I am posting this early today because I have a busy, busy day planned today. To begin with I will go and eat breakfast right after I am done. Then once I am done I will get dressed (perhaps I will get dressed before I eat breakfast, it is a tough decision). Then I will work on a resume so the eastern world can see what a great person I am and immediately hire me and pay me six figures. Of course my job title would be 'Stay At The Ranch Person'. I'd hate to make all those people working in town feel inadequate next to my greatness. That is not a way to make lasting friendship my precious. No it is not. Then sometime later in the day I will feel obligated to take the furry bag of poop with her broccoli-like intellect out for a walk. Then, sigh, double sigh, this evening I have to go to the solar system course. I really, really, really need to start drinking coffee again. I'm astonished I've managed to make it through this far. Although if they gave out rewards for taking material which has the possibility of being interesting, and making it so boring that your class is willing to chew their legs off to get out of there, this guy would be the winner. Sigh, only two more classes to go.
I do have one interesting fact to share with the world though, yesterday when I was wandering around out in the bush with snowshoes strapped onto my feet and fighting through a tangle of underbrush I came to a decision which will be life altering, not only for myself, but for those of my immediate clan. I have decided to win the lottery. Yes you heard it here folks, yours truly will become a multimillionaire soon. Having said that I needed a plan of action, and the way I see it, it is a two step program. 1) Decide which lottery I want to win. 2) Buy a ticket. You will be glad to know that I have already completed the first step. Based on the fact that the very next lottery is up to 50 million dollars I have decided that is the one I will win. So now all I have to do is complete step two and presto, whammo, I'm a winner and Bob's your uncle. Unfortunately there will be a downside for my family, it will be up to them to decide what to do with the money I give them. I have too much to do to try and help anyone with that, I still have to brush my teeth, decide what I want to make for dinner, and pick up doggy doo.
I'm happy to report that we over in this neck of the woods will need no help sorting out what to do with the portion of your winnings you are intent on giving us. So that should be at least a bit of a load off your mind. OK...so the issue with the Solar course is simply being given by the most boring solar course person ever? Not that you don't think the information is useful. I was wondering.
ReplyDeleteWhew, that is a load off. I am very glad to know that you do not need any help in that department.
ReplyDeleteSolar course information is actually pretty good. It has cleared up some points and added some others which we have to ponder upon. Did you know that they are in the midst of coming out with new batteries? Apparently the ones they are making now will last for 30 years, are lighter than the ones we have now, and can take a charge faster. Some company in China will supposedly be selling them once they get the factory up and running. (The are hoping for next year.)
This guy says that he spends fory dollars a year for a circulating fan and goes through 2 cords of wood for his heat, the rest comes from passive solar.
It has been a lot of really good information, but it could have been done in a much more interesting format. The guy is obviously not an instructor, he designs solar houses for a living. Knows his stuff, is a bit of a geek, is all about conservation, supporting local economy, environmental, etc, everything you want in a solar guy. Unfortunately he also kills any enthusiasm you may have for the subject. But I bought the manual which means that everything I've missed I can read up on.
The good news is that we are almost perfectly set up for what we want. Now it is just a matter of deciding what we want to do with what we have. (Oh and $$$$) But from what I can get from his evasive answers about costs, most of these seem to be labour related, if that is the case we should be laughing.
No surprises there. I get the sense that most of the time people investigating alternate heat and power are all enthusiastic about these kinds of projects and then run into the *How much?* question which sends them screaming off into the hills. Or they learn it means a shitload of work and...well...ditto. What with your 'alternate lifestyle' I'm thinking that you'll be well setup for the 'amount of work involved' quotient.
ReplyDeleteAs to the passive solar thing I got the impression you could do *some* retrofitting but realistically to get good PS you should be starting from scratch (yes yes...I know who I'm talking to and if it means ripping the entire Southern exposure out of your house you would very likely just go ahead and do that). I'm keen to see how it goes for you.
I'm pretty confident we're also prepared in what we are going to do with our chunk of the change. It will definitely include getting the hell out of -45 degrees C.
ReplyDeleteMost excellent. So does that mean you are going to go to the Yukon?
ReplyDelete