Heat!

Just to show you that I don't moan and groan all the time, let me tell you about things that have happened recently without my mentioning them.

In September, we decided the morning temperatures were getting low enough that we ought to start up the boiler that heats water for the dozen or more radiators that heat the house in wintertime. Well, it wouldn't start up. I status screen on the front of the thing displayed a not so helpful error message. We needed to contact the company that we have an annual maintenance and emergency-repair contract. In theory, we give them a call and they send out a techicien.

He showed up a few days later, took the front panel off the boiler and left telling us that he needed to go order a new part for the thing. We asked him how soon he might receive the part that needed replacing, and he said "Maybe this afternoon. Maybe tomorrow."

We didn't see him or hear anything from him for the rest of the month. The mornings were getting colder and colder, as was the inside of the house.

When we did finally hear from him toward the end of October, we learned that he had ordered the new part, which he had earlier said would cost 90 euros, for 489 euros — no explanation was offered. I made a couple of calls to the company's office over in Romorantin but got no formation or help.

Finally, on November 2, I called again and got a very helpful customer service agent on the line. She said they had the replacement part and would send it over with with the technical guy. He would install it. And he showed up (the same man). Our bank account was debited that day for the 489 euros.

It took the man about 10 minutes to install the part and get it working. And the boiler now works  again. Thank goodness. The outdoor low these days is between 0 and 35 ºF. The house has been gradually getting warmer since the first of the week.