It's COLD inside!

Woke up about 6AM, got up to take my morning constitutional, and noticed it was rather nippy.

Took a look at the thermostat and it read 56°. Thought about it for a moment and went "maybe it's because we crank back to 64 at night and it's just that cold outside." (Furnaces are normally calculated for a 70° rise in this part of the country, or they were 25 years ago when Dad and I installed this furnace, anyway). Hit the button to show what the setting was, and nope, it had already kicked over to the 72° daytime setting.

Shit.

Went back and looked at the furnace. Pilot light was out. Said, "Oh, fuck." Tried to light it, but it wouldn't stay lit.

Got dressed, went to Lowe's at -12° to see if they had a thermocouple (that being the usual place to start with a standing pilot furnace when the pilot won't relight). They had one. (One. Exactly one.) Came back, replaced the thermocouple, prayed a bit and lit the pilot light.

It still wouldn't stay lit. Said, "Fuck."

Called my dad's old supply house. Told them the problem. They said, "no problem, come on down." (I'm not licensed to do HVAC work anymore and haven't actually worked in the business for seven or eight years -- even though I've been in computers for 14 years, I used to help Dad on the weekends till he retired.) Picked up a gas valve, a thermocouple, some pipe dope, and a new pad for our central humidifier for $90.

Came home, pulled the old valve, installed the new one, lit the pilot. THIS TIME IT STAYED LIT.

Damn I'm good. I'll bet I saved at least $300 by not having to call a mechanic. And got it fixed before 9AM to boot.

Sally said this was my dad making sure I still knew my shit. I said he could have picked a warmer day, and what was he pissed about anyway, I lit his damn memorial candle last night.

All's well that ends warm.