Picture this...

So really this entry is more of a daily update. You need to see the picture to appreciate it, but I've got these industrial strength (studio-looking) headphones on to drown out the conference call Mary is on here in the Fig T home office. I'm having to crank up the volume because they are hitting the call pretty (loud) figuring out the group presentation for her Organizational Development class. (Did I mention she aced her first grad school class?)

Just as some people can only fall asleep while listening to music or with the TV on or can study with a movie and iPod blaring...I cannot listen to music with words (though Don Henley is now playing on my awesome 80's iTunes station) while writing. So, if this is an all-over-blog tonight, you'll know why. Blame it on Henley.

The real news (ala the Onion) is what's been going on with the Green Gronseth's. We have replaced some bulbs around the house with the mega-efficient, money-saving version. I replaced a ceiling light with one that uses 1 bulb rather than two. We're trying to drive smarter. But here's the (perhaps 'dumb' as one called it) kicker: we're competing (now within our household) to see how far into the cold weather we can go before turning on the furnace. We've seen lows of 23 a few nights in the last week. And we have thus far beaten old man winter.

In fact, both of us love the colder weather. Save for the cracked skin and 4 hours of daylight, we'd much rather freeze than boil. Truly we are both Minnesotans.

The lowest the temp has dipped inside is 61. Really not that bad when you light a few candles, cook with the oven (then leave the door open when finished) and wear layers.