Cup O’ Joe: Don’t touch that dial

“Don’t touch that dial.”
It’s a term that was made popular in the 1950s and ‘60s when television programs used that catch phrase to keep people from turning the dial on their sets to change channels during commercials. It’s also a phrase that seems to follow me as I grow older.
    Growing up, we had a remote control for our television set that turned the dial on our set from the comfort of the couch. It was a great little device that my brother and I routinely abused, as the novelty of clicking channels (all 13 of them back in the day), never seemed to get old.
Well, at least not until we broke the remote, causing our father to hide it once it was repaired, thus putting an end to our shenanigans.
While the term “Don’t touch that dial” no longer applies to televisions, except for the ancient 9-inch monitor found in my basement that I use to play my old Atari game system on from time to time, it is a phrase that has taken on a new meaning in many households.
My wife is fond of using this phrase whenever I go near the thermostat in our home to turn up the heat. We finally broke down and turned on the furnace this past weekend as temperatures outside dipped below freezing for the first time this season.
I had hoped to hold off starting the furnace until the first of November, especially after paying more than $500 to fill the oil tank last week. But when the thermostat in the home read 56 degrees Friday evening, and 26 outside, I knew the time had come to crank up the heat. Small portable heaters will only do so much to heat a room after all.
If current weather patterns are any indication, a long, cold winter seems to be in store. And with oil prices $1 more per gallon than they were two years ago, staying warm this season may prove exceedingly challenging for many families.
I suppose one solution would be to simply spend less time at home. More frequent trips to the library could be a good way to spend time out of the house. Of course, one could always join the constant stream of people who seem to roam the aisles of Walmart or the local grocery stores. I wonder how many folks are actually shopping for something or is it just an excuse to get out of their homes/apartments?
Maybe people will spend more time at their place of work this winter? I can see it now, “Hey kids, let’s go spend time at daddy’s office! It will be fun!” Yeah, probably not.
My Jeep has an awesome heater in it. Maybe road trips will become a regular part of our weekend activities? Of course, the price of gas isn’t much better, so that’s probably not a good solution either.
What are some of the creative ways you plan to keep warm this winter?
Joseph Cyr is a staff writer for the Houlton Pioneer Times. He can be reached at pioneertimes@nepublish.com or 532-2281.