photo by Ted LukacWith talk of the heating bills going up by fifty percent, and the electric bills following suit, Ted and I have turned into conservation fiends. We've been checking the pipes in the basement to see where we can insulate further, and have plans to close off unused rooms. We've also vowed not to turn on the heat before every pumpkin is smashed on the street, and the last of the Halloween candy polished off.
But with six days to go, temperatures dropping, and our bloodless Jack Russell trembling on my lap, I'm wondering if we'll make it.
Meanwhile, our daughter Nellie, waged her own sixties style protest on Saturday morning over breakfast, complete with inflammatory placard. (But before Child Protective Services pays us a visit, let me make one thing clear: It wasn't 14 degrees. Honest, it wasn't.)
15 comments:
Nov 1st!!You two really are cheap Yankees. I thought I was bad with my Oct. 1 rule. My post is weather ruled too.
I hear you!
After all those blackouts here in Northern California some year ago, we installed solar panels and generate our own electricity now, giving back quite a bit of power to the electric company during the summer.
But, we use gas for heat (and it does get cold here too sometimes), and I expect to be wearing more sweaters in the house myself this winter....
Maria: Solar panels! We have been talking about them a lot lately. Definitely need to learn more. The time for alternative energy is clearly here.
Geez, that's so teen: to complain about your parents with the expectation that one of them will be kind enough to blog your complaint! (Actually, it puts me in mind of those conservatives who rail against the very media that devotes so much endless, appreciative attention to their railings. But I'm sure your daughter is a Very Nice Person and does not deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as those troglodytes.)
Wonderful. Here in London we are told we are in for a heatwave to the end of Oct. Have only turned the heating on once since Marchish. Of course we are also having warnings about an extremely cold winter period, which if two years ago was the standard to go by that means the that on one - three days between now and the end of February the temp will drop below freezing and we will get in 24 hours as much snow as we've had in the last ten years and the whole country will grind to a halt. We just don't know which 1-3 days. Let's hope my cynicisim doesn't leave me unprepared and we get three months of snow. Which I would thoroughly enjoy as long as I'm prepared.
But is it a damp cold? ;-)
Folks say around here - "At least it's a dry cold/heat!" As if that makes a difference? Actually, experience tells me it does.
Your daughter, like mine, has the "poor me" look quite down.
LOL, that's hilarious. What a great daughter you have. Must be real proud.
I couldn't stop laughing.
I've turned the heat on beginning of October already.
lol, nellie is so cute! :)
am off to read all the other posts of yours which i have missd, i hate missing your posts
That's a very cute protesting daughter. I applaud her efforts, but I agree with your no heat policy. I know it's hard to pile on the sweaters and wool socks, but it's a smart way to learn how to keep warm.
I would love to have solar panels. It would be so great to generate our own heat using the sun.
Dave: you're so right. The kid asserts "my parents are cheap. And the parent thinks, "Isn't that adorable; let me put it on my blog." Yes, there is something very wrong here.
ainelivia: London sounds much more appealing this winter--and it doesn't sound as if you've got any increases in energy costs. Any spare rooms to rent for a large but fairly well behaved family? (Did I mention the two cats and two dogs?)
moose: Ah yes, mastering the "poor me" look is an essential of adolescence. Only to be used on parents of course.
And to Melly, Gulnaz, and R.D.: Thank you for the compliments on our lovely daughter. She is indeed a source of great joy.
Look I hate the cold as much as anyone but I think it's good to try and conserve power. So tho I'm sympathetic to her cause, I do feel she could pop on some gloves. And also, noticed that tho she wears a scarf, you can see a bit of her chest. That's gotta be letting in the cold. Layer up girly!
(well that's what my grandmother used to say)
Not sure about the doggy though...
Had the same Nov. 1 rule at home as well. But with three out of four family members sick we turned on the heat five days early.
Hallo patry, over here we have a small three-bed semi, room sizes in the uk are not generous, but maybe that is the idea, the greater the density of human heat the less energy we need to use. Pets welcome! We have one of our own small cat with ferocious temper unfortunately.
A small quilt for the poor little Jack Russell?
My word verification is Gezql. Sounds kind of South American.
I'm loving the international interpretation of things.
Ova says "layer up."
Max is more sympathetic. Aren't you in Asheville, which sounds like it would be quite warm to me--though that might betray my geographical ignorance!
ainelivia: those cozy London rooms sound divine, and yes, my Jack Russell, who is taking refuge under the down blanket right now would love it.
But Zurich is clearly the place to be, Finn. Naked and taking dictation from the muse.
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