I hear a lot of people grumble about Mondays. They don't seem to like them. I don't understand that as Monday is my favorite day of the week. Just as many people see the beginning of each new year as a time to start over, I see Mondays that way. Once a week, I get a fresh start on all my plans and all the things I never got around to doing the week before. Mondays bring hope.
It's amazing what I can accomplish on a Monday.
Now that I'm on Time of Use electrical rates, I start the week out trying not to use any more power than absolutely necessary. I have discovered there are lots of things I can do that don't require electricity. I can wash walls, clean out cupboards and sort all the piles of stuff that seem to crop up everywhere. I never found time for these things when I was busy doing laundry, baking and vacuuming.
I'll be turning the computer off now that there is enough daylight go see my way around the house well enough to start my chores. It's not just house work I'm planning this Monday. Less computer time will give me more time to work on my painting projects, and I hope to get in some exercise as well. Actually, I'm finding that climbing on and off of a chair to wash the walls and clean the higher shelves is pretty good exercise. It's much better than sitting at the computer and moving nothing but my fingers, I'm sure.
I'll wear myself out before the end of the week, and slack off again, I know. But there is always next Monday, when I can start all over again, with fresh resolve.
Showing posts with label Time of Use. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Time of Use. Show all posts
Monday, January 10, 2011
Monday, January 3, 2011
New Beginnings
My geocaching adventures can be found at http://www.georambling.blogspot.com/ but I don't tend to do much of that during the colder months. I'm always up to something though, so I thought I'd start a new blog where I can fill you in on my other rambles.
The subjects you may find here might include my photo and painting attempts, my social outings with the Red Hatters and other such groups, and reviews on books and recipes I do for various publishers from time to time.
Right now though, the thing that's most on my mind is Time of Use electrical rates. I realize that many of you have no idea what that might be, so I'll try to explain. I live in Ontario, Canada, where Hydro One (the electric company) installed what they call "smart meters" to replace all the previous meters that measure our electrical usage. They can now tell not only how much electricity we are using, but exactly when we are using it. They have divided the day up into sections when it will cost more, or less, for every kilowatt hour of power we use. So, for instance, while the rates are actually lower than they used to be during the night time hours (9pm until 7am) they are considerably higher from 7am to 11am and from 6pm until 9pm. The time in between (11am until 6pm) is billed at mid rates, which are still higher than what the rates were when all the hours were billed equally.
I've just been put on this Time of Use billing as of the 15th of December (Merry Christmas to me!) and it's going to change the way I live, I'm sure. For instance, at the moment, the light from this screen is the only light I have as daylight is just now arriving, and it's already looking like a dull day. I will try hard to control when and how much electricity I use, especially before my first bill under this new system. I know people who got a major surprise when they ignored the whole thing and saw their bills more than double during that first month. I sure don't want that to happen here!
So be patient while I get this new blog underway. I'm sure it will take on a character of its own over time.
The subjects you may find here might include my photo and painting attempts, my social outings with the Red Hatters and other such groups, and reviews on books and recipes I do for various publishers from time to time.
Right now though, the thing that's most on my mind is Time of Use electrical rates. I realize that many of you have no idea what that might be, so I'll try to explain. I live in Ontario, Canada, where Hydro One (the electric company) installed what they call "smart meters" to replace all the previous meters that measure our electrical usage. They can now tell not only how much electricity we are using, but exactly when we are using it. They have divided the day up into sections when it will cost more, or less, for every kilowatt hour of power we use. So, for instance, while the rates are actually lower than they used to be during the night time hours (9pm until 7am) they are considerably higher from 7am to 11am and from 6pm until 9pm. The time in between (11am until 6pm) is billed at mid rates, which are still higher than what the rates were when all the hours were billed equally.
I've just been put on this Time of Use billing as of the 15th of December (Merry Christmas to me!) and it's going to change the way I live, I'm sure. For instance, at the moment, the light from this screen is the only light I have as daylight is just now arriving, and it's already looking like a dull day. I will try hard to control when and how much electricity I use, especially before my first bill under this new system. I know people who got a major surprise when they ignored the whole thing and saw their bills more than double during that first month. I sure don't want that to happen here!
So be patient while I get this new blog underway. I'm sure it will take on a character of its own over time.
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