Boy, it's been a while since I've posted here. We have had a good winter, and really enjoyed the Holidays in our new home. Loralee is doing very well with the pregnancy; a lot of our time has been taken up with preparing the nursury, exploring baby names, and mentally preparing for the next big adventure.
Last week, we got one heck of a Nor'Easter on Valentines day. The biggest storm in a decade dumped 30 inches of snow on the Northeast Kingdom; we have been wanting snow, but were'nt expecting it all at once! The snowbanks and drifts remind me of my childhood growing up here, and we have been enjoying getting out- snowshoeing, x-c skiing, etc.
As far as the house goes, we have really settled in and love it more every day. I am amazed at how warm it stays, and how important all the south-facing windows are for passive solar energy. The Masonry Heater is excellent, and we have found that by lighting two fires a day when the thermometer drops to bitter sub-zero readings, we still stay nice and cozy.
On a very positive note, our Efficiency Vermont report came back, and our home qualifies as a "Five-Star-Plus" rated home! This is the highest level of energy star rating you can get; we recieved a certificate from the State, which I need to register with our Deed at the Town Clerk's office. It doesn't really mean much, aside from the comfort of knowing that we aren't killing ourselves trying to heat the place, but it gives us something to brag about at cocktail parties.
