It's the Squirrels and Raccoons

Who’d even dream winter could be so busy?  This past couple of weeks has been fraught with snags as I’ve tried - simply - maintaining my daily life.

First on that list - my Blog.  I have no idea why - but - the template had two posting sections planted on the layout page of my dashboard.  This was not showing up in coding for any template I attempted to activate.  This second posting area was - literally - embedded into the layout from Blogger’s website page coding - right under the first posting area.

There was absolutely no way to remove it.  And Blogger - nor Google - seem to have any human beings working online.  Makes one wonder if they work - at all.  Should I be surprised?  Right.

Let me tell you - it’s downright - FREEZING here!  As a matter of fact - as I write this posting - my icon sitting down on my taskbar for Weather.com is - orange - with a white 14* smack in the middle of it.

One of the things about log homes - takes a while for temperatures to work their way through the logs from outside to inside.  With conventional dwellings - the inside can warm up when the sun comes out.  With a log home - seems like it always gets colder inside the house after the sun comes up.

Our entire utility bill to pay this month will be $324.00.  Believe it or not - the portion for natural gas was $23.00 - less than the portion for water - which was $24.00.  All the rest of that bill was for - electricity.  But - we’re not supposed to think that TVA is making consumers pay for the Coal Ash Spill caused by their neglect.

Nope.  They want all of us to think squirrels and raccoons are breaking into our houses and partying when we’re gone - or - asleep at night.

I know for a fact - we don’t use that much electricity.  I’m one of those that goes around unplugging appliances when we’re not using them - besides keeping lights turned off when we’re not using those, as well.

We use the EdenPur heater and fireplace for the main part of the house.

We don’t run our central heat.  I’ve been keeping the two bedrooms closed off.  Around 4pm - I open up our bedroom - turn on the space heater in there and set it for 68*.

Neither one of us sleep well - at all - if it’s any warmer in the bedroom.  We keep our bedroom door closed at night - with all four of us tucked into our beds in one room.

Spinner won't sleep in the bedroom.  He doesn’t like it.  He’s happy enough in the living room.  Of course - I’m sure any lone cat would have mixed feelings about sleeping locked up in a room with two dogs.

Normal routine in the morning is to get up - let Carlie outside to take care of her business - and light the fireplace.  By the time Dwayne gets dressed and steps out into the main part of the house - all the chill is gone.

After we got this bill in the mail earlier this week - I tried turning off the EdenPur overnight - while we slept.  That was - not - a good idea.  Normally - it’s about 64* out in the main part of the house when I get up in the mornings.  But this particular morning - it was 52*.  And it took - forever - to warm up in here!

So - we’re not doing that anymore!

And believe it or not - it gets better.

I “ boo-boo’d “ again - last night.  I forgot to open up the bedroom at 4pm.  And that space heater - never caught up.

Dwayne had to get outta bed and go pee before he managed to suffer through getting situated under all the cold covers.  And all I can say about that is - “ Serves him right ! “  He’s the one that has balked at my every mention about putting our electric mattress pad on the bed for this winter.

It was cold for me last night - as well.  But - I’m here at the house all day long today.  And - he’s at work.

And that scrawny booger will be squealing - “ Oooooooooh! “ when he crawls into bed tonight.

It’s gonna be - toasty!

Oh, look!  It just jumped up to - 19* !

Baby - it’s getting’ warm!!