Flames

 As the temperatures drop in the late fall, Mainers play a game of one-upsmanship called "We haven't turned our furnace on yet."

 It's played by ... not turning on your furnace even though the nights are dropping below freezing. You can't get through October without a woodstove, though, or you risk bursting a pipe. The fire keeps the house just warm enough, but you don't have to burn all that expensive heating oil. The bedrooms are icy, so you wear a hat and fleece socks to bed, but the living room is toasty warm.

The winner saves money and gets bragging rights. We've never made it through to Thanksgiving, but it's so warm this year maybe we'll set a personal record!

November 5

Temperatures dropped abruptly with a big storm on the way. Game over, furnace on.