If we leave the dogs in all day (12 hours), Lucy will potty all over the house. She does great when we're home, but 12 hours is too long for her. If we put them both out on the back porch, I feel guilty because it's a small, hot space. If I put her out, and leave Hawkeye in, she barks so much that he pukes and poops in the house (something he does NOT do if they're both in.) We can't afford to put up a fence and leave them outside. What's a girl to do?
Lately, this is what we do. I wake up after Kevin is long gone to work. I shower and get ready for work, then turn off the a/c. The door to the back porch is open (so Lucy can potty...she thinks it has to be concrete, dammit,) and she doesn't freak out, so Hawkeye can make it 12 hours. The first one home let's Hawkeye out and closes windows and doors and turns on the a/c. It's only uncomfortable for an hour.
After the house cools down, we're fat and happy for the night, and the next day, we start all over. The dogs are happy, and I'm not cleaning up any manner of foul dogness. Do we win? Probably not. I could come home to a cool house, but now I must wait an hour for relief. BUT...even though the a/c is working harder to cool a 90 degree house than it would if it's on all day, I can't believe it uses more energy than running for those 12 hours. I think I'm saving money.
I know, maybe I'll close the back porch windows and put up curtains to block the sun. Maybe cooling the uninsulated back porch is cheaper than cooling a 90 degree house in an hour? I don't know. I have to get a fence, or get rid of some dogs. Actually, getting rid of ONE cute little angel would fix things. Anyone want a Jackahuahua?
I grew up without a/c and I didn't feel like it was that bad. Hell, Mom and Dad STILL don't have a/c, other than in the bedroom, and they're fine. And they're OLD! LOL, just kidding, Mom. I think our current plan is working. I'll live with it. Until I convince Kevin to unload that silly little dog.j
P.S. Russ, the lunchmeat is making me spit Diet Coke out my nose, so you're fine. I'm just loving the pear, dude. I have an idea for a book of the pear cartoons...email me, I have plans.
5 comments:
They say that if you leave the A/C on at say 78 degrees it uses less energy than it takes to cool the whole house once it gets too hot. I don't know. I always leave ours on. But I am a spoiled city kid. ;)
I hope you get the puppy situation worked out.
:)
~Heather
I grew up without AC too...now I can't imagine how I survived that without bitching constantly. Maybe I did bitch and blocked it out. Possible.
Russ
I'll email you later tonight.
I grew up without A/C, too.... Us midwestern kids are a tough lot! LOL You know....if you jump into the shower after you turn on the A/C...end the shower with cold water, and then get out....you don't even notice the heat much... and by the time it's cool in the house, you're dry. We used to be very very broke and I was extremely pregnant but I wouldn't turn the A/C on ($$$) til about 30 minutes before Jesse got home from work, so I know the shower thing works....
Hee...you're surrounded by dog foulness. I laugh because better you than me.
~Amy
The truth is, I'm not so fine with the heat these days. The only reason we don't have A/C in the whole downstairs is the wiring and the money it would cost.
I hope you get the dogs sorted out. We didn't have air when I was growing up. I didn't have it until I had my own home at age 30. Now, I don't think I could live without it. I'm a wimp!!
I also love Russ's Pear. He's so funny!
Pam
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