Friday, December 4, 2009

Weekend Assignment #295: Keeping warm

As Karen sits in cozy and warm Tucson, she wants to know what us poor saps in the Midwest (and other parts of this Earth) do to keep warm during the winter. I think it is fitting that I write this up on the day we get our first measurable snow in Chicago. (I think some of the suburbs got some the other day, but that doesn't count.)

Weekend Assignment: #295: Even in Tucson, things can get a bit chilly on December nights. What is your favorite way to keep warm?

Chilly? In Tucson? Okay, I'll cut Karen some slack since she used to live in Syracuse, NY and I see that it is in the 40's there now.

In our lower level it can get pretty chilly in the winter. Part of the reason is because it is an open two-story area in the main living room, so all the cold air pools right by the couches. You can almost see it. Or, at least your breath. Also, the siding on the house is as old as me, it needs to be tossed out and replaced. I think getting some new insulation and siding will help keep the downstairs much warmer. I hope.

When it is chilly, I usually put on what Jenn likes to call my 'old man sweater.' It's just a zip up fleece thing, but since I wear it all the time, Jenn likes to make fun of me. Though, when I am on a stretch of days off I do tend to wear it a lot. It's like the flannel shirt Michale Keaton wore in Mr. Mom. So maybe she's not so far off. Hey, at least it's not a sweater that Mr. Rogers wore, or anything.

We do have a fire place in the family room, but we aren't in there a whole lot. There is no TV, so what's the point?  Also, we've been waiting for the kids to get older. They are old enough now to stay away, but now we have to clean the chimney out and make sure the dogs won't jump in there. Maybe next winter.

Extra Credit: What is the temperature setting on your thermostat?

Because of the chill I mentioned early, we tend to keep the thermostat set at 73 degrees. This way it is tolerable in the living room and roasting in the bedrooms upstairs. I try to turn the thermostat down a bit at night, but I often get caught and have to turn it back up. I don't like to be warm when I sleep.

4 comments:

Cookie said...

New siding and stuff should help a lot. Also you might want to look at the weather stripping. That can sometimes be a factor, too.

I won't mention being cold because you know I live in California and I'm sure you don't want to hear it. ;^)

Florinda said...

Ha, I didn't know Cookie was harassing you from the West Coast too!

We have that same issue with the two-story living room (with tall windows) that makes it much cooler downstairs. 73 degrees seems to work well for us, too.

Karen Funk Blocher said...

The two-story living room sounds chilly but cool, so to speak. Very Frank Lloyd Wright! Or something.

And hey, you're entitled to your fleecy sweater thing. It can't be as bad as the sort of track suit top my husband used to wear indoors in cold weather!

Mike said...

Cookie: I hope it does. Will have to wait until next winter to find out for sure. :)

It's best to keep it quiet about the cold. :)

Florinda: Yeah, I have two of you out there in the peanut gallery. Plus, Karen not so far away in the southwest. :)

It's nice when it's cooler down there in the summer. :)

Karen: Track suit? Was it one of those shiny ones? Those are the best. :)