I heat my little space of life with wood heat. Over the years, I have discovered that wood heat just does not go around corners. One room can be nice and toasty, while the very adjacent one ya freezing ya buns off. To keep all the areas close to comfy, you need to run fans to push the heat around the corners. Being the person I am, (tight with my wallet, cheap, frugal) I do not like to spend money if I do not have to. Paying for electricity is one way us Mainers have to spend our money. So, the thinking is this, take those walls out if you do not need them. I did leave walls and one door for the shower and bathroom area. But, now, for the most part, my space is just one big 30×40 room. This, I like, because the heat, just slowly flows to all corners of the room. I have sectioned, in my mind, designated areas. Anyone who has a tiny problem with OCD needs places to put stuff so all is in its proper space. It just would not do to have your muddy boots in the sleeping area. Going along with that thought, there has to be a spot to wash the dishes. That really should not be in the bathroom area. So every part of this room has designated uses. This fits most fine with my way of thinking and keeps me a bit happier. All I need to do is remember where everything goes. More importantly, I need to remember did I actually put stuff back where it belongs. Organization and neatness are the key words here. They give me signs as to my state of mind. Messy areas mean I need to pay attention and watch my actions. Well, anyway, as a part of being frugal, and not wanting to spend money, I have solar lights about the area. I have placed one motion sensitive light in my feel good, sunshine, tanning area. Even in the middle of January, I can take a nap here and end up being a nice golden brown. When I venture into the coffee, kitchen area, this light comes on and I can fix the coffee without paying CMP for the ability to see just what I am doing. Sort of like a feel-good thing. I just have to figure out how to do the coffee and not pay for the power. But that is in the works.  Slowly getting to the real problem here. This solar light is a nice dim light, and I can walk about the room without stubbing my toes while going to the coffee area. When I get close to the coffee area, the light comes on so nice and bright. This lights up the whole area almost as much as that darn bright moon does. If I fail to pull the curtains shut, my body thinks it is not nap time. Sometime the last few days, someone or something has decided to move in with me. Now, this is fine, they appear to be neat and quiet about it. The big problem is they keep turning this light on and it wakes me up. Any time after 4 am is fine because I should be up and about by then. But, they have been turning the light on around one am. This I do not need. I lived in a house once where a lot of strange things happened. Hanging plants would start swinging and all of a sudden stop.  You know that kind of stuff. This is just something I do not want to deal with in this house. I am quite sure it is a mouse even though there are no signs one is the light culprit. I have decided to use the “flour on the floor” trick. There was one tiny teensy little field mouse coming in once in a while when I left the doors open. But I haven’t seen it since I moved the bird seeds. (I have the urge to call it a he) But IT had those big ears and long tail. He almost drove me crazy he moved so fast. I would end up asking myself, “did I see something move or not”.   He was so small and fast, just a blurr.  It makes one question my sanity. I know some of you folks out there are already questioning that. But my light bill during the summer stays in the $40 range and that is great. So, if you should happen to visit, please do not step in the flour area. This would surely drive me crazy to see human feet prints passing through that area. Visiting is fine for a limited time. But your shoes belong in the mud room. I am determined to find out who is turning my light on in those wee morning hours. Oh, watch out for those sticky pads also.    Ken White COB because you woke me up again.

 

 

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