Had to Go Back on Oil

blrman07 · Post by **blrman07** » Wed. Feb. 05, 2014 8:43 am

It pains me to say that I had to turn off the LL Econo1 stoker and restart the oil boiler. The LL is in the dining room and heats the whole house on about 40 pounds a day of rice coal. Somehow through no fault of my own I contracted the flu. My wife weighs 98 pounds and can't carry a 40 pound bucket of coal much less hoist it to the top of the hopper. Yep she's a cute little thing!! She also has chronic asthma and I keep her away from anything to do with the ashes.

I am hoping this malady doesn't last too long since we only have 50 gallons of oil. That was what I ordered when we moved in a year and a half ago to test the boiler and have it in case of just this type of situation.

This really sucks as we both got used to having the house at 75. To conserve the oil we are keeping it at 65. Our 17 year old cat seems to be taking this the hardest though. When he see's me he starts meowing and running to the coal stove. He sits in front of the cold dead stove and puts out this mournful wail and then comes back to me and meows continuously while turning around to look at the stove.

If nothing else I gotta get better and restart the coal stove just to shut up this cat.

Rev. Larry
New Beginning Church
Ashland, Pa.

CoalHeat · Post by **CoalHeat** » Wed. Feb. 05, 2014 8:54 am

Hopefully you will have a fast recovery.
Heating oil....gives me the chills just thinking about it.

Carbon12 · Post by **Carbon12** » Wed. Feb. 05, 2014 8:57 am

Feel better soon!

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Wed. Feb. 05, 2014 9:01 am

Is there a bucket the cat can carry?

EarthWindandFire · Post by **EarthWindandFire** » Wed. Feb. 05, 2014 9:03 am

I wish I lived near you Larry, I could've filled the stove for you until you got back on your feet. Let us know if things get worse. Feel better!

blrman07 · Post by **blrman07** » Wed. Feb. 05, 2014 9:21 am

McGiever wrote:Is there a bucket the cat can carry?

I tried talking to the cat about that. He just held up a paw to show me he had no thumbs. He uses that excuse for a lot of things!!!

Maybe by this afternoon I can restart the stove. Went to the doc yesterday and she said it was what they have dubbed the "mini flu" because it has all the flu symptoms except vomiting and diarrhea. That seems to be rampant in our area from what I understand via my friends on Facebook.

My wife told me I even screwed up getting the flu as I couldn't get the real thing. I told her to come closer so I could cough on her.

Rev. Larry
New Beginning Church
Ashland Pa.

Post by **ONEDOLLAR** » Wed. Feb. 05, 2014 9:24 am

Larry

Wish I lived nearby as well! Is there anyone out there that can help out the Good Rev?

Get well soon!!!

Post by **Lightning** » Wed. Feb. 05, 2014 10:04 am

Hope ya feel better soon partner..

Poor poor kitty...

SMITTY · Post by **SMITTY** » Wed. Feb. 05, 2014 10:08 am

All kinds of crap going around. I contracted a nasty chest cold. Even the guys that don;t have asthma caught it ... so it was bad. Been hacking clumps up for weeks now. Probably had pneumonia for a bit too ... but I'm so used to not being able to breathe that it's just another day for me.

I know that cat sound - the deep meow that says "PLEASE HELP ME! THE WORLD IS ENDING!!"

They love their heat, that's for sure. Since we installed the boiler, the cats have been crowding us out of the bed. I wake up with at least 2 of them on me or my legs ...

Post by **dcrane** » Wed. Feb. 05, 2014 10:24 am

best wishes for a speedy recovery Larry!

Weve all seen Smitty's Coal Kittie (he keeps watchdog eyes on Smittys coal at all times), when your feeling better.... take some photo's of your cat whaling in front of the dead stove trying to reach out and run it

Horace · Post by **Horace** » Wed. Feb. 05, 2014 10:43 am

Wish I were closer, Larry. I'd be happy to tend the stove. You're a couple of hours on a good day, but with current conditions and three kids home from school it's a bit too scary.

Get well!

freetown fred · Post by **freetown fred** » Wed. Feb. 05, 2014 10:56 am

Brandy Padre, a liter a day, keeps the Doc away---get well quick

whistlenut · Post by **whistlenut** » Wed. Feb. 05, 2014 11:10 am

Fred: saddle up the 8-N, and head for Rev Larry's.....I'll meet you from the East side.........Chains......bumpy ride, but just bite down on an ole tee shirt (rolled up). Bet we'll make the PM news!

Hopefully someone could stop by an help Larry out, he sure would do it for any of us. I'm 492 miles away, certainly some good guys from the fire dept or PD would help out a brother.
After all, Larry, as Geico says: It's HUMP Day!!

Post by **Rob R.** » Wed. Feb. 05, 2014 1:34 pm

This is a good example of a drawback to solid fuel. If you become disabled, someone else needs to haul the coal and ashes...or you better have a backup system that is hands-off. A few days ago my dad began to have terrible chest pains and went to see his doctor. They told him to not do ANYTHING physical until they could get him in for a heart catherization...which was yesterday. Thankfully they were able to get things flowing again and he came home today, but he will still be on restricted duty for a week or so. My brother lives next door, so he has been on coal/ash duty for almost a week and will probably take care of it for another week. Dad's house has an oil boiler, but I'd rather he got to recover in a house that was warm and quiet than one with a cold basement and a noisy oil burner.

tsb · Post by **tsb** » Wed. Feb. 05, 2014 1:38 pm

That's what teenagers and money was invented for.
Get a youngster from the congregation to stop by twice a day.