Tricking the Thermostat

Noel and Natasha Resting

March 10, 2009

It’s raining and cold here at the Hampton Homestead. Dogs are curled up on recliners and beds. Horses are sticking their noses out of their stalls and Alfred has actually put some heat on in the house. If we go below 60 degrees, I will run over to a floor vent and rub my hands together as the hot air rises. As of yet, I have not learned how to out smart the thermostat when it comes to getting heat.

Air conditioning I can work with. Alfred thinks 78 degrees is air conditioning. By putting my hands around the thermostat and blowing hot air from my mouth I can raise the temperature. “Walla”, we have air conditioning I announce to the dogs. We all run to the floor vents. I can almost hear them saying, “Way to go, Mom!!” Wesley rolls on his vent like its horse poop. Max stretches out, his belly covers the vent and Barney lies on his back staying on his vent long after air stops coming from it.

Now making the thermostat think it’s colder in the house is quite another thing. I have tried eating ice cream and blowing on the thermostat. Doesn’t work. Putting a piece of cloth in the freezer for a few minutes and laying it over the thermostat. Nope again. Frozen vegetables. “Yes!!!!!!!!!!!” I whisper to myself.

The heat kicks on and I am so happy that I become delirious. I turn to run to a vent and bang right into Alfred. Frozen peas in my hands, I look up and smile.

He looks down and suggests, "You should watch where you're going."

He continues walking to his office and I wipe sweat from my brow. “Thank you Lord,” I whisper. I put the peas back as quickly as I can and scurry over to the kitchen vent like a rat and begin rubbing my hands together. Peas will not work forever. I must come up with another plan if I expect to stay warm this winter.