And so how is Maya handling the extreme temperatures out here? Well, see where she keeps asking us to let her go. I think she spent almost about an hour and a half out there yesterday, in 20 or 30 min increments.
FRIDAY:Low: 11
We're being wimps, but so what! It's COLD out here. Back in NM, it's in the upper 40's right now, and in 50's during the day.
Out here...its going to be down to 11 deg. F. tonight! Let's not forget the air is actually denser at sea level (vs. a mile high), so it feels that tad bit colder still!
We've had to make some adjustments in our lifestyles, our habits, and routines, and we've been taking them as they come. However, I Don't Like The Cold!!! I don't even own a heavy coat anymore, for the past 15 years. In NM, we layered our bodies with clothing, because inevitably it would warm up later in the day and then you'd be too hot. Now I'm going to have to either go buy or make a coat. Been wanting an excuse to make a beautiful coat, anyway. Maybe now's a good time.
And while we're on the subject of cold, this dang house is too cold downstairs, too hot upstairs. This morning it was 64 deg. downstairs, when the temp is set for about 68. Upstairs was 77 deg. We have insulated curtains on almost every window, except the dining room and the kitchen. I think we've isolated the problem to be the whole kitchen. Originally, we thought it was just the kitchen "bay" window (it's a smaller version), but the cold is coming from foot level and all around the sink. I think Dean is right, the pipes and entrance spots must be open and not insulated, as well as behind the stove. It feels cold there also. I don't even know how to go about fixing this problem, but will be learning soon. Once that is done, then hopefully the disparity between the upstairs and downstairs will be lessened. Can't really turn down the heat any more for the downstairs, or the little piggys will be too cold. You'd think that they would cuddle up to each other more to say warm, but nope. The boy, Lucky, takes the soft comfy bed and leaves the girl, Lisa, to sit in a corner or behind "his" bed. Silly Boy!
In addition to insulating the sink and stove areas, I've even toyed with the idea of making custom drapes to hang from the ceiling down to the floor right at the point where the fridge and the cabinets stop and the open space in the kitchen hall starts. This would keep any other cold in, and could also double to keep the heat in there in the summer. They could pull to the side and be tied back when not in use. Hmmm, maybe, just maybe. I even took out the last of our insulated window fabric to see if there was enough to make insulated curtains without having to buy more material. Just need to measure now. All I gotta say is, this is crazy!
And also say that the insulated curtains are "da bomb" and that's no exaggeration. Our gas bills went down substantially the last 2 years in NM when we had these curtains hanging at all our windows and sliding glass doors. They are pricy, but worth the investment. Look up Warm Window Insulated Shades, or see the link referenced in the previous paragraph.
Okay, 'nuff bitchin' about the coldness. The dang cold weather. And the snow that might happen on Mon or Tues, which would be nice for a short visit, but nicer if the cold were to just go away.
People here lied...they said, "oh, it doesn't get too cold here, not really". I don't know what planet of "here" they were talking about! Dang cold.
insert rude R-rated comment here
ReplyDelete