The day was coming when we’d have to install that heater the heating companies wouldn’t install.  And it happened to be this past Saturday, when it had already started snowing the 12 plus inches we were supposed to be getting.   I got the call from the garage that Paul was ready for me to come help with the installation.

I left the cozy warm fire and the lit Christmas tree and headed out:

There it sat, waiting to be installed 10 feet off the floor:

The first part was easy.  Getting it onto the scaffold:

The next part? Getting it up that last foot or so to thread the huge long bolts into it?  Not so much.  After a bunch of scooching and shifting and lifting and ratcheting and yelling calmly talking it through, we got to here:

(Do NOT try this at home.)  Paul did the last lifting/turning the bolts into place while I worried the ratchet straps would fail and our Jenga tower would collapse.  Whew. It was crazy.  Then we realized the heater was trapped in the scaffold contraption, so we had to take the wood rails off one side to get it out!

And there it waits for electric/duct connections:

How fitting after a stressful, slightly aggravating and nerve wracking project that we went back to the house and found the reminder that the FedEx truck unknowingly left us:

The next morning we woke up to this:

Our trusty (fingers double-crossed) plow Jeep started right up and got to work:

It amazes us that this 50 plus year old relic is still running.  Every winter we think, “This is the year it will conk out for good.” And every year we are wrong.  We bought it for $500 seven years ago and it has more than paid for itself.   I hope I’m not jinxing myself.

After digging out of the snow it was time for me to go teach the final class for the Felted Clogs where I forgot to take a picture of the works in progress.  I did remember to head to the Masonic Hall and the Festival of Trees to vote for The Spinning Room’s entry:

(Thanks to Deirdre for taking the picture that I lifted from Facebook!)  A wonderful assortment of hats (my hat donation is in there somewhere),  mittens and scarves, knit by customers.  They will all be donated to a local shelter.  I hope it wins!