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| Dinner: Rice, Chicken Curry, Cucumber Slices |
It was cloudy, today, but it was dry and, occasionally, the sun shone through the clouds. The daytime high was 56F, which is rather cool for us. I have to admit that I had the heater on all day.
Speaking of the heater, I received my natural gas bill, today: $222.95. I had hoped to keep it to $200, but, the last few days have been cold and I've had the heating on. I am OK with a $223 gas bill during a winter month, though.
It has been a relaxed day, today. I did a load of laundry, did a few (very few) housekeeping tasks, sewed another patch or two on the quilt I'm repairing, chatted with friend R, video chatted with my daughter, and watched several videos.
Today, I am grateful for:
- A dry day
-Working appliances
- Being able to have a relaxed day when I feel like it
- Chatting with friends and video chatting with my daughter
- A warm house
Today's joyful activities have included watching videos online.
Tomorrow is supposed to be a mostly sunny day. I'm looking forward to that! M will be here in the evening to tend to the garden and we might plant the other loquat seedling, then.
How was your Thursday? What are your plans for Friday?
Relaxed days are great, aren't they? I seem to be having a lot of them lately 🙂
ReplyDeleteWe have sunshine today and it feels
very spring like. I feel the urge to get out for a walk so maybe along the canal if the towpath isn't too muddy. xx
I tend to feel a bit guilty that I am not being very productive, but, my daughter tells me that I'm retired and I should enjoy my relaxed days! :D
DeleteI hope you are able to enjoy a nice walk if the path is not too muddy, Eileen. It is sunny here, too, but a bit windy.
Unfortunately just after I typed my comment it started to rain and has rained on and off all day so no walk but extra time for piano 😊 xx
DeleteSorry to hear that the weather changed from sunny to rain and you couldn't go for a walk. But, you took the opportunity to spend more time at the piano, so it turned out well, after all. Maybe you can go for a walk on the next sunny day. :)
DeleteI'm glad you kept the heater on, so you didn't freeze in the house. I hope you are having a warmer sunny day today. We have sun and it was only just below freezing when we woke up. It will probably be quite warm later. DH has some friends lined up for collecting sap and maybe we will even be able to sit outside and drink tea when they have finished.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Bushlady; I have no cold tolerance, whatsoever! It is sunny, today and warmer with a high of 60F. It's 60F inside, too. I don't have the big heater on, but, I put the small electric space heater on for a bit, this morning, while I said my prayers.
DeleteI hope you have a warm day for collecting the sap and have tea outside. :)
If it's cold you need to keep warm and that's my attitude too and hope the bill is reasonable when it arrives. It's good to have a relaxing day if you feel like it, same for me too.
ReplyDeleteYes, Eileen; I've noticed that my mood takes a bit of a downturn if I am all layered up and still feeling cold! I tend to feel a bit guilty about relaxing all day, but, there are some days when I just don't feel up to doing anything much. Yesterday was one such day as I felt a bit queasy when I woke up (a side effect of one of my medications) and my energy levels were low. The weather didn't help, either, I think. :) It's sunny, today, and I hope to have a more productive day. Hope you are feeling well and you're having a good day, today. Give Tilly a hug from me, please. :)
DeleteI hate being cold, so I would sacrifice in another area, so I could keep the heater on. Of course, I get cold much quicker than my husband, so we've compromised on the thermostat setting. I just have a few more layers on than he does.
ReplyDeleteI, too, hate being cold, June. Most days, I dress in fleece leggings and sweatpants or jeans, and three layers on top (usually a combination of long sleeved t-shirt, sweatshirt, and wool sweater) plus a scarf or my knitted neck warmer, wool socks and the fluffy slippers I received as a Christmas gift from neighbor S and family. If I am still cold, then, I'll add a cardigan or a jacket or a poncho and maybe my fingerless mitts. After that, I start to feel sorry for myself and raise the thermostat from 60F to 65F or even to 68F. Once the house reaches 68F I can remove that 4th layer of cardigan or poncho and the mitts. Summer and 90F+ weather can't come soon enough for me! :D
DeleteYou've done a good job lowering your gas usage. It is good that your bill was more inline with what you would normally have in the winter.
ReplyDeleteI am glad to read you are turning on the heat a bit more. Easy for me to say when I don't have to pay the bill but I was happy to read you had your heat on all day :)
I don't mind the cold like you but I don't like the summer heat so I spend more in the hotter months because of the a/c.
The fireplace guy came yesterday to repair the crown to the chimney where it was cracked and water was coming in to the basement.
He wasn't going to come until Monday but called yesterday morning to see if he could come over and get started.
I was so happy because it's supposed to rain today. I hope this repair solves that problem. You never know with water though. It's a tricky thing.
He also did a repair to some flashing that was worn. But I will have to hire a sheet metal guy to replace that flashing at some point.
Thank you, Debra. Yes, I am fine with paying $223 for the gas bill, especially as it has been so cold and wet during this billing period. I'm hoping that April will be warmer (according to the forecast, average highs will be 70F). Ha, by then, I'd be so used to being cold, I'd start complaining that it's too hot when it goes up to 72F! :D
DeleteI'm glad your fireplace guy was able to come yesterday to start the repairs. Hopefully, the repairs will hold and you'll be able to wait until later in the summer to get the metal flashing replaced.
I just scrolled down to see your photos. That is a beautiful garden you have! I am sorry to hear about the incredible high bill for heating, that is quite the predicament. I like it that you mention who you talk to, i actually spend a lot of time on the phone. it is a big part of my life.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jozien. We've had several years of drought and water restrictions so the garden really suffered. But, I'm switching more to succulents and drought tolerant plants, especially in the front garden, and concentrating on growing edible plants in the back garden (can't grow too many of them in the front because passers by tend to help themselves to things, since I don't have a fence around the front garden).
DeleteYou are kind to say you like it that I mention who I talk to. I live a rather solitary life, especially since the pandemic (I am still not socializing much in person). Mentioning who I talk to is a reminder to myself that I do talk to others besides the cat! LOL!
It's good that you've been able to stay warm. Even if you bill was a little higher than you expected, you can afford the extra money. Spring seems to be here, anyway. Today was so sunny and beautiful. I loved drying the clothes outside on the line.
ReplyDeleteYes, staying warm in important for me! Seems like I feel cold much more easily than a lot of others and I don't like being cold! It has been a lovely sunny day, today, although a bit windy. I spent some time out in the garden and picked more lettuce and snow peas! Hope the snow is melting quickly for you, Stephenie. :)
DeleteYour bill may have been slightly higher than you had hoped, but it wouldn't do your health any good for you to be cold. We have enjoyed several days of warmer weather here lately, I just hope it will continue. Xx
ReplyDeleteYes, Jules, you are quite right. Moving forwards, I will just have to accept the fact that heating will cost more and budget accordingly. I'm glad you are having some warmer weather and hope it will continue. :)
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