Well, it’s official. Our Congressional District will now be ‘represented’ by a teabagger, who appears to have won by about 700 votes or something (and she’s not even good-lookin’; at least with Michele Bachman, she may be a horrible, crazy, bitch, but at least she’s easy on the eyes). Words cannot adequately express the shame I feel, which is only mitigated by the fact that the district was severely gerrymandered years ago, and it’s really the rednecks of Wayne County (who have absofrigginlutely no business being in the same CD as we are), who put this…person into office. That’s the last goddamn bit of non-sports news I’m gonna pay attention to for the foreseeable future. Well, except for TSA gropings. And Dancing with the Stars, of course. Oh, and the upcoming Royal Wedding (did you hear? They set a date and everything, and it’s gonna be a national holiday – for the Brits, not for us, sadly – and she’s so gorgeous and elegant, and he’s so dreamy…and oh my God wouldn’t it be just freakin’ awesome if they were on Dancing with the Stars next season!).

I woke up to a snow-covered ground this morning. It shouldn’t stick around long, since it’s gonna go all the way up to 40 today (which probably means 35 out here in the sticks). I also awoke to my first utility bill in the new place (caught the guy on my surveillance camera reading the meters, so I knew it was coming), and it wasn’t too bad. Of course, we weren’t totally moved in here for the whole period (still aren’t, really), but my efforts at turning out the lights (funny thing, some of the switches must be defective, as they keep flipping up, even when there’s not a person in sight – and, do nocturnal animals like cats really need a light on? No, I didn’t think so) seem to be helping.

It’s hard to explain to some people that the cost of running those 9 watt under cabinet lights and all those LED “night” lights – that don’t ever shut off in certain parts of the house where the sun don’t shine – 24/7 really does add up (I mean, 9 watts for 24 hours a day, 365 days a year is damn near 80 KWh a year – each – about 75 of which are needless).

It’s not that I’m cheap, mind you. Hell no. It’s the environment I’m thinking about.

Of course, the gas bill is another problem, mainly due to the fact that the heating hot water is used to hear the hot water storage tank. I’d hoped to install a tankless system, but the logistics of running a gas line (normally not a big deal, but in this case, for reasons I won’t elaborate on – ‘cuz I know you don’t care) are too big of a pain. My long-term goal is to build a home-grown solar heater anyway (for at least the domestic HW – if not to at least supplement the heating hot water, too). Of course, this is all predicated on my other expenses settling down at some point, here.

I just ordered some parts for my tractor, including some steel diamond plate skid plates (that I thought about making myself, but these were fairly reasonable, come highly recommended by the tractor forum people, and are fabricated by a guy up in Canada), and I really need to order a few tons of wood pellets, too. The first mortgage payment is due in a week, and then the taxes come up in January.

I’m feeling oppressed. Good thing I have a teabagger to watch out for me now.

Speaking of expenses and stuff getting shoved in my mouth, I start the day with yet another dental appointment. They decided to schedule a “long” visit to get more done (and so the dentist has a bit more cash for Christmas – or more like Makar Sankranti or something). There must be something wrong with me, that I prefer the dentist to going to work – not that I get out of work, mind you, as I have to go there after. But it at least kills an hour or two. Maybe I can weasel some Lortabs out of him.

Jane Hamsher wants me to get all outraged over the TSA’s aggressive “pat down” (a term I frankly don’t care for) techniques. I’m sorry, Jane, but I’m all outta outrage, and I think I’m entering the “duck and cover” phase of my life. Go to work, pay my bills (and my taxes, of course; it’s not like I’m wealthy enough to deserve any breaks there), try not draw any attention to myself, and hopefully pay off the mortgage and retire with a few years of life – and a fairly complete set of teeth – still left in me.

Then I’ll set out on the front lawn with a shotgun in my zero-gravity chair and wait for these f*ckers that keep coming up my driveway to see what’s there. I’ll show ’em what’s there, by Jeebus. And what’s there is a one-way ticket to the afterlife if they don’t get the hell off my property!

But today, it’s the dentist, and then work, and then a few days off.