$187 Heating Bill!

Don't get me wrong - I love my house - but oh the heating bill!

It's been colder than usual the past 2 months and my heating bill is surely reflecting that!

My home is an older home and the windows - I believe - are still the original windows. There is one window in particular upstairs where I can definitely feel a draft when it is cold and windy outside but I have yet to repair that window! The other windows are still working fine and the doors have those thingies on them - meaning a flap-like plastic that goes on the bottom of the door to keep the wind out.

I have already had my home assessed as to how to help save on my heating bill and I did recive a new boiler heating system courtesy of one of those government grants programs. I don't know if I'll get my home re-evaluated again because nothing has really changed as far as any improvements or repairs to the house is concerned.

I have a gas heater and my stove also runs on gas as well. Now when my home was assessed for energy efficiency I remember the man telling me that using the oven uses a lot of gas and to try and use it as less as possible but I just can't see not enjoying the use of my stove from time to time! I mean what's the point in having a stove if you don't use it?

During the summer I can't complain because my heating bill is sometimes less than $20! It's just during the winter months when the heating bill is much higher (much, much higher!)

I am grateful though to even be able to HAVE heat and it's such a nice feeling to be able to come into a warm house after being out in the cold!

I just have to compromise! I work at home so that gives me some "leeway" as far as my income is concerned - meaning that I don't have a fixed salary and I can earn as much as I want (and am able to). I just have to earn more money and budget my heating expenses!

I like coming home to a warm house!

By the way, I'm still working on that fireplace!

I Can Feel The Chilliness Of The Air!

I can't believe that it is getting so much more chillier than what seemed only a few days ago! The first official start of the autumn / fall season is next week but I just wasn't prepared for it to be coming so soon! Time is going by so quickly!

Once I found out that the temperature would drop to the 60's during the night I wondered about my thermostat! If the temperature dropped to the 60's then it would definitely come on and that would mark the first time that the thermostat would be coming on since last spring!

Of course I worry about my heating bill being too high (something I have to work on!) and I didn't want the heat to "kick" on too soon! But then again I don't want to freeze in my own house either!

Keeping in mind past records of my heating bills, the winter months are the most expensive - as my heating bill has been as high as $300! (There was a grant program that I applied for last year and got.) So I just want to delay the heat kicking in for as long as I can!

But this is the perfect time to do some reflecting though because after seeing the devastation that has occurred in Texas over Hurricane Gustav, I realize that I have a lot to be grateful for!

And I VOW to become a Millionaire!

I saw this article online and it reminded me that there is all sorts of helpful information online!

No matter what kind of home or apartment you have, cleaning plays a very big factor!

So if you would like to read an article about the best kinds of shower or bath cleaning products then you should take a good look at the article below!

Best Shower Cleaners - AOL Money & Finance

Blogged with the Flock Browser

I'm In The Market For A New Vacuum Cleaner!

And lo and behold comes an online article about them!

I have had my old Eureka vacuum cleaner for so long - I guess about 20 years - that I guess it is time for a brand new one!

I have been hearing so much about the benefits of having one of those vacuum cleaners where you don't have to change the vacuum cleaner bags - but its something that I have never used before and I'm such a creature of habit!

The article seems very interesting and it includes links to other relevent articles as well:

Searching For A New Vacum

Seeing How The Other Half Lives?

While I absolutely LOVE where I live and wouldn't trade it for a million dollars, I also like to look at the home of the rich and famous. I found a blog that posts picture of luxurious real estate - and they are luxurious-looking!

I always like to see homes like these and I was a frequent watcher of "The Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous".

Like I said before some of these homes are absolutely gorgeous!

Who knows? I may purchase one as my 2nd Home!

Homes Of The Rich

Here Is An Interesting Link.....

Found another one of those interesting articles on the Internet. This one lists 25 things that (in their opinion) will not be here much longer!

25 Things Vanishing From America

I won't give away everything that is on the list but there are a few things that I don't necessarily agree with.

Probably the most important one is that I LOVE my VCR and don't know what they could possibly have to replace it!

Even though there are millions of email being sent every day I still like to believe that there are still people out there that still do handwritten letters. I haven't done them myself in quite awhile but that doesn't mean that I am never going to!

So take a look at the list and let me know your thoughts!

Well It Looks Like I Will Need A New Vacuum Cleaner!

I was going to vacuum one of the bedrooms today and found out that my vacuum cleaner did not want to cooperate!

I have had this vacuum cleaner now for some time - over 20 years I think - so I think that it's time to get a new one!

The problems that I'm having with it is first that I am not getting enough suction! I thought maybe the hose was clogged up and I checked it and it was clear. Second of all the hose that goes into the vaccum is not catching on to the vacuum bag itself. (Actually it took me quite a while to find a store near me that carried the right size vacuum bag that I needed!)

Third (and probably the most important thing of all) is that I broke the catch that secures the hose and bag to the vacuum machine itself!

The brand of the vacuum cleaner is Eureka and it did last a long time and it worked quite well - so I'll probably buy the same brand. However I have done a quick Internet search of vacuum cleaner prices and they sure have gone up since the last time I bought a vacuum cleaner!

So I welcome your comments and suggestions as to the kinds of vacuum cleaners that you have that you are happy with and hopefully your comments will help those who are also in the market for a new vacuum cleaner!

Are You Ready For The Switch To Digital TV?

If you don't know it by now we all have to make the switch to digital tv by February 2009!

That means that if the television set(s) that you have are not digital-tv-ready then you will either have to get a converter for your tv or buy a new tv that is digital ready.

If you already have a satalite dish, a dish network subscription or you have cable then this does not apply to you.

The government is providing coupons for those that want to by a converter box to make their tv's digital-ready. You can request one coupon now, and one later, but no more than two per household. They expire 90 days after they are mailed.

Here is the information that you need to know in order to get your coupon(s) for the tv converter:

Order coupons on line at www.DTV2009.gov

Order by phone at 1-888-DTV-2009

Order by mail at PO Box 2000, Portland, OR 97208

Or order by fax at 1-877-DTV-4ME2

Air Conditioner On!

Today is the first day this year that I have turned on the air conditioner. At 1 o'clock in the afternoon it was already 88 degrees in Philadelphia and the heat index made it feel like 100 degrees! That is HOT!

So as much as I want to be able to conserve energy - my energy bill be damned! I am going to be comfortable!

On the bright side at least this gives me more incentive to earn more money so that I will be able to pay my electric bill!

I do have to thank The Adsense Consultant for helping me with my adsense! The adsense payments won't be issue for at least 2 weeks but at least I know that I will be getting a payment this month!

There Is Definitely A Chill In The Air!

Silly me! I thought that once I opened my windows that the weather would stay warm enough to keep them up. Not so tonight!

I thought it was a little bit chilly but I thought that it was just me! But then I felt the heat coming from the radiators and I knew that it was cold enough in the house for the heating system to kick on!

So I closed the windows and I'm thinking about drinking a nice hot cup of hot chocolate!

Spring is still here with all of its varying temperatures!

I LOVE Windchimes!

I LOVE windchimes! - But not too many of them!

I was reminded of this when I went downstairs to wash the dishes and I could hear my windchimes outside! I used to have two of them but one just fell apart after having it for something like 20 years - LOL. I have it in bits and pieces and I want to put it back together again.

The windchimes that I have currently hanging outside are of little sharks! I got this particular windchime in Atlantic City. (I definitely have to take a picture of them so that I can post it here).

I love the sound of them! And hearing them lets me know if its windy outside.

Daylight Savings Time Has Begun!

Well I hope that you remembered to turn your clocks ahead 1 hour early this morning!

With the recent power outtages that we have been having in my area I have been changing clocks all month!

My cellphone clock took a while to "kick in" with the daylight savings time thing but I'm glad because now I don't have to worry about figuring out how to change the clock on my cellphone!

My computer's clock already "kicked in" with the daylight savings thing so all I really have to worry about are the regular clocks that are ALL around the house! I did notice that I'm going to have to update the thermostat clock - although I'm toying with the idea of leaving it like it is - LOL!

Power Outage!

There was a power outage in my area early this morning.

You think that I would be used to this and not get myself in such a panic when this kind of thing occurs - but I wasn't and I did!

The first thing about this outage was that it occurred so early in the morning and it was a Saturday - meaning weekend - morning at that. I wondered if anyone else in my area was having this problem - but it was so early in the morning that I thought "who would be up at this time of night?".

I went to check my circut breakers (thank GOD I had purchased a flashlight a few weeks ago and the batteries were still good!) and they all looked fine. Then I went into the kitchen to get something to drink and noticed that the light in the refridgerator was working! OK, I thought that THAT was weird but since it was a new refridgerator I thought maybe it was one of those new "fangled" refridgerators that didn't need electricity in order for the light to work. Then I noticed that the clock on the stove was working (it had the wrong time on it but that was because the knob had broken off and I never adjusted it to the right time) and so I thought that that was really weird!

The lamp by the front door wasn't working but the lamp in the livingroom was working? OK more weirdness!

I looked outside to see if one of my neighbors who always has a light on had any lights on and I didn't see any lights on. So I thought well it must be at least happening in my block!

So I called the utility company and their number to report outtages. Imagine my surprise when I was able to talk to a real live person! She asked if I had checked my circuit breakers and I had told her that I did. ("Checked" meaning I looked at them and they seemed alright - BUT I DIDN'T TOUCH THEM!. She then got a technician to call me and he asked about the situation and I told him about the electricity being out. Since it wasn't a life-threatening situation and I told him that, he said that a truck would be dispatched as soon as someone got there. About 2 hours later the truck arrived but then it left! 'OK' I thought, 'it must have to do with just my house if the truck drove away! While I was on the phone with the utility company again I found out that several other people had reported outages in the area - which I was relieved about because it meant that I wasn't the only one! But as I was talking on the phone I looked out the window and noticed the guy looking at my meter. I hung up the phone and went out to talk to him and he said that there was indeed a problem. It was then that I told him that I had partial electricity. He said that there was a problem with the electricity in the area and that some - not all - of the houses in the area were affected.

Of course the problem was fixed (as you can tell by my being able to post this blog entry) a few hours later and all the power is back on!

Before this I had visions of old electricity in my 100 year old plus house and of expensive electricians and expensive electricity repairs!

I was so jumpy after that I took a nap!

Heating Emergency!

Yesterday I noticed that it was a bit cold in the house! Not unusual because the kitchen is always cold (I have to have the whole kitchen insultated). But then I noticed that it was cold throughout the entire house. The upstairs is usually warmer than the downstairs but not yesterday!

It felt like there was a window or door open somewhere (the temps are in the 30's to low 40's range) so I'm checking doors and windows - even the ones in the basement. They were all closed and secure. Okay so the next thing was to check the thermostat - which is set to 69 degrees. The temperature of the house was 65 degrees. So I'm thinking to myself that maybe it just hadn't "kicked" in yet to warm up to 69 degrees. So I go upstairs for the night.

I notice that it is getting colder. The air feels cold and everything - like the furniture is cold to the touch. (Do you know how it feels to have to sit on a cold toilet seat - LOL!) I thought maybe the problem could be with the radiators so I decided to "bleed" one - a lot of air did come out but after that nothing because it remained cold to the touch.

I look at the thermostate (actually its a thermoter-like thing that's shaped like a clock) and it says 60 degrees!

So now I go down into the basement to check the boiler. It looks alright to me. I thought that it could be a simple case of the pilot light being out - but the pilot light wasn't out.

Since by then it was around 9:30 at night I couldn't call the people that installed the boiler (which I was able to get with a grant and didn't have to pay a thing for them to come out and look at it) so I had to wait for the next day. (Note here: I am so grateful that this occured on a weekday instead of the weekend!)

I called the people up and they sent a guy out that looked at it.

Guess what the problem was?

It seemed that the guys that installed the heater put a mismatched connector to one of the lines! The new guy replaced the connecter and now the house is slowly but surely warming up!

Thank Goodness!

The Big Switch To Digital TV!

I have to remind myself about this!

Before it kicks in February 2009 I will want to be ready!

First some background information:

One February 17, 2009, all full-power television stations in the United States will stop broadcasting in analog and switch to 100 percent digital broadcasting.

Of course I hate that we have to switch at all! I like things the way they are however if I want to watch TV then I am going to have to comply!

Now if you have cable tv or satellite tv then the change won't affect you.

If you don't have the above then you are either going to have to get a new tv or you are going to have to get a converter box for your analog tv. The government is offering coupons off the full price of the converters.

Now here is the situation in my own particular case!

My tvs have satellite / Direct TV - so it shouldn't be a problem for me. (Although I have to say that I want the converter boxes as a backup!)

I do have a TV in one room that's not hooked up to Direct TV so that's one discounted coupon that I can use.

I can use the other discounted coupon (every household is allowed 2 coupons) for the very, very old tv that's in the basement. That TV is so old but it still works!

So I hope that your household is ready for the big analog to digital changeover.

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I should also mention that you shouldn't be confused by the terms "high definition" and digital tv. You don't have to have high definition tv but you will have to have a digital tv (or digital converter box) before the digital tv kicks in February of 2009!

On My Wish List - Bose Radio

Odd as it may seem I don't have a stero in the livingroom. There is a big screen tv and beside it a bookcase-like shelf to hold my VCR tapes. I have a small radio plugged into the outlet but I would like to have something more permanent and I was thinking about getting a Bose radio.

They do seem kind of pricey but I still think that I want one. I have been watching them on QVC and the sound that they emit is supposed to be very good!

However other than the picture that you see above I would perfer mine in black because that goes more with the color of the livingroom.

If you have a Bose radio I would love to hear your comments about them and whether or not you are happy with your Bose radio.

Dish TV

I love being able to have Dish TV! It is an added expense and another bill to pay but I love it! Because I don't keep "normal" hours I don't have normal TV watching hours - plus I tape a lot of things and watch them at a later date.

One of my neighbors has both satellite TV and regular cable TV - wow! I aspire to that one myself!

Having all those channels has really spoiled me to the point that I just can't see myself not having it!

There is a big battle going on between cable and Dish TV - they both want your business and they don't mind saying bad things about each other. I even had one guy from my local cable company knock on my door and talking to me about getting cable again. It seems the company wants people to subscrible so badly that they are sending their people door to door!

I also know that a lot of people can't afford to have it and I am so grateful that I do have it. Mind you there are still some things that I watch on my local TV channels but its nice having the choice of what I want to view!

So Dish TV goes on my list of expenses that I want to enjoy!

It's Cold!

Not only is it cold outside its cold INSIDE!

That's because the house that I live in is about 100 years old and it still has its original windows! So when its windy the house definetly FEELS it!

One of the problems lies with the window in one of the upstairs room - actually its the room where my computer is. It seems that the outer window has slipped some and while I can pull it back up it will slip down again! Another contributing factor is that there is a crack in the window. "Handyman" person that I am not I admit to you that I have duct tape on that crack!

Now I have been told that replacing the window pane is an easy enough job but since I have no experience with doing it before I'm going to have to find out how to replace the window pane!

All the windows need to be worked on but I like the thought that the windows are still the original ones and I'm going to have to figure out how to get them repaired but that they remain the original windows. However I do know that if they are beyond window repair I can always have the new windows look like the original windows.

I bet you a contractor would love to get at doing this work!