Just when I thought the universe was on my side...

So you all know we're in the process of booking a much needed trip. Especially these days - it's insanely cold out there! WTF!?

Anyway, things were all going along quite nicely. We cobbled the money together, slapped it on the credit card, found a week that worked, got things sorted with my cat (thanks to my wonderful sister in law who's going to come and stay at the house to ensure he gets his kitty cat insulin shots), settled on a nice resort, and we were ready to go.

All signs pointed to the universe saying yes, we needed this vacation and gosh darn it, we should take it.

Until last night.

I've now been wracking my brain trying to figure out what I did wrong. Who I was mean to, what I did to upset the karmic balance that was, until last night at least, working in my favour. I've come up with nothing, but still the universe saw fit to throw a wrench in our plans.

I had a work event last night. It went well, and I was able to leave a full hour before I'd thought I could, which actually translated into me being home a full hour and a half before originally anticipated. Good start, definitely a good start.

I got home, changed my clothes, had something to eat, turned on the television and my computer, and began to enjoy my couch time.

But I was still really cold, so I went to the thermostat to turn up the heat.

You can see where this is going already, can't you?

I increase the desired temperature, walk away, then a few minutes later I head to the kitchen to get myself a drink. I glance at the thermostat as I walk by and notice the temperature is not rising despite my request of the furnace to do so...instead it's actually dropping.

Something's wrong. Shit.

Suddenly it's harder for me to conjure up an image of us on the beach. I can't taste the pina coladas the way I had a hour or so before. 'Cause if we have to pay for expensive furnace repairs we are SOL in the trip department, cash flow being what it is.

Hubs goes downstairs and takes a look around. Sure enough, the furnace isn't working properly. It goes on for 30 seconds, pumping cool air, then shuts itself off and flashes a code 34 error message.

I'm 34 years old...interesting...

Anyway, many telephone calls to Hubs' friends in the industry later, we realize our flame sensor needs either cleaning or replacement. Hubs tries valiantly but can't access the area that needs to be fixed.

As an aside, how great are these guys that they pick up their phones at 10pm, listen to the problem, and try to talk him through it? That's just awesome. Great people.

So now we wait. The hope is that a friend of his will come to our rescue, show up at the house, and fix the problem or replace the part. Fortunately the part is only $20, so there's some small cheer to be sucked from that nugget of information. However, our house is now dipping below 50 degrees (F, of course) and as the cold day goes by, I get increasingly concerned about our pipes freezing.

A $20 part I can handle. Burst water pipes and the cost of fixing all that damage...I just can't even think about it without feeling the puke rise to the back of my throat.

Before Hubs left for the day he snapped up two small electric heaters, one for each floor, in the hope that they will help to maintain a bit of heat, enough at least to keep the pipes from freezing. 'Cause if this guy does come over to fix it, it won't be until much later tonight.

So all my lovely readers out there, please please please send me some positive furnace vibes today. I so desperately need them! I know it sounds ridiculously selfish to ask for something as inane as furnace vibes, but here I am. Yes, I've sunk that low. I'll take all the help I can get if it means my pipes stay intact until the problem can be fixed.

Thank goodness we didn't book last night. I was about to pick up the phone to make the call, but we decided to wait a day or two to see if the prices come down.

Maybe the universe was looking out for me after all. Who knows - by forcing us to wait a few days, maybe the price will come down enough that the difference will equal what it will cost us to fix the furnace. Yeah, that'd be nice.

Goooooooooooood universe, niiiiiiiiiiiice universe, most reveeeeeeeeeeeeered universe.

And that's your daily dash. How's your diva doin'?