Tales of Home [8]

I don't know why it flipped over ? Anyhoo, These lovely little violets are growing on top of a wall & are blooming already !! What the heck is going on ? its too early.

{{They will be in for a shock if there is a cold snap! }}}

Lots of snow here.... dogs got their first taste of it today. What fun.

Awh, puppy ! how are they getting along ?

-13 F tonight. Winter is fun!

Weather here in northeast Maryland went from below freezing the past two days to 65 F (18 C) today.

Well, you know....these things called fronts. Don't happen in the Tropics so much.

Hey guys, just checking in from my tropical island vacation!

{{{           }}}

{{Right whats the address?   Cause I cant stuff any more banquet food down Figgs well, her hole just aint big enough    and she is bound to notice sooner or later her water tastes of cake and brazed oxen!   So either get back here and take on your sacred Mayoral duty of presiding over banquets or I'm going to have this stuff piped directly onto your island!   I'll even make you feel at home- I'll gladly build a big wall round the McBanks smial }}}

{{Scotland right now- covered in ice! }}}

bye bye FM...

whats FM?

The latest storm front took down 8 of the power poles of the main electric transmission lines to our part of the coast yesterday afternoon, leaving us (and the three nearest communities) in the dark.

Fortunately we've got a good pile of dry firewood, and a friendly hard-hardworking fire demon in our wood stove so all is good!

fire demon makes electricity for your palantir?

I feel sorry for those poor buggers near Aquila, two metres of snow, unpassable roads and earthquakes, all at once, it must be a nightmare.

halfwise wrote:fire demon makes electricity for your palantir?

{{A solar panel on the south side of the roof feeds 4 golfcart batteries in the utility room, which in turn power a DC->AC inverter with power cords leading to each room of the house, providing basic lights and electronics as long as you keep a careful eye on the battery voltage (in this weather and sun angle I'm currently only charging at 0.4A.... ) Underground phone lines provide server access. Pretty comfortable really. This ain't my first rodeo! }}

Except for reading light and internet, fire can cover pretty much all your power needs. It's comforting to have that age-old standby.

I spent a couple years reading by kerosene lamp and candle; I can't recommend it.

Power is back! Those linemen are heroic!

Still love my fire though. Electricity, however convenient, has no soul like a fire does.

Just signed the contract on the purchase of my first appartment, and thereby a life in debt! So I did the only right thing I could think of - bought myself a big phat English breakfast and a pint. Grown-up points +10 (minus some for the beer). There goes all my savings

{{{Well done Ringo- you are starting to build up many of the things necessary in life to develop a true, deep crabbit understanding of the world! }}}}

Bought rather than rent! That's a huge step, and one that I've never taken. I hope it's everything you wish for!

halfwise wrote:Bought rather than rent!  That's a huge step, and one that I've never taken.  I hope it's everything you wish for!

I believe Norway is nearly unique that way - most of us buy instead of rent, or at least we aim to. It's gotten pretty tough for "first-time buyers" over the last years to buy anything without wealthy parents, so I'm more happy with the fact that I've made it by myself than with the appartment itself (which is looking very nice, by all means - though it won't be done until next year ). But yes, it is a huge step. Almost frightening