Laxie Goes Primetime

[boldie]

I wasn't born yet either when it first came out. 

WP

[Laxie]

Finally got the Christmas cards done!  YAY!!!    

2008 was the last time I wrote out cards.  It took a week's worth of motivation to get them done this time.  The last couple of years I just didn't feel like writing them.  It sent the message that all was well when it wasn't.  I've two extremes.  Either go out with all guns blazing or say nothing if you can't say something nice.  For a couple of years I opted for saying nothing...and doing nothing.

But a new year and a happy new phase in life means time to cop on and get back into the little things like writing cards.  It was difficult trying to decide what was correct protocol for the cards going to Ireland.  I've always adored Tim's father and didn't want to ignore him.  There were other tricky issues as well, but Jack and Ger guided me a bit and hopefully all was done properly.  I don't want aggro and don't want to cause it for them.  The American cards weren't much easier.  Fingers crossed.  Just glad it's done now.     

[Laxie]

Had a lovely birthday last week.  Didn't expect anything because we'd just been to Vegas and I'd got the bracelet out there as well.  To me that was birthday/Christmas and anything else already more than sorted.  Anyway, we'd a lovely time of it and a few surprises landed as well.  Spoiled much?  Sigh.  Dunno what I've done to deserve the last 8 months, but must have been a good 'un.

[Laxie]

Christmas is coming and so are Ger, Joobs and Adam.  Jack's always been used to spending a quiet day of it on his own, but then I landed.  Unlucky Jack.  lol  The crew land on Christmas Eve and will be here for a couple of days.  Really looking forward to it too! 

We went about putting up Jack's tree last week-end, only to discover he'd thrown it and all the lights/decorations out - years ago.  Off to the shops.  One tree, lights and many decorations later - we've the start of a decorated house.  I don't mind that kind of shopping. 

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Click to see full-size image.

One for the tilted...

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[Laxie]

Just occurred to me looking at those pics...I've not posted the 'before and afters' of the lounge.  Will take the 'after' pics tomorrow and do a proper run of posts covering it, but the rugby's on the telly right now and I don't want to disturb the Lads watching it.

Pity Roy doesn't feel the same way.     He's the delivery guy dropping some furniture to us in 30 minutes and he just phoned to confirm.  Roy's obviously not a rugby fan.

[Laxie]

It's been a busy day!  We woke at 7:30 this morning and the solar panel guys landed at 8:00.  Well, they parked a few doors down and had a bit of a conference for themselves.  Then they drove away.  Apparently they were worried it was a bit early to be sawing and pounding on a Sunday morning.  They were right.  Just surprised the thought occurred to them.  Anyway, they returned around 8:30 (still a bit early, but never mind) and got down to it.  They were done and dusted by around 1:30 and Jack's been like a giddy kid since, checking out all the new monitors and stuff. 

It's a good thing he scraped the roof tiles clean yesterday.  Otherwise they'd probably still be here.  Whatever about fiddlers on the roof, we needed a gardener...

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Our neighbour Whelley helped Jack out a bit

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And in no time, the job was done...

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Click to see full-size image.

[Laxie]

A few solar panels later, we'll be cutting our electric bill a fair bit from now on...

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Just need the scaffolding guys to come back and remove their stuff and then we're done with the garden until spring.

[Laxie]

Actually, that's not true.  We're not officially done until Jack replaces the five tiles he and all the Lads broke over the past few days.  Final count was Jack - 2, Whelley - 2 and solar panel crowd - 1.  Men.  Why is it so difficult for them to be careful?!

[RED-DOG]

A few solar panels later, we'll be cutting our electric bill a fair bit from now on...

Click to see full-size image.

Just need the scaffolding guys to come back and remove their stuff and then we're done with the garden until spring.

Cosmic!

[celtic]

How much do solar panels cost please?

can pm if you prefer.

[Laxie]

How much do solar panels cost please?

can pm if you prefer.

Nothing.  Nada.  Zip.  Zero.  Not a single red cent. 

It's some scheme between the solar panel crowds and the electric crowd.  Basically, the solar crowd 'rent' your roof space for 25 years.  You get whatever electric you generate during the day (provided you're home to use it) and they get anything extra.  They collect X amount from the electric crowd for the extra and we get much cheaper electric.  Everyone's a happy winner. 

[nirvana]

I'd probably clad the whole house

[Laxie]

A side note about the solar panels...

Up to recently, they were happy to install just about anywhere for free.  They were getting 43p per kWh from each roof.  But with the boom in solar panels, the government got a bit cross with the solar crowd for making so much money.  With that, from December 12th all new installs will see the payment reduced to 21p per kWh.  Hence their wanting to complete ours today. 

From tomorrow on, you'll have to have a totally south facing roof or you'll be refused.  Apparently some of the solar panel crowds are considering an install charge to home owners as well, but not sure if that's true or how much it'll be.

A pity.  They offer an incentive for everyone to go 'green' but they don't like to see it actually benefit anyone.  Go figure.

[Laxie]

I'd probably clad the whole house

It takes a while to go from enquiry to install.  First you express interest and give them your address.  They search for your house on google maps before they'll even get back to you.  They check out the angle of your roof and which direction it's facing and decide whether they'll look into it further - all from google maps.  Modern technology making life easy.

If they're happy enough, they send out a surveyor to inspect your roof and attic.  If the surveyor is happy enough with those, he'll suggest an install to head office.  He decides how many panels you'll get as well.  After that, you've another rep who turns up with all the paperwork including the 'lease'.  Another while later (weeks), a scaffolding crowd turns up and the panel installers land a few days later. 

We were lucky because they were under pressure to get a bunch done before December 12th.  We'd first enquired in late October.  Now the pressure's off, it could take a goodly bit longer for new installs.

[Laxie]

Before we went to Vegas, I tortured Jack with a Twilight filled Sunday.  The new one in the series was due out in the cinema while we were away and I was really looking forward to seeing it when we returned.  It would be my first time seeing one of them on release...and not months later on DVD.  Only catch being Jack hadn't watched the first three.  Never fear.  I brought all three DVD's over with me from Ireland.  How good does he run?