I don't want to ever forget how it felt. The dark unfriendly coldness of my house surrounded my shoulders like a heavy mantle pressing down on me. The furnace had stopped working, and could not be repaired for four days, four more days of colder weather.

I went into survival mode immediately, and felt much better. Whoever built this house wisely installed, in addition to the furnace, some electrical baseboard heating in the little room I'd made into an office.

When I moved in, family thought it strange that I insisted that my couch be put in there. But insist I did, explaining that here in Colorado someone I workled with might need a temporary bed in one of our unpredictable snow storms.

By folding quilts and blankets, I made twice as much cover. Bed time almost became a ritual, as I scurried down into it. Using the computer, and many of my books filled the days I had to wait for the furnace to be checked. Except when I needed to hurry in and out of the cold kitchen or the bathroom, I was quite cozy.

Instead of keeping water with ice in it to drink, a habit I got into, I refilled the bottle with very warm water. My diet soon became hot cocoa, sometimes apple cider, and soups and chili. This was no time for eating icecream.

But even in this rearranged environment, some days cabin fever threatened, to the point that I just got up and went away for a while, which is what I'm gonna do today. My shopping list, if I can find them, includes a pair of Long Johns, and some fuzzy socklike things with the non skid bottoms for my feet.

As I waited for the furnace man, it was difficult to not dread how big the bill might be. But I fought off the worrying by making another cup of Cocoa, and curling up under that nice warm cover for what might be the very last time there.

I enjoyed shaking off the chill of going to the kitchen. Leaned back, and then I smiled at what I was thinking. I'm not putting things back like they were. The covers will stay where they are. Who says you have to have an emergency to remember the pleasure of simple things.

I don't know if whoever installed the electrical heating ever considered what he might be paying forward. But if I get the chance to shield some poor soul from a winter storm, I will let them use this great place to be, but only for as long as the storm lasts, then again it will be all mine.