This week you’ll be happy that we are having a virtual coffee date..my daughter caught a stomach bug earlier this week, likely on Monday at school (since that is the only place she’s been.) She is fine now, but I’d rather not talk about this week all that much. I hope your week have been less about sanitising than mine. (I am SO grateful I did not get sick.) How are you doing? Can I offer you a cup of coffee, or maybe some matcha tea?
I took the photos in this post early this morning, straight from my bedroom window. As you can see the weather is still mild, unusually mild for the season, no snow yet. We are still in our old rental house. We get access to the new place December 1st. I have not yet started packing. It will be an easy move, a short distance, and I don’t have that much stuff.
I did put my big girl pants on earlier this week and choose a company for our electricity needs. There are several companies available, and you can choose many different things. If you don’t choose you automatically get the most expensive rate, from a local company. If you make an active choice you can choose to have a variable rate, or have the rate locked. Even after choosing that, the prices vary between companies, and how much electricity you use also affect the rate. Then there is the important question of where my energy comes from. In Sweden more than 50% of the energy comes from renewable sources, like hydro, solar, or wind power. Obviously I want to pick a 100% renewable energy source, even if that means that I would pay slightly more. I calculated how much electricity I believe we would use in a year, and compared companies that offered renewable energy sources. I picked a bigger, reliable, company, that have been around for several years that let you pick your own energy source at no extra cost. I picked solar, and initiated a negation. We made a deal yesterday and I am happy with the outcome. It’s a variable rate, that isn’t locked. I can change my mind at any time, or lock the rate this summer when it is likely to be very low. In the most expensive month the cost of electricity in Sweden is only a fraction of what it is in the US.
Now I’m curious to hear about your week. How are you doing? Any fun plans for the weekend?
Love,
Maria
I chose to do all renewable for my electricity a few years ago. My bill went up at first, but as time goes on, it has gotten closer to “dirty” electricity. Glad your daughter is feeling better and that you didn’t get sick! Have a wonderful weekend!
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That’s fabulous! If everyone did what is in their power for the environment there would be a change for the better globally. Thanks for having coffee with me 🙂 Enjoy your weekend! I’ll come by later to see if you have some coffee.
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I’m glad your daughter is feeling better, Maria! My electricity bill is very cheap as I live by myself. You know what our choices are here of course. Be well! 😎
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Thank you John! I am sure that you are conscious about your electricity usage as well, there is so many things we can do to keep the costs down. Enjoy your weekend 🙂
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Thanks, you too, Maria. 😊
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Fina stämningsfulla bilder. Hoppas du håller dig frisk och skönt att din dotter mår bättre igen.
Kram
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Tack så mycket 🙂
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Glad your little treasure is feeling better & she didn’t share the bug with you. What a beautiful view from your window. Here in Aus we have solar panels that are fed into the grid so the more power we collect & the less we use the cheaper our bill, one day I am hoping to be completely off grid. This weekend for us I am hoping to set up the round yard, as I need a safe area to start riding again. Have a wonderful wonderful weekend.
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That sounds awesome ! I’m hoping to be off-grid one day as well. It’s not going to happen this year, or the next, but eventually. To go riding sounds like so much fun!! Enjoy ❤
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wow, a choice of electric providers… it blows my mind. Here, we have 1 and only one. The rates are fair, though. Our thing is that next month, we will also have to pay water (it’s been included in the rent to this point), and we have no idea what it will be. We haven’t paid an individual water bill in almost two decades. It’s hard to fathom. I did go back and look, and for the two of us with a washer & dishwasher, the cost was only 28usd a month… but that was in Ohio, and this is Kentucky (where everything is WAY over-priced!). Like our car tags… the tags themselves are 7.50usd, but by the time you add in all the taxes, my tags were nearly 200 usd this year alone. Ugh! We had elections here a few days ago… might not have answers until January. A huge waiting game. Meanwhile people are fighting about it. The police are busy breaking up fights like a teacher in a school yard of two year olds. It’s disgusting.
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Yes, it is a big difference. Water was expensive in California, where we did pay for usage, when we were attached to public utilities. In Sweden some houses have their own wells, at some rentals water is included, we will have to pay for the water we use. I encourage my daughter to always be mindful about the water she use, and I try to lead by example. I’ve been following the election in the US, and I’ve noticed that several of my friends moved to Texas shortly prior to the election..I wonder if it’s connected?
All things considered, I wish you a wonderful weekend with your loved one. Thank you for having coffee with me.
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Glad H is feeling better. Being sick is no fun! I remember those days dealing with my own two boys’ illnesses. Thankfully, they were pretty healthy kids, esp. after they started snowboarding every weekend in the winter. Being outside two days a week made a huge difference.
We’ve had cold weather (20F) and snow for a week ending Wed. Now we’re having unusually warm weather thru Tues. with 70s predicted for this weekend. Today I dug my dahlia tubers and was actually sweating like it was summer!
As you know, we’re going a bit crazy this week with the election madness. It’s a mess. I don’t believe DT is going to go out without a fuss. Worst president ever – such an embarrassment. I’ll be happy when that is all straightened out.
Hope your week ahead is a good one! ❤
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Thank you Eliza! Snow sounds so wonderful!! It was in the 20’s here last night. I actually booked a trip to my hometown Åre this morning. Åre is a lot like Lake Tahoe, in every way. I love it there, and I cannot wait to tak H. H loves snowboarding, just like me, but we haven’t been in a couple years. (Tahoe was our favourite in the states.) I have free cancelation on the hotel, we’ll see how things look with the virus as we get closer to vacation time. Worst case I’ll cancel and we’ll go another time, but I like having something to look forward too.
I’ve been following what’s going on with the election, crazy..I don’t have any words.
I wish you the most wonderful weekend my friend ❤
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Moving is always fun. Not. But worth it when it is all finished.
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My eyes are on the goal 🙂 It is going to be wonderful in the end. Thank you for having coffee with me.
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Hi Maria. How long is it since we spoke? I think I have some missing time, though I haven’t been on my Reader for a few days, I’m scrolling back now so may still encounter some older posts of yours. Time travel, eh?
Glad your daughter is better. This is the time of year for all sorts of bugs and viruses (Covid 19 not withstanding.)
Take care, may speak soon, or rather, earlier!
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It’s always nice catching up 🙂
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Glad your daughter is feeling better! And what a pretty view outside your window.
Enjoy your packing!
Happy Weekend!
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Thank you Nancy 🙂 I’ll wait a bit with the packing, still plenty of time. We are going to need most of what we own on a weekly basis, the rest I’ll probably start packing some time next week. I want to get new, clean boxes. Have a wonderful weekend my friend.
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Good morning! I sure wish I could make my electric bill lower. We still have to run the A/C most weeks; My personal summers don’t help either! 🙂 I am glad your daughter is better. Have a great week! -Pamela
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Good morning Pamela! Electric bills was huge when I lived in CA, I feel your pain. Have a wonderful weekend, and enjoy your week to come. /Maria
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Glad to hear that your daughter is feeling better and back to school. Glad you were able to avoid getting sick. I find as a mom that is so very challenging. Great coffee share. Hope you have a nice week.
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Thank you! Have a great week !
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This week has been exhausting for me. I’m so thankful that my job did not really add any stress. The real cause of my burnout is well known to all US citizens and I’d prefer not to dump any of that mess on you or waste the few precious words we get to share on such matters. It seems like your move is coming up soon and you too are going to start a small new adventure.
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I can only imagine Gary! I’m happy your work is good. I’m still a few weeks from moving, but we are getting closer. It’s going to be great. Have a wonderful new week, hopefully less stressful for you. Thank you for taking the time to join me for coffee.
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Glad your daughter is feeling better Maria. I can remember when my kids were young thre was always the cough cold or the stomach flu. You were lucky not to get it. As for the electricity situation we used to have several providers here but it was confusing. Now there is only one major one and that simplifies the choice but I dont think the value is very good. We are required to be on a time of use program .There is “peak” “mid peak” and “off peak”. The off peak is 7pm to 7am. The others switch back and forth during the day. When we had the lockdown the provincial government ordered the company to suspend the time of use and I loved it. So now that is finished and I am quite grumpy . There is a big price diffence between the times so it is worth it to do laundry at the off peak time. Anyway that’s enough from me. Have a good week ahead and a healthy one too!
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Glad your daughter is feeling better Maria. I can remember when my kids were young there was always the cough cold or the stomach flu. You were lucky not to get it.
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Thank you Anne. I am grateful for good health. I sincerely hope you are in good health as well. I enjoyed this week’s update from your lesson. I think it sounds smart ot have peak hours when it comes to electricity. I imagine renewable energy sources from nature are common in Canada as well. Have a wonderful new week.
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Maria, That’s a beautiful view of the sunrise from your window. I hope your daughter has recovered 100% and you’re both well. Over here, we have a blast of summer-like weather since Wednesday, high temps 20C (68F) and sunny, very unusual for November. I enjoyed cycling to parks and walking the nature trails. Thank you for the coffee share. Have a wonderful week!
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Thank you so much Natalie ! WOW, this are warm temps for November. We’ve had a couple cooler nights, and the days are in the upper 30’s-low 40’s now. Thank you for joining me this week. Have a great new week!
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Sounds like you’ve had an interesting week, Maria! Glad your daughter feels better. We are listing our home this week, so scurrying to finish the last of the small fixes. I’m sure you’re excited about moving to a new place. I personally wish I had less stuff but 32 years in the same house will do that. Stay well and have a good week!
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Right Terri…interesting indeed. Best of luck with all the last minute finishing touches, and selling your house. I hope your move is smooth as can be. I imagine yours is a little more intense than mine. We’ve lived less than a year in this house, a week form now we’ve actually been in Sweden for a whole year! It’s almost unreal, in some ways. Have a great new week.
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