And though we’re having a freakishly warm day today, they’re calling for snow this weekend.
I was hoping to eek by until spring and not order oil for our furnace but the energy sucking bastard demanded more… and man. This time it hurt.
A week ago Sunday I checked the price for our area and it was $3.55 a gallon. Purchasing 400 gallons, which doesn’t fill the tanks, would have cost $1,420. But when I called Monday… thanks to the strike on Iran… the price had risen to $4.19 and because of Middle East unrest the company wouldn’t guarantee the quote for Thursday delivery.
On Thursday, the price had risen to $4.61… an increase of $1.06 a gallon in four days… with me writing a check for $1,844.
$424 more, just like that.
Ouch.
Last night I checked prices again and saw some companies are almost $5.
This is the old Frank J Wood bridge that crossed the Androscoggin River and connected Brunswick to Topsham.
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A major thoroughfare for the area, but old and in dire need of major structural repair. Numerous studies and years of inspections and debates resulted in a plan for replacement.
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The new concept was wider and free standing, with unobstructed scenic views and platform bump outs for taking in the sights.
As a rule, Mainers don’t like change and a lot of people fought to save and refurbish the historic old bridge… but finally lost the legal battle.
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The new bridge opened a few months ago and personally… I like it. Easier to navigate with wider lanes and a sidewalk for strolling, I think it’s a vast improvement.
The old bridge is currently being town down, piece by cumbersome piece and its devoted fans want to pay homage. Which sounds lovely, but in reality? Not so much.
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This is an artist’s rendering of what the (extremely expensive tax payer funded) memorial would look like.
Day two of wall sconce installation saw our mantle taken over by tools
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Multiple trips to the hardware store were needed and my husband’s patience was wearing thin.
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I was trying to speed the process along by dropping helpful hints but was promptly told to vacate the work area.
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The old wiring was troublesome and at one point I told my husband just to mount the lights and not worry about them being functional. To be honest we haven’t turned them on for years.
There’s a reason for this.
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The built in bookcases on either side of the fireplace are deep.
Four rows of hardcovers deep, and reaching the light switch?
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Way back there …
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Means removing a few dozen books every time.
As you can see by the original unpainted paneling, it hasn’t been uncovered for decades.
Years ago, in my younger pre-menopausal days, I’m sure I would have said 100 degrees. We lived down south where summer lasted 8 months and I was breaking out the bikini for sunbathing in February.
Those days are long gone (as are my bikinis) and now? I’ll take the crisp cold 0 temps of winter over a sweltering sauna all day long. I can put on extra clothes to stay warm, but can’t strip down far enough to cool off in that suffocating high heat.
I’m sure I’m the outlier here, but does anyone else prefer the cold?