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I smiled when I first saw the above quote because its message is pretty straight forward... stop complaining and be thankful for what you have. Amen!
I have a really BIG thankful to share with you this week. It is one of those situations in which you are so very thankful for what didn't happen...
On Friday night Papa Bear decided to turn on our heat for the first time this season due to the damp cool weather we've had this past week. He wanted to warm the house up a little bit before bedtime. We have an electric furnace like all manufactured homes have, it is nearly twenty years old but works well... or has until now.
About an hour later we were watching tv and heard a thump from the furnace located down the hallway. Suddenly smoke came pouring out of the floor ducts all the way thru the house carrying the toxic smell of burning plastic wiring. The smoke alarm immediately went off. Papa Bear jumped up and switched off the furnace and then pulled the furnace breaker. The kitties scattered due to the piercing sound, smell, and commotion. Gradually the smoke stopped and we were able to reset the smoke alarm. Obviously, the furnace was no longer in working order and the house retained the smell of burned plastic wire all night, which aggravated my lungs/asthma.
On Saturday Papa Bear had an electrician friend come out and look at the furnace. When he removed the metal access door to the furnace he found charring on the back of the door panel and burned/charred/melted wiring...
It was an upsetting occurrence on Friday night, and even more so on Saturday when we saw that there had actually been a fire!
We are SO VERY THANKFUL..
- that we stayed home and weren't away when this occurred, as it could very likely have burned down the house and our beloved furkids with it.
- that we were awake and thus aware of the situation and able to respond quickly.
- that the furnace is contained in sheet metal and there was insufficient flammable material inside it to sustain the fire once the electricity was turned off.
- that the metal furnace door did not get jarred loose or blown off. It is literally an inch from the surrounding sheetrock and the wood door frame.
- that the furnace motor was not damaged and is still in good working order.
- that the replacement sequencer switch and wiring will cost less than $100.
- that Papa Bear's friend is knowledgeable about electric furnaces and is able to do the repair work at a a reasonable cost as opposed to what someone else might charge.
- that he was willing to come out on a Saturday to check out the furnace, since we were more than a little concerned and eager to find out what had happened.
- that the furnace did not need to be replaced - an expense we really can't afford right now.
- that Papa Bear turned on the furnace early this year. Had he waited until it was truly cold outside we might have found ourselves without heat for a few days while waiting for parts/repairs.
- that the furnace problem does not effect the AC system, so we will be able to continue using AC in the afternoons that reach into the 80s in the coming week.
- that we were given this powerful warning of a serious furnace issue, so we are able to effect repairs and avoid a much more serious and potential horrific event. We live in a rural area and by the time the fire apartment would arrive here if summoned there would likely not be much left to save. Mobile homes burn quickly.
- that I was not home alone to respond to this problem. I easily could have been. I have been the one to switch the furnace on several years. Papa Bear is a quick thinker and knew exactly what to do.
- most importantly, that we are safe, and the furkids are safe. Those are the critical issues, the rest is just stuff.
One more quick thankful for this week... an entire week of rainy, cool weather which truly felt like Fall. We actually have grass growing for the first time since we moved here, instead of just weeds! And had it not been cool, we would not have turned on the furnace, and this problem could have played out much differently at another time. We are thankful, so very THANKFUL!!
The above photo is a click-button to the TToT link-up. It is photo of one of our beautiful Texas sunsets with blue still peeking through the clouds; yellow, orange and pink bands around the remaining sliver of bright sun, and a wide band of black earth below it on which I've written Ten Things of Thankful.*
I have a really BIG thankful to share with you this week. It is one of those situations in which you are so very thankful for what didn't happen...
On Friday night Papa Bear decided to turn on our heat for the first time this season due to the damp cool weather we've had this past week. He wanted to warm the house up a little bit before bedtime. We have an electric furnace like all manufactured homes have, it is nearly twenty years old but works well... or has until now.
About an hour later we were watching tv and heard a thump from the furnace located down the hallway. Suddenly smoke came pouring out of the floor ducts all the way thru the house carrying the toxic smell of burning plastic wiring. The smoke alarm immediately went off. Papa Bear jumped up and switched off the furnace and then pulled the furnace breaker. The kitties scattered due to the piercing sound, smell, and commotion. Gradually the smoke stopped and we were able to reset the smoke alarm. Obviously, the furnace was no longer in working order and the house retained the smell of burned plastic wire all night, which aggravated my lungs/asthma.
On Saturday Papa Bear had an electrician friend come out and look at the furnace. When he removed the metal access door to the furnace he found charring on the back of the door panel and burned/charred/melted wiring...
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| This is the door panel to the front of the furnace, removed and laying on the hallway floor. The backside of the panel is charred. |
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| This is the jumble of wiring inside the furnace, notice the charred wires and connections. |
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| It turns out that this sequencer switch was the culprit. The bottom half should be identical to the top half but it apparently locked up and in doing so ignited, causing connected wires to arc and burn |
We are SO VERY THANKFUL..
- that we stayed home and weren't away when this occurred, as it could very likely have burned down the house and our beloved furkids with it.
- that we were awake and thus aware of the situation and able to respond quickly.
- that the furnace is contained in sheet metal and there was insufficient flammable material inside it to sustain the fire once the electricity was turned off.
- that the metal furnace door did not get jarred loose or blown off. It is literally an inch from the surrounding sheetrock and the wood door frame.
- that the furnace motor was not damaged and is still in good working order.
- that the replacement sequencer switch and wiring will cost less than $100.
- that Papa Bear's friend is knowledgeable about electric furnaces and is able to do the repair work at a a reasonable cost as opposed to what someone else might charge.
- that he was willing to come out on a Saturday to check out the furnace, since we were more than a little concerned and eager to find out what had happened.
- that the furnace did not need to be replaced - an expense we really can't afford right now.
- that Papa Bear turned on the furnace early this year. Had he waited until it was truly cold outside we might have found ourselves without heat for a few days while waiting for parts/repairs.
- that the furnace problem does not effect the AC system, so we will be able to continue using AC in the afternoons that reach into the 80s in the coming week.
- that we were given this powerful warning of a serious furnace issue, so we are able to effect repairs and avoid a much more serious and potential horrific event. We live in a rural area and by the time the fire apartment would arrive here if summoned there would likely not be much left to save. Mobile homes burn quickly.
- that I was not home alone to respond to this problem. I easily could have been. I have been the one to switch the furnace on several years. Papa Bear is a quick thinker and knew exactly what to do.
- most importantly, that we are safe, and the furkids are safe. Those are the critical issues, the rest is just stuff.
One more quick thankful for this week... an entire week of rainy, cool weather which truly felt like Fall. We actually have grass growing for the first time since we moved here, instead of just weeds! And had it not been cool, we would not have turned on the furnace, and this problem could have played out much differently at another time. We are thankful, so very THANKFUL!!
Blessings to you in the days and weeks ahead... Look for reasons to be thankful in your life, and remember to be a blessing to someone else!
* Descriptions of the included photos are being provided for those who may be unable to view the illustrations.
Wow - that is a huge thankful. Funny, we replaced our furnace this week after 27 years of good service. The gas company has a program that allows us to finance it. It was rusty and leaking and inefficient. I'm looking forward to a warm winter. When I read your Ten Things of Thankful, I am grateful for what could have been, was not. Have a good week.
ReplyDeleteYou are going to appreciate that new, safe and efficient furnace so much this winter! Sometimes we just have to go for it. It is great the gas company has financing. We can't do large cash purchases either. I am thankful at this point that we don't have to replace the whole thing, and that things didn't go much worse!
DeleteJosie, i am also thankful that dangerous situation wasn't actually much worse! Much praise and thanksgiving that all is well, it is easily repaired, and all of you are safe and unhurt.
ReplyDeleteAmen to all of the above, Mimi! It was scary and I am so thankful we got the warning that a problem existed before worse things happened!
DeleteI have had this happen and I know how scary it is. So glad you were home and could keep everything under control. Blessings abound!
ReplyDeleteIt surely was, Patricia, I am so glad we didn't go straight to bed to be awakened by the alarm going off. That would have been terrifying!
DeleteThat is much to be thankful for. It was wise of you both to go with that inner voice that told you not to go away. XO
ReplyDeleteThis is so true, isn't it surprising to think of how often we can be thankful for things that did NOT happen?! I am very glad we were here and awake when the switch burned. I don't want to think of what might have happened otherwise.
Deleteyow! The dodged-bullet variety of Items of Gratitude are usually the most clearly defined.
ReplyDeleteAll of the tiny things that, if only a little different would have led to a much more negative result... such good reminder to look to the everyday events and occurrences for the most immediate source of gratitude.
Enough excitement in your TToT! prefer to read lists of well-expressed appreciations of the positive aspects of life...
You are so right, Clark. I can look back at my life and compile a list of at least a hundred times I was blessed that things didn't turn out another way, or even the way I wanted them to at that time! It's as important to be thankful not only for what does happen and what we do have, but also for what doesn't and what we don't have. There is not a day I'm not thankful for not having bigger problems to deal with!
DeleteYikes! I'm so glad everything turned out OK. So many tender mercies in that account!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, Kristi, when I started thinking about it, it wasn't just one reason to be thankful, but many reasons woven together! <3
DeleteSo glad you are okay, that your cats are okay, and that you have heat for the winter and a home. It is nice having someone (family/friend) who is an expert in something that prevents you from having to call a worker who does not know you.
ReplyDeleteI like that photo at the start of this post. I love water and always say my glass is half full, though I do tend to still spill a little from time to time.
You, my friend, are a genuinely positive person. Not always easy, but worth it.
It was an incredible relief to be safe, and to find out that the problem is fixable for a reasonable amount. Yes, friends and good connections are everything in surviving the ups and downs of life!
DeleteI love your comment about spilling a little water from time to time, that made me smile, because I think we all do! :-)I always say that I am grateful to have a cup!
I have really had to work to be more positive about life, I still get down like anyone else, but I refuse to dwell in it, it's a total waste of TODAY to do that. Process it and move on, look for the good, that's my motto. :-)