7/11: Another Scorcher. Again.

As of July 7, gas per gallon is $4.11 and the price per barrel of oil was $147. This week's grocery circular for King Soopers (Kroger's) shows asparagas is $1.28 per pound, 80% lean ground beef is $1.99 per pound, and one pound of fresh fruit salad from the deli is $4.99.

The temperature in Denver was 100 degrees, and at 4 p.m. the top floor of our house was at 93 degrees.

We decided enough was enough. So we gathered 4 more additional fans from throughout the house (blended family = extras of everything!) and put them upstairs, in nearly every window. Between 6:30 and 8:50 p.m. (2 hours 20 minutes) it went from 93 to 85 degrees! Only thing is ... with all of these fans plus swamp cooler, besides the huge electric bill we can expect, they simply make so much noise that we can barely think!) Tomorrow's projected temp of 80 should help cool down the house too. Just gotta get through the night.

Still watering our "new dirt patch" in the front yard. Side benefit - the spillover watering is starting to make long-dead grass turn a bit green! In addition, I planted about 6-8 mammoth sunflower seeds near that dirt patch by where the aspen had stood. Maybe it will lend a bit of cheer to the yard when get big enough to produce those huge flower seedheads. Think we'll do some more "lawn seeding" tomorrow and I'll plant some more sunflower seeds where the dead fir tree stood - by the mailbox.

However, I think I overdid it. My fibromyalgia is in full gear. My legs, esp the left, is so painful that I can barely walk. I gotta keep it in my mind that I'm not invincible.

Looking at house plans. Found some green pre-fab houses. One we really like - the solar passage with piecehomes but it would cost5 $35ok-$400k - and that doesn't include the basement or garage! Monolithic Dome Institute has a wonderful floor plan for a 3 bdrm at approx $208k but that also doesn't include the garage or basement. I like h-haus, the Cube 9 but can't get a hold of them to get a price - DOES have garage but no basement. Then there's the Pair 3br through Alchemy Architects - it will cost $219k, has the basement stairs but the basement and garage is extra. No matter ... we definitely want a one story with "low" ceilings (8') plus basement. No more vaulted ceilings!!! Too hard to cool. Vikki