Cold but yes. Emergency heat on but at least we still have power. Have a few things to do and top of the list is breakfast and adult time. At least that's my plan not sure what she gotta do but hopefully its 1 or both of those. Merry Christmas Eve and stay warm.

Attempting to make ponche de creme with apple pie moonshine substitute. I should use rum, buuuuut I'm sure as long as it's spiked it'll be fine.

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Lost power for 2 hours yesterday. We have the annual Christmas Eve gathering of the family. My nephew is missing out as he is scheduled to work at his new job and his mum warned him that having an adult job means missing out sometimes. He had been given thanksgiving off and he was told by her to expect to work during Christmas. The future mom will probably not be there as food smells trigger her ongoing nausea. So it is 11 instead of 13. My other sister is picking us up and only allowing 25 mins to get to Short Pump for our dinner with all the last minute shoppers I have my doubts that we will be on time.

Stayed toasty all night, and surprised the kids with pancakes for breakfast. Gotta do a little more wrapping this morning and then its going to be a lot of in-law time.

Power out here 😞

Today's plans include finishing wrapping gifts, getting fancy dinner ready for tonight, making cinnamon rolls for tomorrow morning, eating said fancy dinner along with good wine and a fantastic dessert, hanging out with family, and generally relaxing.

I'd really like to take the dogs for a walk, but I don't want to go outside.

Power stayed on all night for us.

Just hangin and playin some games, family stuff tomorrow. Get to see my best bud so that's wonderful.

Also fuck the restaurants/cafes open today. It's Christmas Eve on a Saturday. Let your people enjoy it. Coffee places doin half days. Shit sucks. F for those who had to crawl to work this frigid morning.

Despite our best efforts, there's a frozen pipe in the wall. Trying to not worry about it 😪

DPU bill this cycle is gonna be wild, but not losing power has been clutch. really have to budget for new windows this year.

Fuck this cold!

I guarantee you won't be on time

As long as you keep dripping and keep the heat on, hopefully you'll be ok!!

Wrap gifts..cook food...watch a movie.....walk the dog and freeze my ass off.

I have new windows. I dont think they make a huge difference lol. It's likely the 1890 house built directly on the ground with no insulation.....

Husband had to take my car bc his wouldn't even start this morning!

Shoutout to everyone driving an older car today (mines 20!) and is not loving the cold. My poor baby sounds rough. To make matters worse, I have to sit in the car because if I go back in to wait for it to warm up the kittens will think I’m back for playtime.

Watch out for ice yall!

yeah, our house is only 20yo but these windows are leaky af. even with plastic on them.

We're out of town until mid next week. Dunno how concerned to be about my pipes. Turned off water at valve in crawl space before we left, and left kitchen faucet open. Mainly concerned about the section of pipe upstream of the valve. If that freezes, bursts, then thaws, guess I'll have a flooded crawlspace and garage when we return. Put the main level thermostat at 72 last night, hope that heat transferred into the crawl space enough I guess...

Oh I'm sure, it's fucked outside. Worked in restaurants for over a decade so this is the first time I've had weekend/holidays off. I was feelin for the folks that had to go to work today.

Hope he gets off early and y'all have a lovely Christmas 🤗

Brunch and gifts with husband’s side of the family, then traveling to MD for gifts and dinner tomorrow with my side of the family. Fingers crossed for an uneventful drive.

I feel grateful to be relatively warm and with power this morning. I already left to run a last minute errand and hit up the grocery store. The Kroger by me was a mess this morning with frantic vibes. The entire meat wall (idk what you call it) had lost power overnight and all the product had been removed, so no steak for dinner tonight like we hoped. Thank you to everyone working today to keep the world turning. I'm sorry you had to but I definitely appreciate you.

Hot Water Baseboard Heat for the win! No one builds houses anymore with it because people think it’s an eye sore, but it’s best heating source! Mom’s visiting today, we’re making Swedish Cardamom Buns, Cinnamon rolls, a browned butter and chocolate Smith Island Cake for tomorrow, and some cookies for Santa.

1920s house with new windows checking in, you're correct that they don't seem to make a lick of difference

My new (installed in August) heat pump isn’t working. I am keeping warm with Jesus Christ’s love and my unrestrained wrath.

Need to do that. There’s ice on the INSIDES of my upstairs windows

Definitely do new windows if possible. We got them a little over a year ago and can tell a big difference in drafts, etc.

yikes!

3 year seasoned red oak in the fireplace is making everyone get buck neked up in cheer. I knew my manic wood splitting would pay off one day. And the dog sleeps almost directly under the inferno

Being cold brings back unhappy childhood memories so I hate this weather extra hard. I’m really deeply grateful to have a warm house now! I feel deep empathy for anyone who doesn’t.

Minshew Madness!

Making the family meatball recipe, blasting music, birds, and then watching the finale for Seinfeld. We've been saving it for months.

Just wanted to say hey and I feel this. Me too with the drafty, old, uninsulated, (but charming) 1890’s home ownership.

Day 1 of Christmases. With me having divorced parents and the husband's family, it's usually a 2-day affair. Luckily this year we have Monday off together for a relax day!

Mine wouldn’t let me open the door. I took it as a sign and am staying home alllll day.

1940s checking in. Mine made some difference, but the largest impact was insulation in the attic. Any insulation in the walls would probably help more.

Yeah heat pump heating capacity is a function of outside air temp. They just can't extract much heat from air this cold. Does your air handler have electric backup heat? Depending on your thermostat, you can lock out the heat pump when it gets below a certain outside temp.

Minshew's dropping 40 today

According to a temperature sensor I put in my crawlspace, the crawlspace got as low as 33.3F. That is pretty close to freezing---enough to make me nervous about water pipes down there. I'm dripping my faucets hopefully...

Recieved a copy of Epoch Times in the mail yesterday. Anyone else? Trying to figure out if they're just sending these out or if someone put me on their mailing list as a prank or something.

My poor furnace can't keep up. I've nudged us up to 67 since 8am. I'm hoping for my Hanukkah miracle, keep that oil (natural gas, really) burning.

You speak with much wisdom. I don’t think it has electric backup, but I have 3 space heaters. I’m assuming a visit from the company that installed it is in order. It’s 53 downstairs.

Edit: Called heat pump “company” expecting to leave a VM about coming by next week. The recording said “My truck is broken. Hopefully it gets fixed soon. Byeeeee!”

Since 1974, Santa keeps promising my garage.

Shiiit. I don’t work and we aren’t doing Christmas u til Wednesday so I’m wearing sweats and watching the Knives Out 2 on Netflix, smoking weed, and staring at my dog.

Sounds like a good plan.

Are you doing OK? We'll be out and about for a bit and could drop off extra blankets or something if you are in need! I might even have a heated blanket

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100yr old house checking in, with poor insulation, so curtains and blinds closed, blankets and towels at windowsills and door jams. 2 burner camping stove on standby. All spigots are dripping, I’m sporting longjohns and will venture outside to feed birds and tree rats, and attempt covering the drafty ac window unit, but Irish coffee first.

1951 house here. We had all of our original single-pane windows replaced by Window World last fall and they made a huge difference.

Before, I could stand next to windows and immediately feel hot or cold depending on the season. Now, I can put your hand right up to them and barely feel a difference in full sunlight during the summer or this morning when it was 10º.

11 windows replaced plus a brand new front door for $6,500. Took them about 3 hours from start to finish. Oh, and a lifetime warranty (as long as Window World is in business, of course). Def recommend.

The best bonus is that we can not only open the windows with one finger (when unlocked, of course) instead of wrestling with them each time and we can wash both sides from inside the house because they slide around and rotate in!

Other than that, our walls are cold at the moment, but slightly less than it was last year because we recently had Window World replace our aluminum siding with vinyl siding that includes 1" of styrofoam insulation.

It is a bummer to be forced to work on Christmas, but not everyone celebrates Christmas and it's nice for them to still have places to go.

I would definitely expect a heat pump system installed in our area to have electric backup heat. If that's not coming on, then you may have a thermostat/control problem. Def get someone to check it out, but good luck doing that during this cold snap :(

Need More Big Blankets.

Plan for today is advice: if you're ever thinking of crafting for the holidays, don't.

Was loading the car with presents this morning to head up north to see family, then felt like I just wanted to crawl back into bed. Took two COVID tests and both were positive. Brought said presents back inside and spending Christmas at home instead of family. Trying to make the best of the situation by making a list of movies/video games to watch and play, and loading up on healthy food.

This is the most insane response I've ever heard. You're a treasure.

Is anyone else stoned, drinking box wine, and dancing to Christmas music in the ultra-warm fuzzy socks they opened early on the wood floors?

Heading two hours further East in PA in a bit to see more family. This is the part where I start getting hit with grief as I’d normally be seeing my dad during this leg of travel but he passed 4 years ago.

Scary couple of days in our household. What we thought was food poisoning ended up being an early case of appendicitis for my wife. She had surgery yesterday and this morning had a hard time breathing. Thankfully she’s better now and the CVS on Iron Bridge being 24hr pharmacy helped a ton with getting her medication early this AM. We’ve had a very eventful year between a house purchase falling through at the very end, then a successful house purchase, and our wedding last month. Hopefully no more big events and we can end the year on a relaxing note!

I made some yesterday but with rum. Good luck!

I think working today should be a voluntary thing. There’s enough people who would volunteer if respectfully asked and offered double pay that we can keep things running enough.

Everyone should be entitled to guaranteed time off.

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I’m terrified to start getting quotes for the remaining original 1960s windows in this house - gotta say that number sounds far cheaper than I was expecting. How have they held up so far?

They’re all doing great. Was worried that the house settling would cause the windows to tighten up after a season of expanding and contracting but they still feel brand new after 14 months so far.

The price would be cheaper if we didn’t get a new front door. That alone was about $1600, I think (including the door itself).

Currently in an apartment with forced air and we were freeeeezing last night.

Our new house has the kind of heating you have and I'm sooo excited for it. Just have to suffer until February.

There are some tax credits (or rebates?) starting in 2023 on windows among other things to make a house more power efficient so fully understanding the tax offset and getting some prices is on the to do list. (I think it’s only $500 annually but there’s a few other programs as well…)

>Did everyone survive the frigid night?

My rear car windshield didn't. Left work at 1am to find it destroyed

>What are your plans for today?

In an Uber, pulling up to home depot for tape, to go cover my windshield until they can replace ON JANUARY FOURTH WTF

I am making lemon ricotta pancakes (NYT recipe) tomorrow a.m. and sitting here wishing there was something interesting to watch on TV. Recommendations welcomed.

"A hEaT pUmP iS bEtTeR tHaN rAdIaToRs..."

As he looks at his 73° house with radiant heat... I'm sorry for your situation, I'll txt you some condolences.

We are in Auckland New Zealand, it’s Christmas Day here. Going to have breakfast in a bit, then go to the beach. I hope you all have a good holiday!

I was out with my dog about an hour ago. Only 18 degrees but sun out and no wind here. Wasn’t bad at all. Have a great time with family!

When I was young and relatively poor I jumped at the chance for double pay on holidays. I always volunteered.

Nah man. Sucks to have to wake up and drag yourself into work. It's cold as shit and Christmas Eve on a Saturday. Not everyone celebrates but many do and workin on Christmas is like cartoonishly shitty. I'm sure people can find somethin to do for a day who don't celebrate.

I've worked the Christmas Eve shift at cafes that are open til noon on holidays and it's shitty. Everyone is with family or friends or just hangin out while you're workin you're ass off so people can have coffee or a bagel.

I always worked Christmas Eve when I was in the industry. Put on the punk Christmas playlist and enjoy the generosity of people who want to not be around their family and tip extra for the chance.

Ptetty adjacent in our household, stoned, drinking egg nog, and dancing to Christmas in ultra warm fuzzy slippers!

Same! Super glad to have our oil baseboard heating right about now. We are all nice and toasty!

Just finished binging all 7 episodes of Midnight Mass on Netflix. Highly recommend!

You’re going to have a very happy family with all of the Christmas prep you’re doing. Professional Santa status!

Just be sure to drive safe even if you’ll be late! Better to arrive alive than on time.

Lol to a lot of in-law time. I feel that.

People in this city must be so glad to not see pouring rain last couple days and still raining, otherwise they better stay off the roads!

This is INSTANT freeze-up condition. NO way advisable to even drive!

But we had no rain, lucky us!

If that’s the case everyone should just be entitled to c number of paid holidays that they get to choose at the beginning of each year. There are so many religions that have holidays as important to them s Christmas that aren’t acknowledged by American society. Give everyone the option to take their own holidays, or their birthdays, or the anniversary of the opening of the Wawa at 288 and Broad, etc.

I worked at Peter Changs for 4 years and worked a 12 hour double shift every Christmas. You don't need to lecture me. If you have loved ones to celebrate with, it sucks to be forced or pressured to work on Christmas.

In my case, I had no one to in Richmond to celebrate with and I really didn't to drive hundreds of miles to have an awkward Christmas with my very emotionally distant family. The work was exhausting but by the end of the day we were punch-drunk, drunk-drunk, and had earned a week's pay in a single day.

Also it's depressing to have no one to celebrate with and nowhere to go on Christmas. I'm glad there are some places people can go and be around others instead of having no choice but sitting alone in an empty home.

Oh my gosh! I wasn’t expecting everyone to be so thoughtful and kind! Humanity WTF. I was absolutely fine because I have an upstairs and downstairs heat pump. Only one shit the bed.

It's crazy so far I've only run AC in my apartment at night when i sleep. It stays around 70 normally which is nice. Other than that I run infrared space heater for a few mins. Like night and day difference of my last place that never got warm no matter what I did.