*CRINGE!!!*

So, I took today off work to get an command-start put on my car. I know, from a Peak Oil stand-point it doesn't make much sense. From an eco-standpoint it doesn't make much sense. But, in the middle of January, when the temp is -40 deg. and it's 9:20 pm on a Monday night and I'm heading out to my car after a long day at work, the LAST thing I want to be doing is sitting in my freezing car for 15 or so minutes, waiting for the danged thing to warm up enough that I can turn the steering wheel, or move my fingers. I know that the eco-friendly word is that even at 10 degrees (which is COLD to most other places in this country), a car does not need to be warmed up by idling. Here in Alaska, a good mechanic will tell you otherwise. When the temperatures are sitting cold enough to freeze the breath coming out one's mouth, a vehical that's been sitting outside for hours REALLY does actually need to be warmed up a bit before driving. Anyway, this will allow me to push that button at 9 pm and be able to climb into a warmed-up car at 9:20, without having to stop my work for 10 minutes to bundle up, run outside across the parking lot, and start up my car before returning to our closing procedures. (That's assuming I'm not on the desk and completely unable to leave for that 10 minutes.)

Anyway, so my car's in the shop today, which means I had no way to get to work. Tay and I have spent all day on her school work. It's taking considerably longer than it was supposed to, to get her through each subject. *sigh* I don't know how we're going to keep up, except that I've already told her and Scott that we WILL be schooling on Saturday, at least part of the day. Possibly (quite likely) we'll be doing schooling on Sundays as well.

So, we're done now for the day (except her Math test, which Scott needs to administer this evening when we get back from picking my car up), and Tay is enjoying one of her birthday presents.

Yeah, my kiddo turned 11 yesterday. (Sept. 30th, that is.) Mom bought Tay the American Idol game for the Wii. To sum it up...... My child appears to be rather tone-deaf. She can't carry a tune. Maybe it's just the fact that she's not been trained, but...... *cringe* THANK YOU, MOM!!!!! May I wish that you get to listen to other kareoke lovers??? *grin* I will admit that my singing skills are rather lacking, these days. But I've not really got a BAD voice, just one that's currently rather out of practice. Given some training and practice, I've got a passibly good voice. My hubby doesn't sing because he's rather embarassed by his singing. And I'm afraid the kiddo well-resembles him, yet again. *wry smile*

I'm tempted to take the dogs for a walk, just to get out of the house while the howling is going on. I know, that's mean right?!?! But, you would be too if you could just hear this. (Not to mention, I cannot help but make snarky comments at the computer-generated judges with their saccarine comments over the poor singing. Please, even the origional AI is more realistic than this game.) Ah well.... Mom, she IS enjoying the game, even if I'm not. Though she's also gotten me to sing on it a couple of times. (Which, I have YET to play Guitar Hero, even though we've had that since February.)

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So, did I mention that it snowed this past weekend??? Saturday night, it was coming down in short, thick bursts. Woke up Sunday morning to a dusting of the stuff on the deck and ground around the house. But, as soon as the sun rose, the snow melted off.

Well, yesterday afternoon it started snowing again. Thick, heavy, constant. This afternoon, most of it is still on the ground. This may be "it". And yes, once again I was accurate in that I predicted snow prior to Tay's birthday. Most years, lately, it's happened only JUST before her birthday, by a day. This year, it happened 3 days before her birthday, with a "sticking" snow ON her birthday.

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Also, not only did we get command start put on my car, but we also bought me a new oven, and a new clothes washer. The oven was knowingly needed. The washer was an unexpected buy, as my "old" washer crapped out on us. It was leaking from the turn-stile thingy in the middle. Scott called the only washer & drier repair co. in town, and after they asked what make it was, they suggested it'd be cheaper in the long run if we just bought a new one. *sigh* So much for not creating more waste. Anyway.... we did NOT get a super-efficient front-loader. We couldn't afford it while we also needed (and yes, DID need!) a new oven. The old oven and stove no longer heat properly. It's terribly un-even in the cooking, takes 10 minutes just to boil a small pot of water on the stove. Most everything I bake in the oven comes out either undercooked at the time and temperature recommended in the recipe, or nearly burnt. Yeah, it was time. Anyway, that's on order because they were out of the model that Scott wanted for me. (It's got a timer on it so I can set something in the oven, turn on the timer, and at the given time it will turn on and start cooking whatever it is inside. This way I can set a casserole or such to bake knowing that it'll be done at a REASONABLE time for us for dinner. Instead of getting home and STILL needing to put a casserole in the oven that takes an hour to cook.)

Anyway.... That fuel/energy allowance that Sarah Palin gifted us all with has actually been put to good use, in our family. We ALSO got our fuel tank filled (500 gal) for about $1650; got new canvas sheds for the cars (these are supposed to be sturdier and less likely to blow away than the sheds we "inherited" from Al last year); spent over $500 on Tay for hockey gear and some new shoes & clothes and such; and got her an Ipod for her birthday. (Mom, that money you sent, and the $25 that Dad sent, combined with a bit extra from us to buy an "I-home" for Tay to replace her old ScoobyDoo alarm clock and allow her to use her Ipod as her sterio now as well.)

Ok. I better finish this up. Scott should be here any minute to pick me up to head BACK to town to get my car from the shop.

Have a Blessed Day!