Ooopps -- out of Propane

**jlxian** · 05-26-2005, 09:25 AM

I'm the first to get up in the morning and I take my shower and make coffee before I get anyone else up. Sometimes I start breakfast beforehand also. This morning I couldn't get the stove to light. Its been acting sorta weird -- the electronic pilot hasn't wanted to work all the time --- so I tried repeatedly to light it with a match. Nothing. So I figured we were out of propane. Just Great.

I woke up my husband, it was time anyway, and he went out and checked -- sure enough it was out. I'm amazed I got a hot shower since we heat water with propane too.

OF COURSE this is not a really great time for us to have this crisis (crises never happen at a good time do they?) --- we will be away from home all afternoon and tomorrow morning -- so when the driver comes to fill it I hope he comes this morning and takes all the precautions about getting things relit. I'm a chronic worry wart --- and wish I could be there when the driver does fill the tank.

And good grief -- can you imagine what 400 gallons of propane will cost? UGH.

Keeping track of the level in the tank is one of those things that both my husband and I thought the other was doing --- so now just to be safe I'm going to make it my own little personal task. Add it to the list!

I get so tired of being the only one who thinks things like that are important.

**Darlene** · 05-26-2005, 09:55 AM

Aww. Glad there is nothing wrong with your stove but can feel your pain at the upcoming propane bill.
Btw, glad you got a nice hot shower.

**KKCondrey** · 05-26-2005, 10:10 AM

Do you have the option of automatic fill ups. My mom and step dad do this. the company comes every couple of months during late spring to early fall and then every month or so in late fall and winter to make sure they don't won't run out.

I know with ours they showed us the point on it that it should never go below after ours ran out on us (neither of us knew anything about propane) after that I watched it close as I never wanted to run out again....especially at 4 am in the middle of winter.

**jlxian** · 05-31-2005, 02:32 PM

We could probably sign up for the automatic fill ups, but have chosen not to --- I may look into it again. Or I will become the main propane level checker at our house.

I AM going to have to get a new stove after all. Our resident mice (the joys of country living) have ruined the tubing that goes to the burners -- which is why I was having trouble lighting burners before! Its a wonder we didn't blow up. After the delivery driver left, the house filled with the propane smell, so we have unhooked the stove and are now without one. Thank goodness for the microwave, electric skillet and outdoor grill.

We have 2 cats and daring mice, I guess. We can't catch them in traps, don't dare leave out poison, and the cats must not be fast enough.

BTW, it was $1.25 a gallon. I expected a LOT worse!

**forestdale** · 05-31-2005, 02:58 PM

What a pain, Jean! We have a gas stove too, but have two tanks hooked up. When one runs out the other is utilized. Our gas replacement driver only comes on Wednesday.

It often surpises me how similiar we all are, even from this distance. As well as propane gas, I also have mice in the house. We only have them in winter (now) they come in and try to nest. I know they're back for the year when shredded tissues start appearing in the kitchen. DH lures them into the trap with pumpkin seeds. It works every time.

I hope you get your stove fixed up soon and those cats get to work on the mice.

**jlxian** · 05-31-2005, 05:54 PM

Originally posted by forestdale

It often surpises me how similiar we all are, even from this distance. As well as propane gas, I also have mice in the house. We only have them in winter (now) they come in and try to nest. I know they're back for the year when shredded tissues start appearing in the kitchen. DH lures them into the trap with pumpkin seeds. It works every time.

You are so right Rhonda. We are all pretty similar aren't we?!?

I will have to try the pumpkin seed bait. I've read about hot-gluing a chocolate chip to the bait pad of the trap --- and may just have to give it a try too. Our mice are too sophisticated for the peanut butter we've been using, it seems.