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| Blue Skies and White Clouds |
On Tuesday, we had a daytime high temperature of 100F, in the afternoon. I think that was another record high for this date.
I received my natural gas bill ($35.29); my baseline for the billing period is 13 therms at a rate of $0.84 per therm and I had gone over that baseline by 1 additional therm and used 14 therms during the billing period! That additional therm was billed at $1.24. In addition to these basic charges, there are other charges in the bill - a customer charge, a gas transportation charge and a gas commodity charge, both based on the amount of therms of gas used, and taxes and fees added on, too. Plus, there was an insert in the bill about a proposed rate increase!
Earlier in the month, the gas company had sent me an email notification, that I had used 8% more energy than "energy efficient" homes, with a bar graph showing "energy efficient" homes using 12 therms and stating I had used 13 therms. Apparently I used one additional therm between then and the billing date! Must have been the fact that I used the oven to bake that cake! My stove/oven, heater, clothes dryer, and water heater are all natural gas appliances. I haven't used my heater yet (although I do have the pilot light lit) and I haven't used the clothes dryer; I haven't used that much hot water (at least, I don't think I have) and I haven't used my oven that much, either, but, I guess I cook too much?
In the winter months, when I have the heater on, my gas bill goes sky high and the gas company emails me that I use way more than average. They do say that they are doing this to make one more aware of gas use and help with conservation and in no way is it a judgement based on use, which is good to know! LOL.
I did a load of laundry in the morning and hung everything up inside the house to dry. Then, I brought the empty trash cans in, took the kitchen compost to the pile in the garden, did the dishes, cleaned the kitchen sink, cleaned the litter box, perused the grocery ads, chatted with friend R, checked with cousin P's daughter to ask if they are in the path of Hurricane Ian (she said they are expecting some rain and maybe being without power), and replied to blog comments. Thank you, everyone for your very kind comments about the front garden.
Neighbor S called me in the morning and offered me some pizza! The funny thing is, I had dreamt of pizza in the night! She gave me two types of pizza and I had a slice of each with the salad I had planned to have for my brunch, today! Dinner was another slice of pizza and a piece of mango, followed by some cake and ice cream!
Today, I am grateful for:
- S treating me to pizza
- Working appliances
- Being able to hang laundry to dry inside the house (my daughter, for example, isn't allowed to hang any laundry to dry inside her apartment, according to her lease, due to concerns about mold, since it is so humid up there)
- video chatting with daughter
- Warm, relaxed days
Today's joyful activity included feasting on pizza, cake, and ice cream! LOL!
Plans for Wednesday include tending to the garden with M, doing some tidying up in the family room, and sewing.
How was your Tuesday? What are your plans for Wednesday?
That temperature is insane!!! It sounds hard that the gas goes up so much. It must be a challenge.
ReplyDeleteIt's a little warm for the end of September, but, not unusual. I am fine with it. But, the same genes that enable me enjoy the high summer temperatures make it impossible for me to stand the cooler winter temperatures! My gas bill will quadruple and quadruple, yet again, around January and February! What I save on air conditioning in the summer is spent on heating in the winter! :D
DeleteIt's supposed to be 77°F here today but feels a lot hotter and may be a little humid. The sky is blue, I'm not complaining!
ReplyDeleteHow funny that you were dreaming about pizza!
Sounds like really nice weather to me, Bushlady! Enjoy it! :)
DeleteYes, in my dream, someone had ordered pizza and was eating a piece and I was wishing I could have some, too! :D
I'm guessing the "average" house has more electric appliances than you do, and that accounts for your higher usage. It sounds like your are pretty conservative to me.
ReplyDeleteThat's what my daughter said, June. In her apartment, everything is electric - stove/oven, dryer, heaters, etc. I don't use a lot of gas during the summer and my summer bills are quite low, actually, compared to my winter gas bills! I am usually freezing in the winter, as you know. :)
DeleteI couldn't be doing with being told I had used a therm too many on my gas bil, one reason I don't have a Smart meter, I only use what I need to use. That's nice of your neighbour to bring you the pizza you had dreamed about :)
ReplyDeleteI did laugh when I saw that 8% more translated to just one therm! :D Statistics! I had a fun statistics professor when I was at the university - if I recall correctly, he was Welsh. My gas consumption goes sky high in the winter when I try to heat the house! I think I might invest in a couple of extra electric space heaters, this year!
DeleteToo hot for me.
ReplyDeleteI'd love a bill that low. I think we use far too much though I'm not sure where. I get those energy efficient things too and I always use more than comparable homes. Sigh.
It's supposed to cool down to the 80s, next week. I'm OK with that, too. :)
DeleteSummer natural gas bills tend to be the lowest because I am not putting on the heater. In the winter, the bills go way up! I didn't realize you used natural gas, too!
Goodness! 100 degrees is so uncomfortable sounding. We had a long, hot summer here in Mississippi, and I’m thankful we are starting to cool down some. Pizza with cake and ice cream sounds wonderful! I know you enjoyed that!
ReplyDeleteIt's a bit hotter than normal, but, it's supposed to cool down a bit, starting next week. I am happiest when it is in the 80s and 90s. Lower than 70F and I am "freezing"! :D
DeleteI did enjoy the pizza, followed by cake and ice cream - a bit too much, perhaps! :D
I frequently dream of pizza :) I hope your friends and family stay safe from the hurricane. Xx
ReplyDeleteI thought I was the only one who dream of pizza! :D Thank you; I checked with Nil, by the way, and she said she was not in the path of the hurricane. I will check with my cousin's daughter, tomorrow.
DeleteDinner of pizza, fruit, cake and ice cream does sound like a dream dinner!
ReplyDeleteIt was an indulgence, that's what it was, but, very good! :D
DeleteI don't know how they work out the 'average house'. I'm always advised that my usage exceeds that of the average house but I'm sure that's not a house where a retired person who is home all day lives!
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoyed your pizza!
I think they look at comparable sized houses in the neighborhood; the bill did say that they realize that the amount of gas usage might be higher due to more people staying at home these days. A bill insert, notifying of a possible rate increase, stated an "average residential" monthly gas usage of 35 therms. Today, I received the weekly "bill tracker" email, saying my bill to date (for 10 days into the billing period) is $10.10 and based on that, they estimate my bill for the month to be just under $30. What they don't say in the email is how many therms I've used. The funny thing is, I don't use the heater or oven during the summer, so this is my lowest usage time. :D
DeleteThe pizza was very, very good!
Considering all of your appliances are gas, I don't think that's a bad bill at all even with it being your low usage period.
ReplyDeleteI get those notices too comparing my electric usage to others in the area. I usually end up as average. Sometime I skirt close to the low bar and sometimes I lean towards the high and even cross over into it (summer a/c!)
:)
100 degrees! I hope as I read on that your temperatures have come down a bit.
The summer months are definitely my low usage period. The amount will double and quadruple as it gets colder! Which is why I am happy for it to be warm well into October and even November!
DeleteI am usually good when it comes to my electricity use - well under the 1,000 kiloWatthours I am allowed at the Tier 1 (lowest) rate, although I got very close to that in January/February of this year when my daughter was working from home and had her space heater on in her room.