Energy Efficiency Update

I've collected three months of data since we finished the improvements to the house in Anchorage and it looks like we've cut our heating bill by at least 50%. The results of the post upgrades efficiency audit confirmed this yesterday and I'm happy to announce this 42 year old house is now rated 4.5 stars. Thanks to Alaska Housing's "Home Energy Rebate Program" and sweat we put into doing it ourselves the savings on gas is basically a perpetual 25% ROI on our net cost! If I could get that on all my investments I'd retire for good.

Unrelated sunset photos that I like but don't think fit with my next planned post any better:

The frozen Matanuska River. 

The frozen confluence of King River and the Matanuska. 

Tracks in Grantville, KS.

Denali Sunset

From 30,000 feet on the south side:

And 20,000 feet on the north side:

Spring Fever

I really didn't expect to get spring fever in January living in Alaska. If we would have had more than seven hours of daylight in Anchorage Friday, I would have thought it was April already. 

Seriously? 

Water running down my ice covered street at 7AM. 

The street in front of work is pretty much one big puddle. 

I keep hearing about a "polar vortex", which sounds like a term the 24/7 news invented to make the weather more exciting. Apparently it means that spring breakup arrives three months early and gives me spring fever.