Nov 10, 2023 — Callipygean Plumassier

Ah, fall colours. That’s the Japanese maple in the front yard. Beautiful and horrifically messy. There’s one in the backyard too, over the water feature, which is now full of leaves.

Last week included November fifth: Guy Fawkes day. Did you mark the event? Do you recall the nursery rhyme?

Remember, remember, the fifth of November
The Gunpowder Treason and plot
I know of no reason the Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot

Or something like that. The words vary slightly depending on the source.

We watched V for Vendetta on the fifth, as we usually do. With each passing year that movie gets more relevant, which is a bit terrifying. The other day I woke up at 2 am and — unable to go back to sleep — I wrote a page and a half of dreck trying to explain why that movie stays with me. Be glad I am sparing you.

It actually was a reasonably productive week, but almost none of it was stuff anyone wants to hear about: chores and the like. Not very exciting.

I did talk to a heating and A/C guy to see if it is possible to put a heat pump into our house. Short answer: not without spending a fortune.

I wish that wasn’t the case. The existing hodgepodge of equipment that heats the house is ugly, awkward, and somewhat expensive to run. Add in the need for natural gas — which I despise — and it would have been nice to replace it all. Alas, it would take at least two mini-split systems with four heads each to do the job, and even that would probably not be enough. This house just isn’t worth that kind of money. Some future owner is going to tear it down and build an entirely new home. Putting too much into this one is just throwing money away, so we’ll live with it as is. The things we fix either need to be cheap (like paint) or we need to change them to make our time here substantially more comfortable (like the windows). I can’t see spending that much on heat pumps making the cut.

The weather has not been cooperative. Don’t be fooled by the photo above, the rain has been regular and significant. I got one walk in, which was lovely, but otherwise I pretty much haven’t been out.

I need to spend time in the shop. There are things that need doing out there, and I have projects to get started on. Or I could get off my butt and start painting the upstairs hallway and the entry. That really needs to get done.

Or I could settle down with a book. I dunno.

Has anyone found the enthusiasm shop? If so, please share the address so I can go make a large purchase.

Cheers!