The Find Of The Year!!

 I thought Cooper was a barky dog, but the little guy across the way from my patio puts him to shame.  Every morning this kid is barking like crazy as I drink my morning coffee.  Sounds like a chihuahua!!

I was up a little late again, having too many late nights watching the Reno Rodeo.  The horses and bulls they have nowadays are far superior to days of old and buck like nothing I've ever seen.  It makes me laugh at some of the gyrations and contortions the horses do as I recall getting bucked off on several occasions.  

For many years I helped run the Practice Pen for cutting at the Horseman's Association.  It was hot during the summer, so I had a cooler with ice, along with a cash box full of change.  No use making two trips to the truck.  

I grabbed both and headed across the arena.  Showby was antsy to be done and jigged a little, making the change box rattle.  I saw those ears and knew I was in trouble, so I very quietly and gingerly dropped the ice chest off the back.  BAD IDEA!!

He took to bucking instantly.  I had one hand on the reins and one on the change box which was now making a huge racket, making him buck even more.  I landed on the ground, but my foot stayed in the stirrup.  

I was drug for maybe 25 feet when my foot came loose.  I was still holding the change box.  That taught me a very good lesson ... how to walk on crutches for the next two weeks.

I did actually get out and about early yesterday ... Monday is a good grocery day.  That's when I found my Find of the Year!!!  This is smoky Ranch Sauce.  They have several, but I do love that smoky chipotle flavor without the heat.  This stuff is the bomb!!!!

I'll be having tacos for the next six months!  It's supposed to be great on hamburgers too, but it made my day when I tasted these!!

As for the solar ... here's where I am on that.  I'm a single income accountant who is stingy with her money, which lets me purchase things I would like to have.  Having sold the motorhome and the big house payment that went along with it, I've been stashing that money in a mad fund.  Add to that what the government is forcing me to withdraw from an IRA account I started when I was 21 years old, and I have enough to pay for solar.  

I have no children and only one nephew that I have seen once in 20 years.  They tell me you can't take it with you, so I might as well spend every dime of it and enjoy it while I can.  I would prefer to buy horses, but they are MUCH more expensive than solar panels.  The horse would be around $5,000, with hay costing $3,000 for just one year.  Add to that $1,300 a year for horseshoeing, not to mention grain and vet bills and that solar money would be gone in a flash.

Right now I use about 640 kWh per month.  That will double if I run the air conditioning.  Oh it would be so nice to be cool and not have to pay double what I'm already shucking out.  Add to that the 20% increase in charges PGE will add after December.  My bill will go up to $300-350 a month.  That's $4,200 a year for electricity.  SO ... that's why I would like to get solar put in here, in spite of the cost.

As to the house, it's very well insulated with no leaking of air.  If I turn on the AC fan, I better check all the inside doors in the house to make sure they are either wide open or shut.  Otherwise, the air intake will suck them shut and scare the heck out of Cooper and I.  

The rest of the day I worked on this quilt.  Most all of the brown fabric looks like tooled leather.  It's just scraps I've picked up here and there.  I'm trying to use up some of the fabric I have and not buy any more.  

It's BINGO DAY yet again, and I spent another late night watching the rodeo, so I'll try to sneak in a nap before heading out to visit the peasants at the Castle.  Hopefully they leave their pitchforks at home.