Friday Favorites

My favorite things this Friday:

I really appreciate that at our local food co-operative, the Ypsilanti Food Co-op, I can purchase produce from the Farm I work with- it makes me happy. Spinach and Carrots from Growing Hope Urban Farm!

First harvest of my lettuce of choice from the garden this season- Speckles variety. Isn't it pretty? I harvested several leaves off of each plant, and made a small, delicious salad yesterday. 

This week I had to take a dead neighborhood cat that had been hit by a car to the humane society. It was sad, and I am really appreciating our little guys. I've been sending them silent subliminal messages: "Stay inside! It's not even that awesome outside anyway!"

What are your favorites this Friday?

Crocuses, Tulips and Hyacinths- Oh My!

Also, what is Helo doing here? Trying to shoot into outer space? Just wondering..

Rest in Peace

Dear water heater,
You lived a long full life. You were brought into this house in 1989, and here you are, 20 years old. You are leaking inside and will probably flood our entire basement soon. It is time for you to go. Thanks for all your hard work and hot water.

Why did you have to break now,

Arika

I would love it if we didn't have to file an insurance claim or buy a new appliance for our house for the next 6 months or so! Yesterday night Mike and I drained out the water heater completely, because I was panicking that it would flood overnight, since it is on it's last leg. I don't even think it has any legs left!
A nice, helpful water heater guy came out this morning to inspect out water heater. The only unhelpful thing is that we had to fill up the freaking tank again so he could confirm that it was broken. Hey... it's leaking water everywhere. I think it's most definitley broken. And we're going to have to drain it once more this evening- Can't think of a sexier date than emptying a water heater.
BUT some of it (a small amount) is covered by our stupid home warranty, so we only have to pay for installation pretty much. Which is still a lot. I asked the nice helpful guy, from Fairlane Plumbing, about energy efficient water heaters, and he pretty much debated the validity of energy efficiency. I don't have another $60 to pay a different company to come out and replace this- I think we are going with what this guy is giving us unfortunately. Oh well. He was nice and straightforward, so we will give him the benefit of the doubt.

I think it is true that there is pretty much a huge gap between a tankless and any tank model, so when you compare the tank models, the differences there probably look pretty small. I just wanted an EnergyStar one so it might qualify for the tax credit thing but I don't even know about that anyway.. We reaaaally wanted a tankless water heater, but they cost like $2,5oo (including installation). I don't have that kind of money.. or any money right now as a matter of fact.

So tomorrow brings a new day, and a new water heater.
On a lighter, unrelated note, here is a happy picture of me and Helo and Athena! The kits are getting HUuuuugGGe!

running on empty

Well we are all moved into our new place! I suprisingly remembered to take a few before and after photos, so I could remember what the house looked like before we improved it/made it worse :)

So far, since August 19th, we have done these improvements:

• Cleaned the whole house
• Painted Sara's room
• Painted our bedroom
• Painted the living room
• Cleared and re-planted the front garden beds
• Cleared out the back garden area
• Trimmed the front trees
• Trimmed the apple and maple trees in the back
• Cleaned out the gutters on the roof, and used the compost for the front gardens
• Ripped up linoleum in the kitchen and mudroom
• Tiled the kitchen and mudroom
• Got TV and internet installed

Next up for the month of September are:

• Paint the office
• Paint the dining room
• Paint the kitchen
• Paint the mudroom
• Set up the office
• Buy a new water heater
• Set up composter
• Sand down dining room table and re-finish
• Set up dining room

That's not too bad.. right???

There are two kitties that can't WAIT to run around in the basement and the kitchen! Every time I open the dining room doors (where the "construction" is happening) the babes try to squeeze through like crazycats!

I'm finding out that homeownership is a full time job.