Finally, the weather turned cold again. When I took a walk this afternoon, it wasn’t that cold — just below freezing — but the wind was blowing hard enough that I had to lean into it at times. I had to walk hard and fast to get warm. It felt good to take deep breaths of the cold, dry air.

Once the sun went down, the temperature started dropping quickly. I had to make a hospital visit, and on the way there I checked the heat in the church. The furnace was off again. I hit the reset button on the burner, and it roared back to life. I got back from the hospital, had a late dinner, and on a hunch went back up to the church to check the heat again — of course the furnace was off yet again.

So here I sit, waiting for the furnace repairman to show up. He is no happier than I to have to go out on such a cold night; what makes it worse is that he’s been here at least once a week since Christmas. Our architect tells us that the whole heating plant needs to be replaced; so our repairman fixes one thing, and something else breaks.

I’m taking a week of study leave, which begins next week — next week begins in approximately ten minutes. When I’m on study leave, I’m supposed to devote myself to study and continuing education, and I’m not supposed to go to the church at all. But I will still be here past midnight.

I still like cold weather, but I hate deferred maintenance.