Thursday, November 04, 2010

Season Of Discontent

The Election Results are sifting through the "people".   The weather is changing.  Cold. Wet. Rain. Dark. Never a good combination when you have heavy thoughts on your mind. I turned on the furnace, had a hot shower and made some red raspberry sugar free jello.  Trying to stay away from the remaining Tootsie Rolls.

Today I foiled large floor sized house plants, unpacked two or three pallets of merchandise in the warehouse, broke down boxes, decorated Winter Boxes, had a loader boy set up tables for the classes on Saturday, stood behind the cash registers and answered the phones. I am a "multi-tasker" now.  I was promoted, without my knowledge, from my limited role (the past 2.5 years) of greenhouse/ perennials only.  The fact that I was asked to work in the "Christmas Room" decorating the Winter Boxes was super exciting.  And in daylight.  Winter Boxes are window box containers (green plastic) filled with top soil, then filled with evergreens (balsam, pine) wired pinecones, sweet spire painted white and winterberry branches which are placed on graves here in New England and sometimes used in window boxes on the house.  They get wet and freeze solid and last quite a long time.

Tomorrow is the Go Green Expo  at a local high school and I have a new company shirt (too small) to wear when I stand in the booth and represent the company from 1 to 3.  I am supposed to be very excited about doing this.  I was more excited about the chance to collect free samples from other booths: such as Gelato.  But the Gelato people are not coming this year.  I am also concerned about my lunch as I normally eat lunch around 1:30 or 2.  Can you measure my enthusiasm by my concerns?  We will be serving snack cups of deep fried, heavily salted, peanuts at our booth.  Gives "go green" new meaning, huh?

G just arrived home and was very pleased to find the furnace running.  I may decide that the winter of 2010/11 will be a winter when I increase our usual thermostat setting from 60 degrees all the time to ?? degrees.  G would like 68.  We could celebrate our 64th birthday year with 64 degrees but then G will vote for 65 degrees next winter.  I am pretty tired of being cold all the time, also.  I could ask at work and get an idea of where people are on heating their homes.  Or I could ask you.  What is your furnace set on for the winter?

We have Wreath Making and Kissing Ball Making classes on Saturday.  I usually make a small wreath for the Goddess on the front porch.  I think I should "sparkle" it up this winter.  Glitter and meter balls.

Time to fold laundry and think about dinner.  Take out sounds good.

6 comments:

Paula, the quilter said...

We built our house during the energy crisis in the late 70's. It is passive solar. Because of that, our furnace does not kick in except very first thing in the morning and maybe after several days of no sun. The programmable thermostat is set: 9:00pm-7:30am (sleep) 55 degrees; 7:30am-9:00am (wake) 72 degrees; 9:00am-4:00pm (leave) 72 degrees; 4:00pm-9:00am (return) 72 degrees. Ages of occupants: 59 and 64.

Life Scraps and Patches said...

The programmable thermostat rocks. I set mine for 63 leaving and sleeping and 69 for evenings and a couple of hours in the mornings. 'Course, in 11 more weeks, you'll be home much more often.

Unknown said...

Our programmable thermostat is set for 55 at night. Like a cold bedroom. During the day it is usually set on 65. If we get cold we cover up with quilts. We are both 63. Hubby seems to get colder than I do.

Annie said...

We are retired and home all the time, thermostat set at 55 at night 68 for daytime. I believe in being comfortable, the furnace has been on for the past month and a half most days. I don't understand why you don't keep yourself warm in your home.

Paula, the quilter said...

So most days it is about 76 in my house just by the sunshine and no heat from the furnace. Our monthly utility bill is about $120.00 and the majority of that is electricity. I would love to have a wind turbine in my backyard.

Carolyn aka Silkquilter said...

Hubby is 63 with a lot of military injuries that have resulted in arthritis. Min temp is 70 with DH liking it 72 or above. He just hurts too much with temps in the energy saving range.