Mother Nature's Wrath

Dramatic weather is hitting the world all over.  Tornadoes in Kansas and the first Tropical Storm of the season (two weeks early...), wildfire season has hit in Arizona and strong earthquakes in Italy that took out old brick buildings as well as new steel factories.  According to the news, thankfully, only four deaths have been reported in ALL of these... though I'm sure the fatalities will increase in the Earthquake affected area.  Of course, this is giving me pause to be thankful of where I am, and also to gather my supplies for the crazy summer season... 

The snowfall of the 2010-2011 winter was record-breaking and the crazy storm of last Halloween certainly caught us off guard so you would think that I've gotten all my ducks in a row and am ready for the carnage Mother Nature will throw our way, but alas...I'm behind the eight ball.

Though it's summer, I am working on getting a wood-burning fireplace insert and the eco-biobricks (paper & wood pulp smashed into a cylindrical shape) ready for fall and prepping the garden soil for the tomatoes and all.  I hope to expand the canning to strawberry jelly and more pickled veggies... hopefully to even get the pressure cooker going for chili and stews.  We'll see how things go and if I can get the items ready before the power goes out or the tornado touches down or the snow falls...

Winter - where are you?

Well, a dusting on Saturday morning does NOT qualify for a winter. The groundhog forecast six more weeks of winter, however, we hardly have had a winter to begin with. That worries me a tad...will March roar like a lion with three feet of snow... or will we Jack Frost miss us this year only to have his brother Jimmy Heatstroke blanket us this summer with triple digit temps and 90% humidity... we'll have to wait and see.

As for the investment in insulation, I'm not sure if I can actually count this year. I've had the furnace OFF at least twice a week all winter, and thanks to Eric, the fireplace has been roaring all month. We'll have to see how the rest of the winter months go...

Invest in Insulation.

I'm starting the new year with some more home improvements and am quite curious as to the cost analysis. Started this last February but didn't really keep track of it until now...In 2011, we spent $2,722 on 936 gallons of oil heat from Jan-Dec. That's an average of $7.45 per day and 2.56 gallons per day. Given that the price varies as well as the number of people in the house (blended families with 4 pre-teens, hot water is via the furnace, and the laundry never seems to be complete), I'll elect to analyze the data on a per-deim cost analysis. We'll have to report back in one year to see how the investment has affected our investments.
Of course, the insulation was installed in February, so in my opinion, that initial investment paid off.

1. Expanding Insulating Foam in crevices in the TV room. Noticed immediately the draft is gone. However, I have to thank our resident mice for getting me to finally act on this problem...no thanks to our resident cat (who is still vying to get the last of the caged gerbils...but not the free range mice).
COST: $12 for two cans of foam
SAVINGS: tba

2. Insulating Rubber Weatherstripping along the front wood door. I love this door - but it's solid wood and conducts the cold...and it's not square. Shoved lots of insulation into the cracks but never caulked the bottom (where you could see daylight! for 11 years!!! stupid me!). Instant difference - just a few minor cosmetic adjustments, brown paint over the white caulk, additional rubber trim - but the drafty door has been conquered!
COST: $1 tube of caulk and $16.50 for three 17' sections of rubber weatherstripping.
SAVINGS: tba

3. Drafty bathroom window. Bring on the tube of caulk, as well as a pack of shrink-wrap for the window. Fairly easy to install, and I finally got to use my hairdryer...Draft gone... until the bathroom will be gutted this summer and that window and wall are started from scratch!
COST: $1.46 per window (package is $8.79 for 6 windows)
SAVINGS: tba

4. Attic insulation. This was actually completed last February, but could only look into the cost analysis over the course of this winter. Noticeably warmer overnight on the second floor.
COST: $360 (12 rolls R30 at $15 each)
SAVINGS: tba

5. Heating the house with wood from Storm Damage Compliments of Eric, we are taking advantage of Mother Nature's wrath to help heat the house. The wood was free, as we gathered much of it ourselves after the October storm, but splitting and stacking it has been a family affair. It's free wood, free labor, and time well spent with the kiddos contributing to the household. Win-Win-Win!
COST: Free (minor fee for gas for the chainsaw)
SAVINGS: tba


Totals: approximately $400 investment
Time to recoup costs: at $7.45 per day - 54 days.

Based on this analysis, our investment will be recouped by Mid-February. Hopefully Mother Nature and the Financial Gods will be kinder to us as well. Price alone, oil has practically tripled in the last 13 years...

Summer, it was nice knowing you...

Time flies when you're having fun. Summer has come to a close as we hunkered down for Hurricane Irene - fortunately, a bust around here, but other places are seeing swollen rivers and cars bobbing downstream like rubber ducks. Dangerous - and hopefully, people took precautions and aren't being stupid.

The kids are excited that they have an extra day off (call it a snow day for lack of another term) but I'm surprised that the delay isn't posted online on either the school site or the television station. We received a phone call on Saturday from the Superintendent, enough to ease my mind prior to the storm, but I assumed that the television stations didn't post it yet...focusing more on the canceled church services and shelter openings. However, it is now Sunday evening and it still isn't posted. Of course, the kids were expecting to go on Tuesday anyway...so maybe it will show up on the scroll tomorrow.

As for summer, it was a blast - busy, busy, busy. Still have a long list of items that weren't accomplished, but did get through many of the little items on the list. Throwing in the towel on some of the items that I am perfectly capable of, but choosing not to (painting rooms, major cleaning), I think I'll give in to the hiring squad. I can't do it all of course, but would like to have a clean house for more than 10 minutes.

Awaiting the onset of fall weather to make the switch for seasonal clothes. Might be able to get a few more weeks out of the summerish items before packing them up and finding the wool sweaters and snow boots. And then I'll be eagerly anticipating the next real snow day!

Pollen + Car = new paint job

So Mother Nature emptied her dustbuster on the neighborhood and covered everything in a fine layer of yellow pollen. Though I enjoyed the new color of my car, I also totally appreciate the fact that she turned on the water works yesterday to give everything a shower. Unfortunately, that might screw up some outdoor plans for the next few days, but if it keeps the temperature down, lets the new grass grow, and sets the future up for some nice gardens, I'll be OK with that. Now, if I could only get the gutters fixed so they aren't bowing in the middle...

I used to wake up at 4 A.M. and start sneezing, sometimes for five hours. I tried to find out what sort of allergy I had but finally came to the conclusion that it must be an allergy to consciousness. - James Thurber

Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet. - Roger Miller

Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!" - Robin Williams

The best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain. - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful. - e. e. cummings

Constant dripping hollows out a stone.- Lucretius

April showers will help the garden

The nice weather has gotten me out from behind the computer and into the yard. The rototiller has been primed. The garden is prepped and ready to go. Now, if I can only get the grubs to stop eating my grass!

If I have some patience I'll learn about the chemistry behind this stuff. For some reason though, I can't wrap my mind around lime and ph and phosphorus and calcium... Where is my sister and her chemistry degree when I need her?

I'll just grab some worms out of the compost and wait for the ground to warm up. Ought to be an interesting summer!

Water, Water, Everywhere!

Mother Nature is laughing her ass off. I can't believe the amount of snow, water, snow, ice, snow, rain, ugh! I'm so sick of it. I almost am ready to welcome the mosquitoes...but then, with our luck from this bizarre weather forecast, we'll most likely have a drought!

The water table has risen and the sump pump is running, although now at a non-constant rate. The Worcester girls had a good 4 inches in the basement and a lot of crap that had to be hauled out. What a mess! At least now we know where NOT to store items. A very messy lesson learned.

I am looking forward to planning out the garden this spring - that is, if I can ever see the backyard again (it's currently still buried in snow and dog piles). Unfortunately, I forgot to till up the soil before it froze, so it's going to be a mess when the ground finally thaws. I'll have to haul in the compost.

As for the winter blahs - they definitely have hit. Enjoying driving to school in the light (barely) and coming home in the light (barely) rather than the darkness of the deep winter. Days are getting longer and the school year is on the downhill slide (although the kids have been sliding downhill since Christmas...)

Winter Wonderland

Well, as Mother Nature decides to grace us with her coating of ice, my back is deciding that it doesn't like her as much. It's invigorating working out in the cold though...who needs a gym to get a workout! However, I'm noticing that the snowblower handles are a bit too low for me and when I run out of gas and have to push the monster back into the driveway I feel extremely OLD!

I'm looking forward to sledding and snowshoeing again...unfortunately, finances aren't going to allow for skiing this year. My eyes are open for a good deal on skis though. The boys are becoming more adventurous in the weather, but, like me, also enjoy hibernating in the cold months. The TV does need to be shut off on a regular basis or they will be sucked into that catatonic state.

I also have to get going on my vacation plans for next month...can't wait to go south and visit with my sisters. We'll see what chaos ensues.