We got the gas bill yesterday. To be completely honest, I was horrified to a state of shrillness that I usually only achieve when I look at the kid's rooms. I understand that my face turned white and then red and then white again while my lips got all "squinchy and wrinkled".
Over Christmas, when we were "on vacation" we used our gas fireplace often - it was so warm and cozy - the cats were ecstatic. They lounged in front of it for hours (see title picture). It was a wonderful vacation. We went back to work and school as relaxed and cheerful as a body ever is upon leaving vacation for work (or school) knowing that there will be at least 200 emails to answer and a full voice mail box. We were living on a separate plane of reality from the rest of humanity. All was sunny and cheerful and flower-filled. There may even have been a unicorn or two.
Then we got the utility bill and
our my alternate reality suffered a quick and painful death. I stomped about blaming everyone but myself. How could you turn the daytime temperature above 65? (Well, the thermostat is only set to 68.) How could you leave the house and not set back the thermostat? (We were only gone for a half hour - it wouldn't have done any good.) We're going to need to economize starting right now! (We already eat fried rice twice a week - what next? My answer: Wrap up in blankets!) We were going to get our gas bill down or freeze in the attempt! (As much as you can ever freeze in Southern California only 30 miles from the coast but we can always chop down the palm trees for warmth should it become necessary.)
All the wind was taken from my sails when The Bearded One pronounced, after doing "analysis" -that it cost us the same amount to use the gas fireplace as it did when we were burning DuraFlame Logs...
The only leg that I have left to stand on is "I'd rather see the money go to Home Depot than to SDG and E".
Sigh.
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