Well, waddaya know.

I was at my parents house yesterday and my mother hands me a brochure they picked up at the home show on Friday. For a tankless water heater. She said she picked it up for me because she knew I was thinking of getting one (whereas my Dad said he already knew I had one). I told her I already had one but it wasn't a Rinnai. Apparently she and my Dad are thinking of getting one when their current hot water heater goes. But it's fairly new so it won't be soon. I told her when they do, to talk to me first.

Then the bombshell. They're also thinking of putting a PV array on the roof. She talked about tax credits and rebates and I told her I did that last summer and they should have done it last year. I also told her to talk to me first before doing anything and NOT to go with Borrego Solar.

She wants to do other things. Like replace the windows. She'd love to get my Dad a hot tub for his back. I told her that she should put up solar water on the garage roof for that.

And she talked about the necessity of winning the lottery to do everything they'd like to do.

But the point is that my parents (who are both 78) are not tree huggers. They are not first at anything involving new technology or anything "green". They only started recycling years after I did and aren't aggressive about it. It's only because you can get money for it and the city provides blue cans if you don't want to be bothered taking it to the recycler. The only conserving they do is when it directly affects them....like high monthly bills.

So....I have hopes that in a few years when they decide to get rid of the Caddy they'll consider a hybrid. Maybe even a Prius since they know I get good mileage and haven't had any problems with the car.

 

No. More like I'd have to sell my house and move in with them.

They have always looked at how to save. My Father is a child of the depression in the U.S. My Mother lived through WWII in Germany.

They've always had a vegetable garden and fruit trees. It's just now it's not a luxury hobby anymore....it's a practicality. Soon it will be a necessity.

They have more land than I do so I get some of my fruit from them in season. I fear when my Dad dies my Mom will sell everything. Of course, that's her right. And she'll be fine in a little condo. But I don't have the land to recreate what they have so I'll be doing without when the price of fruits and vegetables goes sky high.

I don't consider myself a tree-hugger. I think of myself as seeing the writing on the wall a bit sooner than the average person and planning accordingly. That's why I put PV on my roof last year.

I have a lemon tree. I put in apricot, lime, orange and tangerine this year. Also two columnal apple trees in large pots. I'll be putting in another apricot next year. Underneath and between go herbs and vegetables. I'll probably be expanding the vegetables to the flower beds next year.

Maybe I'll give them a Wormtopia for Christmas.

 

There's self interest and there's self-less interest.

What my parents are proposing to do is in their self interest. The fact that it also benefits the earth is a by product.

I did what I did for both self interest AND to benefit the earth.

Neither of us are doing anything out of self-less benefit to the earth with no benefit to us.

BTW when fruit and vegetables are in season, my parents put a basket of the excess out on the driveway so people who are walking the cul de sac can take what they want for free. They don't do this for self-less interest but because it's being a good neighbor and they were brought up that way. Another reason I'd like to keep the "family estate" in the family....to continue the tradition.

 

My Dad has already had 2 heart attacks. The first we don't know about, they just said he had scar tissue from a previous heart attack when they tested him when he had the only heart attack we know about.

He has 90% blockage of his arteries. He should have had bypass surgery 10 years ago but was afraid because my Uncle Cutchie had bypass surgery and then died two weeks later.

He also smokes. At least one cigar a day. Still. He's cut back but won't stop completely.

Lately he's been diagnosed with an abdominal aneurysm. It was discovered when he had an MRI for his back. Too small for operating so they're just going to watch it every few months. I'm sure the aneurysm is a result of the heart medication he takes.

Now his back hurts so much he has agreed to back surgery. So they're going to operate on his back in May. My Mother is looking at the week of May 18. This is so he has enough time to recover for my nephew's graduation.

But I see it differently. I see it as very risky surgery and that there is a good chance my Dad isn't going to recover from the surgery. In fact, he may die on the table. I think it's irresponsible to do back surgery on a 78 year old man with 90% blockage to his heart, a history of two heart attacks, an abdominal aneurysm and who still smokes.

Do you think my Mom has a better chance of outliving my Dad?

 

It's too late for angioplasty and a stint. It's not just one artery. They're all blocked except for one. Blocked so much a stint won't help. This according to my mother. He needs bypass surgery. Probably quadruple. And when the abdominal aneurysm gets big enough, that will need to be taken care of too. Ten years ago I was told "he's too young" for bypass surgery. I'll bet the story I get now is "he's too old". He sees the cardiologist on May 14 for whatever tests need to happen before the back surgery is scheduled. (I'm thinking no matter what, it isn't going to happen the week of May 18.) I wish one of his doctor's will grow a pair and tell him point blank what he needs to do if he wants to live. No more denial cr@p. He needs someone to talk to him like a grown up, not just pander to his wishes. Here's some background to his mindset. He had an abcessed tooth and needed a root canal and a crown. But they couldn't do it while it was infected. So he was given meds. Infection cleared up. The tooth didn't hurt. So he didn't go back to the dentist. Eventually the tooth acted up again and hurt. He goes back. Meds. Clears up. Doesn't hurt. He doesn't go back. The third time this happened my Mother put her foot down and told him THIS time he's getting the tooth done. And he did. But my Mother isn't in a position to tell him anything about the surgery because either the doctors aren't telling her the truth or she is just too scared to make the connections and force my Dad herself. Whatever happens there isn't going to be any malpractice lawsuit involved because my Dad has made all of the decisions for himself. He chose not to have bypass surgery 10 years ago. He chose not to do anything about his back until it was too late for a non-invasive procedure. And he's chosen to continue to smoke. The only thing he does right is take his meds and do his treadmill every morning.

 

Do a search on Priuschat of the six months of hell they put me through installing a "3 day job".

 

Let us say they had no idea who they were dealing with. I have a master's degree (two now) and have taught Junior High for over 20 years. I can make my point without raising my voice or using any unacceptable language. And it will be worse than twisting the knife AND adding salt. I made them feel this big.

(When I get that way my friends on the Highlander forum refer to it as "getting naked", referring to my handle.)

My parents are getting their first quote tomorrow. I'll make sure the same thing doesn't happen to them.

 

It's all about the audience. I knew who I was dealing with. And I could use my vast vocabulary to pick just the right word and sentence structure to really bite. And it was a real advantage speaking right after the inspector stood there and went over each failing point and giving them a few rebuking zingers of his own. In the end, I think they were just tired and beaten and wanted the job over. They didn't even argue about the second meter location. They had the electrician do the work and paid for it all.

I will say my years as a junior high teacher did come in handy. It's not just the words, but the inflection, facial features and even body language. I've had a little theater training too...to help with pacing and delivery.

I also documented the hell out of them.

They really had no idea who they were dealing with.