Playing Catch Up, Craving Heat and Other Musings
Do you know what the difference is between a 1 1/4" Matco-Norca Radiator Angle Valve and a 1 1/2" Matco-Norca Radiator Angle Valve?
A half inch, you say? Well, yes, but that isn't all...
The difference is also $32.00 USD. One is $20 and one is $52. Guess which one I needed?
The benefits of living with a 1914 steam heat radiator.
Which means to say that we finally have heat. Now that I have replaced a radiator valve with help from the friendly folks at Clark and Devon hardware. Which is the greatest hardware store in Chicago and probably the world.
The saga of how we got heat will be relayed later, along with the saga of the bird in the basement and the other stories of HouseinProgress.
Later, because I have been feeling the change in the weather as a dampening of my mood. A sag. A limpness. This also could be due to acute sleep deprivation as the baby WAS sleeping through the night for a couple of weeks and now, is not again. It isn't unusual for me to get up 3-4 times a night. Which was draggy but doable for Months One through Three, and is now terribly old during Month Nine.
However, I can't blame my lack of motivation to write on the baby. It isn't writer's block, I have a whole list of things that I want to record for posterity and the relatives. I just can't seem to bring myself to do it yet.
Previously, when I have felt my emotions drift towards the depression that sometimes sneaks up on me, I would focus on organizing my closets or office. Something external that made me feel in control of those internal forces which would not be tamed. Those internal forces that would break like a syrupy wave over the top of my mood and smother it. Not in a good way, like smothering yummy pancakes. More like an oozy entrapment, very Blob-like. These days, I am obessively tagging blog entries at houseblogs, since my house is quite impervious to being organized at the moment. It has been giving me a lift to read the tags that are already attached to some entries. Like:
And clicking the humor tag always gives me something to temporarily lift the fog.
But where was I going with this entry? I have no idea. And that is how my days have been unfolding. With my memory wandering off without me, leaving me flaiing in the most mundane of conversations. So, with no graceful way to close this entry, I will simply tag it as "sloth, confused, dazed, what?"
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Comments
May I add a few words, as a mother whose job (stay-at-home)phased out too soon, when those sweet little children GREW UP!
Try to take those frustrating moments (waking up in middle of night, for example) and turn them into JOY. Sound crazy? maybe. But honestly, those days go by so fast. Cherish every moment.
Posted by: Barbara | October 30, 2006 10:46 PM
mommyhood can sometimes feel like you're being stripped of your ability to function as an adult, can't it? try eating some brain food(a little good fat can actually help, so can extra servings of fresh fruit, whole grains). and ask your friends if they've read any good new books lately, something that will really hold your attention. this helps keep your thoughts from stagnating and your vocabulary from bogging down with "baby talk". don't worry, before you know it you'll make the transition from babydom to toddlerhood, which has its own set of tribulations. as a mother of two i can tell you there is nothing like having your 16-month old flush a bar of soap down grandma's toilet, clog it, flood the bathroom, drip into the kitchen/family room, and mandate the installation of a brand new toilet and phone. and he'd only been in their house three days!(in our defense we did buy the new phone).
Posted by: sarah | October 31, 2006 8:42 AM
What is she waking up for.. A bottle, some reassurance, to play? What do you do when she wakes up...
If she is waking up for a bottle. My friend finally gave in and started leaving a bottle of very watered down juice or just plain water in the bed and the baby just would find it and go back to bed... I know this is controversial but maybe when she wakes up just give her water... she might just be waking up for food.. Hey I am up why dont I grab a snack....MOM!!!
Posted by: Saple | October 31, 2006 10:29 AM
Boy can I relate. I wouldn't mind getting up 3-4 times if I could still have energy and think straight! Maybe she'll start sleeping through the night again....tonight! I'll send the sleep fairies over there and then you can send them to our house. Hang in there!
Posted by: Trissa | October 31, 2006 9:38 PM
I can sympathize on the baby front. Our daughter (2 1/2) has been sleeping through the night really well since we booted her from our bed about a year and a half ago, but this week the floor in her room is being redone, so her bed is in our room. Which means that at about 3:50 she climbs into our bed, and I don't sleep again.
Radiator valve question: We removed the radiator from her room for the floors, and because it was peeling lead paint very badly. Off to the sandblaster. Come to find that the valve leaks, and according to the floor guy, probably has for decades. It was $269 for our heating company to replace the valve. He couldn't get it off without several minutes of the torch and a lot of force, which made me think this is not something we can do, but it sounds like you guys did it yourself. Any tips or advice? We have 12 more radiators, and I am guessing at least a few more have valve leaks...
thanks, Erin
Posted by: Erin | November 1, 2006 9:25 AM
Hey, thanks mommies. She's waking up for a number of reasons---some bad habits which I unknowingly encouraged and now have to break. Some of it due to the fact that it is hard for her to concentrate on nursing during the day when there is so much to see and do. She goes and goes and goes and then tries to cram all of the nursing in at night.
And we have gone back and forth on indulging her in the middle of the night when she wants to nurse due to many situations where we are either in a hotel, or have others in the house, or we are traveling and don't want to disturb others in the middle of the night. It was always quicker and easier to give in than to hold out, let her cry and wake everyone. We're paying for that now.
Plus, I have never been a great sleeper so when I get up to attend to her, it can be awhile before I can get myself back to sleep.
Posted by: jm | November 1, 2006 1:27 PM
My husband and I have two kids; ages 5 and almost 2 and boy do we know about waking up at night, BUT we came across your site because I googled "steam heat help" (we think we could write our own book) and found pictures of YOUR boiler that look EXACTLY like ours. My husband said; "that's our rusty water gauge! The blue/green boiler; that's ours!"
Ours is a nightmare; loses water almost daily, but NO ONE can figure out how or where.
Did tons of valve replacements which helped the radiators, but not the water loss problem.
Any more info on steam heat is always a pleasure at our house.
Haha!!!!
Posted by: Jess | November 3, 2006 11:17 PM
I feel your sleepiness! My babe is 10 months and, just like little Grace, is waaaaayyy too busy during the day to eat much. It is hard on me for sure, but I am very thankful that he will nurse during the night. Then at least I know he is getting the nutrition he needs and he's growing healthy,so I don't have to worry. We never have let him or his brother just cry - we always felt it was more loving to be there with them. So I hope you don't feel like you're the cause of her waking. She just loves you and wants to feel that connection with you all day and all night. She'll grow out of it - and then give you something else to worry about! Good luck!
Posted by: melissa | November 4, 2006 7:17 PM