Thursday, April 29, 2010

News from the Clothes line

I just received our first electric bill since we went dryer-less last month. Our electric bill is just a 102.00--less than half what it usually is this time of the year and the lowest we've seen in the ten years we've lived in this house.

To be honest, two weeks ago, we also changed out our 30-something year old refrigerator for one that is only about three years old (at 50.00 the price was right), so I'm sure this helped out, but they don't need to know that.

I showed the boys the electric bill and explained Kilowatt hours and what our average bill runs at this time of the year. They actually got enthused about it when I mentioned that this meant more "fun money".

In my never ending quest to give the evil water company as little of my money as possible, I have recently introduced the concept of "military showers". For the uninitiated--this is where you get into the shower, get wet, turn the water off, soap and shampoo up, turn the water on, rinse everything off, and get out. It was not met with enthusiasm, though Sam offered to bathe less often if it would help. He was shouted down by his brothers (who asked me to please introduce the concept of deodorant to him ASAP). It would be hard, it would be annoying, it would be an inconvenience, they liked long hot showers. What kind of ogre was I?

Todays bill turned the tide. I saw eyes glow with possibilities. Less money on utilities means more money in pockets. More money in pockets means happier, more generous parents. Military showers are now on the table.

4 comments:

Debby said...

I was in the military. I'd hate the whole military shower thing in the winter. We don't pay for water though. Thank the good Lord.

Anonymous said...

with roots in south texas where water issues are contant, military showers were all i knew. To this day my husband shakes his head at my concept of a luxurious shower. Did you know it is now becoming a vogue thing for the sake of "being green'? Mary, you Paddocks are 'hip'. hee,hee ~ glad were in cyberspace: i'd deserve i punch, i think. Eileen.

Scotty said...

Tell 'em to get the twinkle out of their eyes, Mary - their reward for participating in the military shower scheme will not be financial; it will be one full shower per week, per person, perhaps...

Hehe.

Mary O. Paddock said...

Debby--Gary was in the Marines and the Navy (bridged over from one to the other). He spent some of that time on a ship and military showers were just how it was done.

Eileen--You mean I might be part of an "in crowd" for the first time in my life? We lived with a shallow well for a year and a half and learned quickly how mete out showers. I do not miss that particular feature of that old house, however it does teach you to think about how much you're using. No punching allowed on this blog. :)

Scotty--LOL. Then maybe I'd get to keep my money and spend it on that fabulous B&B I'm NOT going to this weekend. :)