[Sheryl_Jones]

I found it hard to imagine that at one time all the traffic passing through on the high level bridge would one time have been snaking its way through that tiny canyon and over the dam along with all the tourists, that must have taken hours of sitting in traffic to get through.

[lyra33]

Originally Posted by Sheryl_Jones

I found it hard to imagine that at one time all the traffic passing through on the high level bridge would one time have been snaking its way through that tiny canyon and over the dam along with all the tourists, that must have taken hours of sitting in traffic to get through.

The longest wait I've ever had was 45 minutes, and that was mostly a delay due to construction. Usually it's around 20 minutes.

[lyra33]

Originally Posted by Sheryl_Jones

I'm also wondering how much the electricity bill is going to be come summer if I have to run the AC all the time. I'm almost thinking it might be best to get a portable AC on wheels and just cool down only the bedroom at night and let the rest of the house stay hot.

AC is a necessity. Instead I recommend setting your thermostat higher like at 85. It's really quite unbearable over that, especially on the 2nd level. A friend of mine had her AC breakdown in the middle of the summer while she was out of town. (I was watering her plants for her.) When I went over there her thermostat upstairs read 95...and that was at night.

Also if your house has vaulted ceilings it is even more expensive to cool down.

Depending upon the size of your house I would estimate 200-350 dollars a month on average during the summer. You might want to invest in solar screens. I had them on my first house and our energy bill was at least 100 dollars cheaper. I don't like them because I can't see out of the windows at night.

[tazz]

Originally Posted by Muonic

Last spring, I went out to take a few pictures of the dam, and see how the bridge was coming along. Now, I try not to ease drop on other people's conversations, but there were four people (two couples) standing next to me, who were trying to figure out which way the water was flowing.........seriously. Two of them suspected that the water was coming from the lake side, and the other two thought the water was coming from the bridge side. But none of them were absolutely sure. It was kind of funny. But then at the same time, it was somewhat sad, as these same people are actually allowed to vote.

You were standing next to members of the Tea Party.

[jfkIII]

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2ajZnyu8qCQ/TKa7l8Rg2EI/AAAAAAAAMwo/hgrx116boFQ/s1600/3591490837 (broken link)

The best thing about being a woman
Is the prerogative to have a little fun

Oh, oh, oh, go totally crazy-forget I'm a lady
Men's shirts-short skirts
Oh, oh, oh, really go wild-yeah, doin' it in style
Oh, oh, oh, get in the action-feel the attraction
Color my hair-do what I dare
Oh, oh, oh, I wanna be free-yeah, to feel the way I feel
Man! I feel like a woman!

[jfkIII]

Originally Posted by jfkIII

Something tells me that if he was accompanying Dorthy to Oz...he'd be asking the Wizard for a vagina!

I could while away the hours
Conferring with the flowers
Consulting with the rain.
And my head I'd be a-scratchin'
While my thoughts were busy hatchin'
If I only had a brain.

When a man's an empty kettle
He should be on his mettle
And yet I'm torn apart.
Just because I'm presumin'
That I could be kinda human
If I only had a heart

My life would be so finer
If I had a vagina
(Sorry for being blunt.)
I could make lots of money...
And be a hot Vegas honey
If I only had a ****.

[Sheryl_Jones]

Originally Posted by lyra33

AC is a necessity. Instead I recommend setting your thermostat higher like at 85. It's really quite unbearable over that, especially on the 2nd level. A friend of mine had her AC breakdown in the middle of the summer while she was out of town. (I was watering her plants for her.) When I went over there her thermostat upstairs read 95...and that was at night.

Also if your house has vaulted ceilings it is even more expensive to cool down.

Depending upon the size of your house I would estimate 200-350 dollars a month on average during the summer. You might want to invest in solar screens. I had them on my first house and our energy bill was at least 100 dollars cheaper. I don't like them because I can't see out of the windows at night.

Eek! $250 to $300 a month is a lot. Yes, solar screens, insulated shades or else portable air conditioners and just cool down small areas instead of whole house, I might have to look into those alternatives.

There are no vaulted ceilings, so that will make it easier to cool. There is a second floor unfortunately, which will be the hottest.

I found online something called a whole house exhaust fan that goes up in the attic and pulls air through the house from open windows, but there is an accessory that goes with it that installs in the wall that drips water into a pad, along the lines of the old-fashioned swamp cooler, no fan, because it draws air from the outside through the wet surface by the exhaust fan in the attic - and they claim that can reduce 100-degrees down to 70-degrees and cost about the same as running a light bulb or small electric motor would cost. However it's several thousand to install a complete system which would take several years to pay for itself.

Thanks for the information about monthly AC costs. It is going to be a major monthly cost item to take into account. And if it ever breaks, it will be very bad, so for that matter alone I might want at least one window or portable unit on wheels as a backup.

[PinkString]

Originally Posted by dynimagelv

Wanna have a cane duel?

Mine is made of metal, so sure, why not? If yours is wood, I could probably whack that in half in one swoop.

[dynimagelv]

Mine is metal too.....gotta be to hold me up

[lyra33]

Originally Posted by Sheryl_Jones

Eek! $250 to $300 a month is a lot. Yes, solar screens, insulated shades or else portable air conditioners and just cool down small areas instead of whole house, I might have to look into those alternatives.

There are no vaulted ceilings, so that will make it easier to cool. There is a second floor unfortunately, which will be the hottest.

I found online something called a whole house exhaust fan that goes up in the attic and pulls air through the house from open windows, but there is an accessory that goes with it that installs in the wall that drips water into a pad, along the lines of the old-fashioned swamp cooler, no fan, because it draws air from the outside through the wet surface by the exhaust fan in the attic - and they claim that can reduce 100-degrees down to 70-degrees and cost about the same as running a light bulb or small electric motor would cost. However it's several thousand to install a complete system which would take several years to pay for itself.

Thanks for the information about monthly AC costs. It is going to be a major monthly cost item to take into account. And if it ever breaks, it will be very bad, so for that matter alone I might want at least one window or portable unit on wheels as a backup.

Seriously..don't mess around with a swamp cooler- and if you are in a HOA I doubt you can use one anyway. I also don't think pulling air out of the attic is going to work. Honestly...just set your thermostat higher...and get a couple of box fans for the room you are in. You might want to consider sleeping downstairs during the summer. It's much cooler on the main level of a two story. If you average out the higher bills in the summer with the rest of the year it's not so bad. Our power bill is pretty low during the rest of the year. Well, before we put in the pool.

I would not worry about it that much, you also adjust to the higher temperature. I get cold when the thermostat reads under 80. Hopefully you did not extend yourself so much that a power bill will make or break you.

P.S. If your AC breaks? You get it fixed. It's not like other places where you can compensate with portable units and such. It really is a necessity. Plan on paying for it in your budget. Don't think you can get away with other methods! Seriously....