Furnace Fun & On and Off the Wagon

Mid-fifties over night -- chilly for SoCal -- and the new furnace has me all confused. Ours was broken for a couple of years, and although it ran, it stank, so we didn't use it. So when the weather started turning cool, so did our house.

Even on the coldest nights (high 30's) the house never got cooler than 60 or so overnight, and we got used to piling on the winter blankets and saving on natural gas.

Last winter it got SO cold for SO long that we finally caved and got a new furnace. Now with the new baby, it was good timing to have done so. But I still can't quite get used to the heater, and we keep the overnight temp around 65-66F as it is.

"Why?!?"

Last winter, for one holiday or another, we went to visit Grandma and Grandpa, who keep the thermostat at 72 or more during the day, and cool it down to 70 at night. The kids -- used to bundling up and a cool sleeping temperature -- were tossing and turning in the barest of sleep wear.

"I'm hot," the oldest complained, "I can't sleep."

"Well, Grandma and Grandpa have the heater on," I explained reasonably. Without even a pause, the indignant reply came back "Why!?"

Broccoli, On the Wagon

Broccoli is sprouting; I was lazy and planted from seed outdoors. None of the lettuce is showing up yet, and if THIS whole crop goes south, I am going to assume it is the horse trough and give it away. It should make a nifty little planter, especially now that I have found the drain plug and it does not stay wet.

More garlic has come up; no sign of the chives, but they were planted later.

Leslie spotted a cool garden wagon as we drove by a garage sale, and picked it up for a mere $15. One of those lovely, heavy gauge wire things, fold down sides, sliding trays and tool holders. Looks like a real boon for doing front yard work -- hand tools and planting stuff can ride out, debris can ride back.

Maybe this will be the toy that helps us set up the Xeri-Native-Scape in lieu of a lawn we've always wanted to do . We'll see.

Off the Wagon

I have promised myself that I would put down our hard cider every weekend for the last several -- and then, like now, I remember that our online yeast purchase hasn't arrived yet. Apparently the cider yeast we ordered happened to be out of stock, but nobody mentioned it. So now it is coming November 1, but with free shipping. Yay! But really, I just want my cider down!

Which is too bad, too, because starting the cider was going to be my bribe to myself for finishing up the yard work.

Me Pick Up

And so it is out back to remove some more of the trash and debris that is driving our fence-neighbor crazy, and to make a home for the wagon. Just as soon as I finish my coffee . . .