Showing posts with label solar energy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label solar energy. Show all posts

Friday, September 12, 2008

Hurricane Ike

My youngest sister lives in Seabrook Texas, just south of Houston. They evacuated yesterday and went northwest. I am so thankful as their home is probably flooded by now. I cannot believe the people who are so stubborn about going to safety. My mom and I have been watching the Houston local news all day and it is incredible how high the water got without it even raining. I will be praying for all the people who wouldn't or couldn't get out.

My DH has spent the whole afternoon and evening on the roof of our house, installing his solar panel. He is so excited about finally getting this project finished. If it goes as planned our kitchen and livingroom will be warmer this winter.

DD will be here tomorrow with her two little ones. I love it when they come to visit but it is nice when they go home, too. Their bid wasn't accepted on the first house they bid on. So, now they have to start over. They have been looking at houses all week and have found a couple that wouldn't be too bad. I am putting them on my prayer list, too.

I helped mom make an apple pie this morning. Even got out my apple peeling machine. It still doesn't work!!!! You peel more apple than peeling, sheesh! The pie turned out really good though and I can even eat it because we used Splenda instead of sugar. Woohoo! I love apple pie but I hardly ever eat it because of all the sugar. (I am diabetic.) We got the apples at a nearby orchard and they were pretty good. A little on the mealy side but they baked up okay.

Haven't really done much else today except make a run to the hardware store for DH. Guess I will go find something to do.

TTFN
Ginny

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Something New

My DH, Herm, and I tried doing something different today. My mom gave me a metal detector for Christmas a few years ago. Herm and I went out this morning to see if we could find anything. First we went to a nearby park where he used to swim when he was a kid. I figured swimming areas would be a great place to try to find at least some coins. Especially if there is sand. If people took off their outer clothes to expose their swimsuits, there was a good chance we'd find something. Well, we did find something...a big lump of lead. Not one other thing. The park has really changed since Herm had used it last, LOL! Next, we went to an area where they used to launch rental canoes. Hey, that had potential, right? Not! We found exactly three soda cans and about a dozen rusty nails. I was really starting to get frustrated. So, we checked out a couple of areas that I am going back to on Tuesday or early Wednesday morning, after all the people have gone home. There were just too many people today.

While we were out driving, we stopped a neighbor's place to see what he had left in his yard sale. I found a couple of dress up outfits for my granddaughters, woohoo! There was also a Little Tykes easel for the younger ones to write on with chalk. The most interesting thing I saw there was a wind generator. It was smaller than the ones you see on the news but it was really just the right size to service a house. Actually, we could put up three or four of them and maybe generate enough electricity for the house. Herm has been building his own solar panels to provide some extra heat for the house in winter. He never fails to impress me with his abilities.

I didn't really talk about my grandchildren before. I have four, three girls and one little boy. They range in age from 7, Micayla, to 1, Danny. In between we have Emma who is 5 and Ashley who is 2. I LOVE it when they come to Gramma and Grampa's for a visit. All four of them live in Illinois. The 2 older ones in Algonquin and the two younger ones in Chicago. They are the lights of my life. One of the reasons I retired was so I could see them more often. I need to be able to go to school programs for the two older ones. My daughter, mother to the two younger ones, and her husband just sold their small home. Would you believe that it was on the market only two weeks? They even got their asking price. My son-in-law has put an incredible amount of work into the house and the only reason they are selling is they need more room. As it stands, the two children share a room. Now they have to find a new home of their own. They are looking for a house with at least 3 bedrooms and a decent sized back yard so the children have a place to play. I have to go soon to help them pack or at least help with the kids while they pack.

Toodles for now!