Today I didn't go into work since I'll be training the 3 new surveyors tomorrow - have to keep my hours to about 20 hours. I didn't mind really, because it was really rainy and icy and cold out.

Last night I knew it was supposed to go below freezing, so I decided that I would turn my heat on so none of my pipes would burst. I put it on 50 degrees and then put it on auto -- nothing happened. So, I put it into the "On" position. Still, nothing. I switched it over to the a/c, and the machines roared into action, though no air. Finally I just decided to have all my faucets drip all night - not sure which is more money - dripping faucets, or using the heat.

So this morning after dad and I had eaten breakfast with Charles (a family friend) my dad took a look at the furnace. It's electrical, so he didn't have any idea what to do. So I called my apartment manager and told him that my heat was not working. He told me he'd send someone over to check it out. An hour later noone had come, so I called again to find out when the person would be coming and was told they were on their way. About twenty minutes later the guy came. He checked things out and then said that he thought it might just need a new thermostat. Dad also told him about my back door needing weatherstripping (something I'd called the office about at least 5 times!) By the time he left he had relplaced my old thermostat (with the unreadable Heat/Cool functions) with a digital thermostat, had the heat working, and had weather stripped my back door. I thought that was pretty good for about an hour's work.

I stopped by the library this afternoon and picked up two more Dan Brown books, plus a couple of other ones. I also put my name on a waiting list for James Patterson's "Mary, Mary" as well as the last book in the Karen Kingsbury series "Redemtpion."

I had a bit of fun today getting out my ol' ice scraper again. The ice this morning wasn't too bad, but this afternoon it sure took a bit of time and arm power to get it off. I'd love some suggestions from folks out there who deal with iced over windsheilds on a normal basis - also, what to do if your door lock is iced over. We're supposed to still have freezing temps in the morning.

My brother called my dad tonight. Dad took the phone into the office and shut the door trying to be all private. But the thing is, I think he's getting hard of hearing or something, because when he talks on the phone, he always talks so LOUD - I could hear him pretty easily through the wall even with the tv on. I really tried to not listen, especially once I figured out that they were making some plans involving me and my birthday. *I hope that maybe this means that Ryan will be coming here to visit for a few days!** THAT would be an AWESOME birthday present.

Growing up, he and I had a lot of sibling rivalry. But when I went away to college and he started high-school, our relationship changed for the better, and since then we've become very close friends. There's nothing that can make my day more complete and happy than getting a phone call from my brother. I do call him, but he's *very* hard to reach.

Well, no spending today. I'm now going to go back to my book by Gilbert Morris, "The Charade" about a man who was extremely obese and how he felt about himself, then made a computer program, got rich, got kicked in the gut by two people he trusted -- and now is on a revenge path - but will somehow be put off it before the end of the book by God. The first part of the book really got to me because I was relating so much to so much of what he was saying/feeling about his weight/how people looked at him/how he hated miorrs, etc.

Didn't exercise today - overslept, then my dad was around the place ALL DAY - so didn't even get much internet time - but I did finish Angels and Demons (SO GOOD!)

Keeping It Frugal in Texas,
Laura