Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Report: No Heat Challenge

Well, I did it ... sort of. Instead of doing the NO heat challenge, I opted for the LOW heat challenge instead. I would turn up the temperature in the early morning and right when I got home from work (just to take the edge off). Other than that, the heat stayed down, and never got above 58 degrees (which is still pretty low).

So how did I do it? How did I live in a refrigerator? How did I feel comfortable in a chilly apartment? How did I "live large" with low heat? A typical day went like this --
  • Wake up warm in my bed which was made up with a down comforter and two hot water bottles. (I was always impressed by how cold my nose was.)
  • Take a HOT shower.
  • Dress warmly and usually in layers -- long sleeve shirt, vest and scarf.
  • Turn up the heat two degrees.
  • Eat breakfast in front of the heating vent. (The heating vent is the closest thing I have to a crackling fire.)
  • Turn down the heat.
  • Leave for work.
  • Enjoy all the heated places I go to during the day.
  • Come home from work.
  • Turn up the heat two degrees.
  • Put on a sweater and a pair of fuzzy socks
  • Eat a hot dinner -- no salad.
  • Have a cup of warm herb tea.
  • Turn down the heat.
  • Put a blanket over my lap while I watch TV.
  • Boil the water for the hot water bottles and put them in the bed to warm up the sheets.
  • Put on my long-johns.
  • Read a book in bed.
  • Go to sleep.
So that's pretty much it, and it went so well the first week that I kept it up for the whole month of February. What do you think? Did I pass or fail?

2 comments:

Janet said...

Pass! Something we do when we're trying not to officially turn on the heat for the winter is plan dinners that involve using the oven - casseroles, cornbread, etc so I feel like I'm getting something out of the heat besides a warm nose and feet.

audrey said...

Well done! You definitely pass. You are a stronger woman than I.

I hope all is well. I love getting these fun glimpses of what's going on in your life.