![\"DSCN4346\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lh4.ggpht.com\/-aqQ4TotaNAI\/ULKPgvunbuI\/AAAAAAAAKPw\/G5nan_CuD8E\/s1600-h\/DSCN4346%25255B3%25255D.jpg\" "\\"DSCN4346\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nHelen helped me give it some more character the next day:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n He started slowly tipping over, despite my encouragement to remain straight and strong:<\/p>\n But snowmen age a bit faster than the rest of us:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Even Irena\u2019s mannequin was worried about him:<\/p>\n He eventually called it a good life, about about 1 hour after I took this photo:<\/p>\n And about 1 second before I took this photo \u2026. 1 SECOND! Ah for a slightly faster camera. He was impossibly horizontal!<\/p>\n And for completeness, 1 week later:<\/p>\n We had a fun Thanksgiving. Boris shared with us the joys of cooking Salmon with Pomegranate seeds:<\/p>\n Along with lots of other good food:<\/p>\n Noah and Inna, a friend from NY, flew in for a few days. Here Noah is trying to figure out why a bird (on the deck chair) constantly perches on our deck and periodically and deliberately flies into our window:<\/p>\n Our leading theory was he was being territorial and trying to scare away the competition, which looks remarkably like him. We solved the problem by sitting a stuffed gorilla where he normally perched. <\/p>\n The rest of our curtains arrive next week. To prep for them, I bought a 26\u2019 multi-function ladder and strung the wiring to supply power to the motors:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In the mean time, I\u2019ve been playing with another project. We have been enjoying our hot tub:<\/p>\n But feeling a bit guilty about the energy use. So I researched the best way to leverage solar energy to heat water in cold temperatures. Turns out to be evacuated solar tubes:<\/p>\n http:\/\/www.solarpanelsplus.com\/evacuated-tube-collectors<\/a><\/p>\n Invented in the US, but popularized and affordable-ized in China. Initially I ordered a set from China, but shipping 2xed the cost, and required a \u201cslow boat\u201d. So I found a state side supplier:<\/p>\n Got so excited, I assembled it in our kitchen before I figured out I couldn\u2019t move it down the stairs:<\/p>\n So I dis-assembled, moved, and re-assembled:<\/p>\n I currently have it jury-rigged, testing out how well they work, deciding where to put them and if 16 tubes is enough:<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n