Just a thought for saving on electricity through out the year is solar panels. Not just the passive solar panels that heat water, which would still be great in the very least. But the other ones, which I can tell you the names my husband’s the electrician, that actually harness the solar energy for use in your home. Either that or it sends it into the grid and you get electric credit for it. My old chemistry teacher from high school has them all over his roof in OH. He says that some months he even gets a check from the electric company because he puts in more than he uses. How about that. I have some other friends in the Northeast Kingdom, VT who are off the grid completely. I’m pretty sure they have solar panels and have a propane tank for when it’s necessary. They house is completely off the grid!! How would that be, completely self sustaining! That’s my goal!

One of the tricks I learned by accident, being too lazy one evening to bring in the laundry and leaving it on the line overnight, is that the dew dampens the clothes enough that when they re-dry, the weight of the water pulls out most if not all of the wrinkles. I experimented one day when I was laundering some 100% white cotton curtains and hosed them down after I got them on the line. Hot day, dried fast and not any wrinkles that mattered. Using half the recommended amount of fabric softener seems to be sufficient to prevent stiffness in the fabric. For items like those cotton curtains where a little starch helps, liquid starch added to the rinse cycle works great.

I invested the money in power strips/surge protectors and am making a point of cutting off all computer equipment, printers, TVs and other electricals at the power source when not in use. How much of a difference it makes, haven’t calculated it all but it’s worthwhile to me. I actually feel good shutting down the technology and calling it a day instead of feeling tied to it. After working from home which I don’t do anymore, breaking the habit of spending hours of day in this office chair and doing something less sedentary feels great.

As my brother says, the older I get, the more I remind him of Grandma Mary, who had her clothesline and a very simple lifestyle. We had a big discussion at dinner last night about how life is so complicated today and how Granny had the right ideas. She had no telephone, no car, a small one bedroom house, kept possessions to the things she only really, really needed, no stockpiles of stuff, hand-washed much of her laundry, and really didn’t get into commercialism all that much. I’m thinking that is something to emulate. I do draw the line at the washboard and ironing socks, sheets, towels and everything that is capable of being ironed, even if Granny was compulsive about ironing.

I’m also seeing how much happier my mother is now that she downsized her lifestyle. Older people realize their resourses are limited and adapt. I took her out grocery shopping and observed how everything going into her cart was thought out in advance so her money went further and food was not wasted.

Bro paid for dinner by the way. The bro who owns the restaurant sent me home with a huge container of meat scraps which made my four pooches very happy. I also scored several pounds of chicken giblets and necks which I will crockpot to supplement the dog’s food.

I’m also trying to solve the mystery of the high electrical bill at my house. I really envy you that wood stove. Maybe what I save not using that dryer and not spending money on “I wannas” will eventually allow me to buy and install one of my own.

Hopefully spring is around the corner. It’s teasing me today with the warm temps predicted. The washer buzzer just let me know it’s time to wander outside and enjoy the day.

While I’m getting the laundry caught up, I’m taking the meat I got on sale yesterday, filling up the oven and cooking several meals at once. The plan is a pot of baked beans, a slow roasted pork butt with a spice rub, baked potatoes, roasted veggies and on the top shelf, par-baking bacon to portion out for quick breakfast prep later. In the crockpot, ten pounds of chicken leg quarters to make broth and several meals of chicken pot pie. Maximize the energy usage and only one big kitchen clean up.