the TV was black.  I looked around and the nightlight and alarm clock were still lit.  Rats.

That TV was just over 5 years old and now it's a brick.  Damnit Samsung.  This is the second time I've had something similar happen to my bedroom TV back in 2011 - that one was about 3 years old and was covered by a warranty.  That time it was a capacitor and it came on over time after groaning type noises.

I was able to make a decision pretty quickly yesterday.  The new Roku TV is up and worked perfectly last night.

That's one... what other two things are going to give me trouble soon?

I had another place come and draw up built ins for either side of the fireplace.  They sent the quote - which is a bit pricey, but I just don't like it and I think it's because it's stark white -- and it almost has to be.

Since I have an open kitchen to living room I could also see going the same color as the kitchen cabinets, but that won't work with all of the white trim that is already in place - unless I half ass them and don't take them the whole way up the wall and leave the white trim at the ceiling in place.  They also convinced me that my original design isn't the most ideal for reasons and I get their argument.

It wasn't meant to be right now anyhow, as it can't happen before the new carpets go in.  At that point I wouldn't want them to pull the carpet back up to add the built ins, but I also think the action of putting something like that in on top of carpet is kind of gross and weird.  Is it just me?

Save your money girl, you have other things to buy and need to rebuild the slush fund.  I think I'm going to get a real glass chair mat for my computer room, which isn't cheap, but it will protect my new floors.  I also need to get the right solution for under the dog crate to protect the new floors in there and keeping the crate from moving around.

Finally, I really should call someone about the hot water tank or watch enough you tube videos to try and figure it out the slow leak of water from the overflow valve myself.

I did it.  I pulled the trigger and paid the deposits to have my flooring materials ordered.  It hurt, it gave me anxiety, but the hard part is over -- now I just need to get rebuilding on the slush funds.  I'm currently slated for the work to start in early February.  In the mean time I need to focus on clearing crap out of here.

In the mean time, I am enjoying my new coffee pot.  I have another kitchen machine coming that I don't really need -- but I won it from work for our "maintain don't gain" challenges over the holidays.  I need to look around a bit and get some ideas for a Nutrabullet.  I'd like to turn this into a good thing.  I was recently contemplating how I could tolerate getting some matcha into my diet.  Unfortunately, I'm not a green tea fan, so I'll need to bury it in with something else.  I hate feeling renewed hope or desire to lose weight in January.  I can't help but see it as a sham "resolution".

Most of the Christmas decor is down and away.  Tree is in the box at least, but I need to carry that heavy thing down the stairs still.  I also still need to pull the wreaths off of the window, but we are getting a brief wave of warm weather, so this weekend may be perfect for this.