Facie’s Ramblings

Right now I am sitting here waiting for two HVAC companies to give me revised quotes. We originally met with four different companies, one of which was our current one, another was recommended by a friend, and the other two we found via the Monroeville Home Show. This process is nothing like when we got new windows two years ago, which was challenging enough for me. We have received quotes for five different brands (Carrier, Comfortmaker by Carrier, Bryant, Lennox, and Trane). And the varying options are almost dizzying (single-stage or two-stage, 95 or 96 percent efficient, ECM or some other motor, 13 SEER or 16 SEER). Prior to last week, I had no idea there were so many variances. Last month, during our annual furnace inspection, we found out that our heat exchanger was cracked, something that happened when we first bought the house. Since our furnace is 21-plus years old, over-sized, hardly efficient (80 percent, which furnace people say is really much lower due to the age and...

That is Suze Orman's mantra, and I like it, even if I do not agree with everything she says. That has been my philosophy over the past few months while unemployed. As I have written many times, I have been blessed to be able to spend this time with my daughter. Sure, I am not so good at disciplining her, something that will come back to bite me in the butt, I am sure. But I like to think just spending the time with her, watching and helping her learn, etc., will outweigh the negative. I have also spent a lot of time with my mom; every two weeks on average, Jordan and I spend a night or two at her house. Brian is happy to have us out of the house, since we have been together pretty much 24/7 since Brian works from home; Jordan gets to swim at my mom's, and we just get to be with her, which is nice. It will be a little sad for me not to drive up there during the week, but we still have weekends. If only the rest of my family lived closer. As for the money part, I, along with many...

If I wanted 90-degree heat, I would have moved to NC years ago, when I was actually toying with that idea that I might not live in PA my entire life. During the winters, I tend to complain about the cold probably fewer than half a dozen times. Unless it is in single digits or unless sub-freezing temps go on for months and months, I don't mind the cold so much. I often enjoy a walk outside in 30- or even 20-degree temps. But once it gets this hot and humid, it is not as if I can peel my skin off. Yesterday, Bri, Jordan and I went to the zoo. We had bought tickets about a month ago through the alumni association; great deal, which also included lunch and a zoo tour. Had we not done this, there is no way I would have been there yesterday. I wondered what all those people were thinking. When they woke up, did a father say to a mother, "Hey, it's going to be in the low 90s today. Let's drag our three kids out in the heat and walk up all the hills and watch a bunch of animal...