It has been an interesting week at my house.  We ran out of oil on Tuesday, although we didn't realize that until Friday, as the oil tank is really hard to read.  We had the plumber out and he eventually figured that out, but after he did some necessary cleaning of the filter and the nozzle.  Anyway, we opted not to get more oil right now as the price is really high and we have a multi-fuel stove going which is mostly adequately heating out house.   (This morning was rather cold, but it was the first time it was below 60 when we got up.  Still working to get it up above 60 but the stove room is warm.)   But we don't have hot water, or we didn't think we did.  So for 4 days we filled the tub with water from the stove and managed with the wood stove.  WEll, yesterday it occurred to me that we have an electric hot water heater on the 3rd floor and perhaps it would heat the shower water adequately.   Lo and behold, it does.    That was some cause for celebration.  In the meantime my dh has bought a large electric hot water heater and plans to get that hooked up this week to deal with our hot water situation.  Eventually we will get more oil, but when we have the money to spend there.

But I realized that although this is a clear inconvenience it isn't really a big deal to me and that is much because of the way I grew up.  In the 70's oil crisis  my parents changed their oil heat to all wood heat.  So most of my significant growing up years our upstairs was cold and our downstairs was comfortable.  I would get up early, dress very quickly, run down and warm up by the fire.  Then I would go out to the barn to do my morning chores and then back in to eat, and change for school.  Our hot water was heated behind the stove in the winter so showers were rationed.  Not everyone could shower every day and the showers couldn't be long.  That was the norm for us for many years. 

So I am grateful because one of my dh's prayers for our children is that they will be resourceful people.  I believe this is part of the process for that to happen.  I don't know what they will have to deal with when they are grown up, but I rather expect that since we are raising our dd's to be keepers at home and our ds to support a family with a wife at home, that they will have some financial challenges to navaigate as well.  We hope to prepare them better to deal with challenges and hardships and not to whine and complain abou them.

And I am looking forward to hot water in my whole house again and to spring when it is warm everywhere. In the meantime I am going to go downstairs to the stove room and warm up for a while.

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Posted by Jimmie

Resourcefulness and just plain old "toughing it" are skills some don't have. We have to "tough it" a lot here. And I'll tell you, although it's inconvenient, you realize how you can survive with much less. We were without electricity for two days from about 8 AM to 8 PM both days. (We had power at night, so we could turn on electric blankets and stay warm.) It was somewhat uncomfortable, but I realized that being cold won't kill me. :-) And the best part was once our power was on all day, it felt so luxurious!!! :-)

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Posted by DanielleW

What great life lessons for your children. I've also heard that people sometimes keep their house too warm and that helps to breed illness, where as having a cooler house is healthier. Our house is on the cooler side. In fact, I sleep on the third floor and there is no heat up there at all. Except what floats up from the rest of the house. I have no problems sleeping at all. BUT when I go to someone else's house and sleep there I sweat it out. LOL

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Posted by EEEEMommy

Growing up, we lived in an old (75 years), drafty, house, and we were poor! My mom would turn the heat down to 50 F at night, and in the morning I'd race to turn the heat up all the way to 62F which is where it stayed all day long. I splurge now and keep the heat at 67 during the day and only turn it down to 60 at night. ;)
Having to be frugal and resourceful are very good characteristics, as is gratitude!

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