So, like, it aint Friday, but it’s Thursday, which I suppose is the next best thing. Just got done spending some more money at Amazon, this time buying a new low flow shower head that was fairly cheap with a decent rating (1.5 GPM down from my current 2.5, and it promised better velocity, so we’ll see), and a couple of water saving lever thingies to attach to my bathroom faucets (that are low flow themselves). I’m on a mission to prevent water from going down the drain. When (if) warmer weather ever arrives, I plan on installing a graywater system so that my bathroom sinks, showers, and tubs (plus the laundry) will bypass the septic tank and drain into their own separate leach field. I thought about setting something up to reuse the water, but, as we don’t really live where there’s a lack of precipitation and I don’t water the lawn, it’s really not worth the expense of installing a tank and a pump and all that. We can get more than enough plant-watering water from the rain barrels. I’m also looking at buying a urinal. I figure I can mount it in the kitchen next to the frig, and kill two birds with one stone. Or at least on one trip.

I also have plans (I lack a lot of things – money, skills, brains, and ambition to name just a few – but one of the two things I’m full of is plans) to create a homemade solar water heater for domestic hot water at a minimum, and to supplement the heating hot water if I can figure out a place to build and install a big enough storage tank. My domestic hot water is heated by the heating hot water, and not only is it killing me moneywise right now, the thought of having to run the heat in the summer is pretty repugnant to me. I looked at buying a tankless heater, but that would be a hassle logistically, and I think I can build my solar system for about the same price, give or take.

Snow today. Not much here, but flights to or through NYC, Newark, Boston, etc., are all delayed or cancelled this morning. If it’ll help, I’m willing to stay home today.

Today, Janet Napolitano will announce today the end of an era – no more color-coded terror alert system. Apparently we’re moving to a point system. How will I dress myself in the morning w/o knowing what terror color we’re at? I wonder at what point level we’re advised to stay home and sit in the basement waiting for the end times?

Oh well, time to see what it costs to rent a mini-excavator, and then get ready for work. Glad to hear Mister is back home, Kat. Tell him we all say hey (and next time, how about a postcard from Siberia?).