shiver-shiver

    Heard this winter:

coworker:  "My car won't start.  Working from home today."

church friend:  "My car's coolant froze.  The engine overheats, and my heater doesn't work."

same coworker: "My car won't start.  Working from home today."

other church friend (house in bad shape after broken water pipe):  "XX hotel is sketchy with sketchy people.  YY hotel is much nicer.  Thankfully, insurances pays the $2700 / month."

same coworker:  "My car won't start.  Working from home today."

other coworker:  "I rode my bike about 3 blocks from my house before my freehub ratchet wouldn't engage.  Walked back home to get my car."

friend:  "I-57 is a sheet of ice."

Are you interested to know our home energy usage?  Above is our brief report from Ameren (gas plus electricity).  We're using about 40% less energy than the average household in our neighborhood.  The main approaches for the year include the following:

1.  put sleeping bags or blankets along the bottom of all exterior doors.

2.  set thermostat at 64 during day, 61 at night.  Except when friends are over, then 67.  

   Note:  this requires wearing multiple layers.  

   Note 2:  During the day, I'm sitting at an office with thermostat set to 70ish.

   Note 3:  this is just above the temperature at which the family revolts.  

3.  Running ceiling fans.

4.  No plastic over the windows this year.  I was too lazy, and I'm not sure it makes a huge difference.

 As ever, Clara and Janny are the princesses of the house.  Jill took them to see Frozen.  They loved it.  They really enjoyed the big sister/ little sister angle.

We have snow.  It rained on Saturday, then froze, then snowed on Tues.  So there's a layer of ice under the snow.  The driveway is slick.

 My bike keeps chugging along this winter despite the snow, salt, and ice.

Finally, church league basketball is tough.  But I'm pleased to report that we won a game, aided by the other team taking the Lord's name in vain.  The game was tied with 30 seconds left, and we missed a free throw.  After guy on other team grabs the uncontested rebound, guy behind me violates the 3rd commandment (no idea why).  Technical foul!  We make a free throw and get the ball.  We won by 1.  Our record is now 1-3.