Frustration
I was going to skip posting today, but I guess if I'm gonna post progress, I should post setbacks also.
- I tried making a haybox cooker this weekend out of a sleeping bag and a cooler. The sleeping bag was a recreational 35 degrees and up bag. The cooler was a Coleman plastic chest cooler. I did a container of rice and a container of lentils. After 6 hours, the containers were still a little warm, but the food inside was crunchy.
- I inherited a container garden from the previous home owner. When I moved in, the back patio had been taken over by four thriving zucchini plants. This year the squirrels got the first set and the re-plants are struggling under temps that have already gotten to 100. Plus I am an absolute beginner at gardening.
- I was quite excited about my new-to-me 1995 Toyota corolla that gets 150% of the gas mileage of my current car and then my roommate mentioned that she was very interested in watching me deal with having an older car and especially the car repairs that go along with it and how maybe having an old car will be even more of an incentive to drive less. Then another friend needed a car to borrow and I loaned it to her and she complained about the age and the broken AC.
- we got two comments this weekend about how cool the house is. We're managing to keep it in the 70's by closing the windows and pulling the blinds about 7 am. It does help that our south-facing windows are shaded in the afternoon (one by a virgina creeper, another by a mature cottonwood tree). I'm hoping a couple folks have some new experiences to apply to their own homes.
- And my 1.5 yr old nephew (AJ) was so brilliant about what he needed to keep him cool at the zoo yesterday. I suggested wetting down his hair. About half an hour later when his dad offered him a drink of water (and his hair was dry again), AJ stuck his hand in the bottle and put his wet hand on his head.
5 comments:
We have beautiful maple trees on the west side of the house which helps cool the hot afternoon sun. (We only curse them in the fall when we rake endless amounts of leaves to put into the compost.) Anyway, I use a window box fan to blow cool air from the north (and shaded) side of the house in the evening into the early (5:00 am) morning. This cools the house nicely. Then I promptly close the windows and pull the white shades to reflect the heat of the sun. I must be doing something right. My neighbors keep asking me if I have finally broken down and purchased an air conditioner (heavens no!).
what is a haybox cooker?
OO! forgot forgot forgot!
caspacain. (sp?)
i was told that sprayin a bit o hot stuff (sauce/whatnot) on a plant usually deters squirrels from eating them.
from a girl who's been gardenin more than me, so i beleives her :)
Regarding your older car: repairing an old car is always cheaper than buying a new car. ALWAYS. The new car will need repairs eventually, and then you'll have paid the full price for the car AND the repairs.
Beaters rule.
Of course, motorcycles are even cheaper. I get 40 mpg on my least-efficient bike, and close to 60 on my most efficient bike. If you have no A/C, why not just get rid off the excess steel as well? I ride year round here in Arizona.
That Corolla will last forever,too... I'm driving a 94 with 250,000 miles on it right now! No major repairs, either...just wear items.
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