The straw that broke the Camel's back

Man that really blows!  I can not be there either.  Like you I have had a string of auto mishaps and some other stuff. But I think you got me beat  in how it all happended so close together.

Life is catching up with you buddy.  I hate when that happens.  Good luck with anything else that can go bad.

That certainly is a whole shed load of bad luck, DE. Hope you sort out your household problems real soon - at least you have the skills to do the work yourself! It's a great shame that I won't get to see you, or Beamer at Chordiestock...

Let me point out a few things that I noticed:

"extra money" what is that? I tell my son that I have no money. I'm just the middle man who gets to disperse other people's money.

"warmer weather, mid 50's" Uh, let's just call that "not as cold weather".

+1 what Norm said. Be thankful that for what you can do yourself. Like you said, a service tech ain't cheap.

What's that saying..."when it rains it pours".

Ahhhh life is good again!  Regenerative blower came set up for 230VAC and needed to be changed for 115VAC, and although the instructions were in Italian and the wiring diagram was a little different than I'm used to, I managed to get it all hooked up and feeding oxygen to all the little microbes in my septic system.  I ended up calling a service tech for my furnace.  Although one of the two guys that came out was young he knew his stuff.  The fix was a little difficult as the problem started because of a couple wires shorting outside at the heat pump which caused some relays to fail in the aux heat/blower unit. Didn't have to replace the blower motor and relays were a whole lot cheaper. It actually was fun going through the schematics with him and troubleshooting the problem and although it took 3 hours he only charged me for 2 as I helped troubleshoot the problem.  Temps were in the teens today and it was nice to know my heating unit was again in good shape.

I was mildly surprised at all the nice comments I received for the acoustic set I did at the Foothills Folk Society showcase at the Ohio University Chillicothe campus this evening. (Zurf, you'll be happy to know I started the set with "Bluestone".)  I had several people requesting to buy CDs when I get the new one finished.  I was more shocked at being asked to play a venue with two well-known local singer-songwriters for two nights on February 22-23.  I had told some friends that due to all my recent expenditures I wouldn't be making the trip to Florida for Chordiestock and when the other singer/songwriters found out I was available I was asked to join them. So at least I'll be playing along with other musicians that weekend, although it won't be with my Chordie brethren.

Looks like good karma is heading my way again.

DE

It's actually a carry over from an old "social status" thing.  Back in the days when folks used "out houses", the very rich heated theirs for comfort, so its one of the ways we poor folks can pretend we're rich.  As a society we've evolved so that we now crap indoors and cook/grill outdoors so it all becomes very confusing, so I understand your dilemma.

What is further confusing is why a "regenerative blower" is needed for a septic system.  I would think that since the purpose is to break down the "solids" into clean, environmentally safe effluent, a "degenerative' blower would be more appropriate.  Also, the furnace utilizes a "squirrel cage" blower, yet I saw no nut shells or or other evidence that one of the little bushy-tailed rodents has ever been employed to move warm air through my abode.  Indeed it is all very bewildering.

DE