Central Heating

It broke down on us this morning in the midst of giving my kid a shower – the poor thing was screaming from all that icy water! We had to continue showering  with a bucket of warm water. Do not ask me why BUT here in Flanders, it is a nightmare to get anyone to come and do servicing for your central heating. It takes you months before you get a return call or even an appointment. So you can imagine our panicky state especially knowing we are about to jet off for a short getaway in a few days time. But thanks to my Ecuadorian connections, we got ourselves a good technician who could come right away.( A good girlfriend of mine is married to one) *phew*

Having grown up in a very warm tropical climate – central heating – is alien to me! I know what it is, I know it exist but I never dream that one day I too, would need it and love it! Just like air-conditioning, where you need it to cool off your home from all that humidity and heat wave. We need central heating here to warm up our cosy homes and make life livable through the harsh winter months. But it cost a bomb to heat up your entire house! And it works on various sorts of energy – coal, wood, gas, oil or electricity. Ours runs on gas. Although my significant other has tried many times to teach me about heating, how it works and where it comes from – all I see is how much it sets us back financially! But I am so thankful that we can afford it especially on days when its pouring white outside and the maximum for the day is only at MINUS 5 degrees!

 

Monday past, for the first time this year, we had to turn our central heating ON again. Although I am for one happy it is autumn and temperatures are more to my liking, I feel for my friends and colleagues who moans and groans at the long cold months ahead as to be honest, they didn’t have such a fantastic summer either. So, if you are on this side of the globe, keep warm and enjoy the romantic and wonderful autumn days ahead = ) And what we do to save money on gas? On some days, we just put on thicker sweaters, so the heating system can have a rest ; )