My Coldest Night Ever Part II by Doug Fincher

September 5, 2017 - I received a response from Editor JJ to my last week's article (My Coldest Night-Ever). She wrote about her coldest night as follows:

"I enjoyed reading your article. It reminded me of my coldest night - ever and made me think of my dad who passed away in 2008."

"J. J.'s Coldest Night--Ever"

In 2006 my brand new single-wide home was delivered in February. My two young daughters really wanted to spend our first night in it - they couldn't wait! It had electric hooked up but no water which was good because it froze that night. There was no skirting and the chilling wind blew hard under the house making the floor freezing cold.

We slept all three of us on an air mattress which during the night I realized had a leak. I was in the middle and as the air went out of the bed, my daughters on each side became more and more on top of me instead of beside me. The air in the mattress was as chilling as the air outside! My back was frozen and I couldn't move because my kids were on top of me but at least where they were was warmer. That was the longest I think I have ever laid in a bed just praying for the night to end.

The next morning, the kids and I went to my parent's house which was 400 yards away and defrosted. The kids reported it was great because they had me under them to keep them warm. I told about being half frozen to the point of pain... At which point my dad asked why didn't I turn the heat on! I informed him the unit outside had not been hooked up yet and he proceeded to laugh and tell me the outside unit was the A/C unit and had nothing to do with the heat.

The inside unit was the heat and was very much operational.... if I had just turned it on!