This year has been a tough one.
To be honest, I’ve had so many ups and downs in 2019 that I can’t wait for it to be over. It hasn’t been the most celebratory calendar year, including the onset of the winter holiday season. Frankly, it’s been quite chaotic and depressing. My family and I didn’t bother making a big deal out of the holiday, so there wasn’t much Christmas spirit to spread around. In fact, when I arrived at my mother’s house, I realized that there were no decorations out whatsoever. We didn’t have a tree, didn’t have any twinkling lights, and didn’t even have stockings hanging on the mantel. Looking around, I definitely didn’t feel like it was Christmas. I decided that we could improve the ambiance inside by adding a little extra heat, via the wood burning fireplace. Normally my mom likes to burn a raging fire on Christmas morning for extra cozy air and a sense of tradition. The only problem was, when I went to start the warm fire, there was no wood to be found. My mom didn’t even consider purchasing fuel for her alternative heating source. I decided I would go out and retrieve some for the sake of the holiday – and so began a long, cold hunt for heating fuel. I drove to every gas station and big box store in town, alternating between hot and cold temperatures with every stop. In the end, I gave up and went back to the house without any wood for the fireplace. At least we had cardboard boxes and old decorations for temporary fuel.
Cooling and heating business