Long Long Ago

We watched Star Wars Episodes I, II, and III over the course of several weeks (we don't often take the time to watch a full movie in one sitting). I had previously long ago seen the first and part of the third. But it was like watching them for the first time. It is interesting to watch a movie knowing how it has to end (because I have seen the other six movies), but not remembering the whole plot. I also find it interesting that as time passed and the movie writers changed, the stories of each trilogy have a different feel. There are certain explanations and plot-changing character features that come and go as convenient. Like how some characters show impressive fighting in some movies but are passive in others (R2D2). How the Force works - sometimes healing, sometimes causing immaculate conception, sometimes having a diad, sometimes being inherited. How do the sith choose to use lightning fingers vs fight with a light saber? Why are interplanetary voyages so casually accomplished? This galaxy so long ago is very advanced. Even with some questions I have about the hows and whys, I still find the story entertaining. I am intrigued enough that I might read the books by George Lucas.

Water Heater

We recently replaced our early '90s standard gas water heater with a tankless water heater. The old water heater was still working, but we decided it would be wise to update it at our own convenience instead of waiting for the inevitable day when it would have died. All the plumbers who came to give an estimate were surprised to see the water heater still functioning. We chose tankless mainly so we could install it in the crawlspace of our small home to save some space. Tankless cost more, but we'll get some rebates from the gas company, and we should save on our gas bill. If we had chosen to upgrade our old water heater to a similar style in the same place, it was still going to be pricey because there was some work needed to get it up to code. 

Here is my review of tankless so far: 

Pros: 
The extra space in our laundry/pantry has been wonderful! We'll actually be able to move our clothes dryer into the space next to the washer (where the water heater once was), which will make our laundry setup much more sensible. 

We feel efficient, and we must be saving a lot of gas because the water heater only heats on demand. We aren't using energy to heat our water overnight while we sleep or when we are not home.

We have endless hot water! Previously, one person couldn't shower right after another, and I couldn't fill up a bath for our daughter right after washing a lot of dishes. The bath water would soon start to run cold. We had to be strategic and allow about 15 minutes between ending one hot water activity and beginning another.

Cons:
Heat fluctuates a bit if using multiple hot water appliances. For example, if both showers are going at the same time, the heat will fluctuate when the other person turns on or off the shower. Once both showers are running consistently, the temperature evens out. For this reason, we still don't run the washing machine while showering.

I waste water. It takes longer to get hot water going, especially first thing in the morning. Since cold water triggers my Raynaud's, I strongly prefer to wash my hands in warm water. I have to run it for at least 30 seconds to get warm water for hand washing. That's even longer than the 20 seconds it would take to actually wash my hands. A shower can be as long as I want because I'll never have to worry about finishing before the hot water runs. I'll never get the lukewarm warning that I've been in the shower for too long. 

My hands after cold water

There have been some tradeoffs, but overall, we are happy with our decision. 

Shopping Near Case Lot When Hungry

Aaron:

Comes home from shopping. 

        "I'm sorry about how much I teased you about the chocolate chips."

Leaves.

Me last week

Aaron today

Cleanest Floor Ever

Flashback to 3 years ago:

Aaron's coworker was discarding an old Roomba. Instead of tossing it in the trash, he let Aaron keep it. Aaron, who is resourceful and enjoys tinkering with electronics, repaired it. We used it ever since, mainly to sweep the kitchen and bathrooms. It was an older model, and it wouldn't handle carpet. 

↠↠↠↠↠↠

When our old Roomba was failing last year - for at least the second time in its life - we knew we wanted a replacement. We planned to spend the money for a nice one. We found a good Black Friday deal. It works very well. We have been so pleased with it! It handles all the floors in our house. I have been surprised at how much debris is in the collection bin, even when it vacuums every day. 

Our daughter loved our old Roomba. Roomba was one of her first words. Now she loves our new vacuum. We named it Norbert. 

Pros: It just happens. It entertains our daughter. Our floor gets cleaned a lot more often than if I do it myself (sometimes more than once a day). It saves time. Our house stays neater because we try to keep clutter away so it will have a clear path. Coming home to fresh vacuum lines is so nice.

Cons: The cost, especially if you want all the "bells and whistles" available (but there are a lot of options on the market, so its possible to find one that fits your budget). It does take longer to vacuum/sweep than it would take me, so if you need a quick job a traditional vacuum might be better. Sometimes it makes sensing errors or gets confused by objects. 

Robotic vacuums have come a long way in the last few years, and we highly recommend getting/saving for one. 

Old Roomba