Snowy days and critter tracks

 The snow is pretty. If it has to be cold, the snow cover is lovely. We have escaped much of the freezing rain of yesteryears! 

I've not had much luck with trailcams. This one, #3, has an internal battery. It's not going to recharge without getting some sunshine!

This is trailcam #2. I could not remember where the heck I'd set it up!  No wonder I couldn't see it.

After I'd plowed the driveway, twice in one week, I spotted coyote tracks going along the drive. This was the day we had rain, followed by the snow. I could see tracks in the 5 cm of snow, on my first pass down the driveway. They'd been filled in and covered with snow. When I removed it, their tracks stuck in the frozen rain water.  

The oak tree still has its leaves. They should shed them during January and February.

The front step I usually do first. As with the coyote tracks, the cottontails tracks are there, as well. Just not on my camera. 

We were down to 25% propane in the tanks, according to the meter. 

It's been cold, and I have not made many fires. When the girls were here, they kept it going for warmth in the basement. I was happy to hear the truck backing up our 100m driveway. Mike is a happy man. I showed him where I'd trod a path with my snowshoes in preparation for  propane delivery. Mind you, that was 10 cm ago. Sadly, he was tall, and had to duck under the chestnut branches through knee-deep snow. I apologised. He wasn't worried, with his big boots!

The trailcam was placed at the end of the driveway. You saw the coyote tracks↑ from the other day, I was so excited, bringing the camera indoors to both warm up and check its batteries.

The critters often use the driveway. I know this. It's just so much fun watching them. They take the path that is easier to walk, for the most part. 

Our Vancouver family was busy doing errands. It is difficult catching up with them with the 3-hour time difference! I did get a lovely voicemail from Bryony, or Cluny, it was hard to tell!

Our Ottawa family is doing well. They've rented a hot tub for the month of January! They were out walking at the conservation area, and fed the birds. 

This is Josephine's photo from her iPhoto account! It is so iconic. 

There is a propane shortage in SE Ontario, Canada

Hooray - we're full again!

Right now, mostly in southeastern Ontario. It's a bit worrisome. That said, we had propane delivered yesterday, and they were filled to the top. We were only down to about 54% of our tanks. I was rather relieved, although we do have a wood insert in our fireplace and lots of wood. I've been religious about keeping a fire on those really cold days. It's darn fine exercise, too! An excellent plank in my weight loss resolution program. (I'm down 3k after eating my way through the fall!)

Hurray! A propane fill-up

When we bought the house, we had it converted from oil to propane, which is the only alternative in rural Ontario. Natural Gas isn't an option outside the city. I'm happy we did. There were horror stories about old oil tanks leaking, totally polluting the ground and groundwater, and homes being condemned.  I had my parent's home converted back in 2006. They had electric heat. It was an interesting process. Our 2nd hand tanks had a leak, at one point. The company in Bala replaced the tanks, but it wasn't easy in cottage country! I had fun making videos of the process.

Why the propane shortage?

EON News reports:
Prices will rise due to a shortage, and that many tanks will not be filled to capacity. The issue arose in the summer, when farmers in the US used propane to dry out their corn crops.

"Much of the crop was still wet and needed to be run through propane powered dryers to avoid spoilage, creating a surge in demand for the fuel."

Midwest propane prices rise as cold snap holds on | The Argus ... 

The 1,900-mile Cochin pipeline carries propane southeastward from Canada.

Another factor was that the Cochin Pipeline system had maintenance done, which reduced supplies in the summer. This press release in June: Propane Supply to Remain Secure after Refinery Closure certainly isn't comforting after the fact, which is obviously wrong!

There has been some CBC radio fuss about one company, Levac Propane, which told Ottawa radio station CFRA that they had shortages. I chalked it down to one customer, but it has hit the news elsewhere and the comments on news items are telling (see below). They found someone in Mallorytown, with MS, who was wrestling with Levac and was totally out of propane. (People with MS need to keep warm.) Sometimes you wonder if it's an outlier, what with Media and all! Finally, they have checked in with experts, who believe that the shortage is real and will last until March, especially if low temperatures continue.

gas delivery

Listening to Dan McTeague, an energy expert on gas prices, he confirmed this information. What irks some is that in the US companies must comply with posting propane reserve amounts, but Canada doesn't have a similar law. Perhaps due to the Back Off Government notion of some citizens and businesses in Canada.

The Canadian Propane Association issued a news release Friday, saying that "due to early and sustained colder than normal winter temperatures, some propane retailers in certain areas of Ontario and Quebec are experiencing delays."

Good old days

Comments on a news report:

• This is our second winter with Levac after changing from oil to propane after so much pressure from our insurance company...we were used to having very good service from MacEwan's so we were pretty shocked and pissed off to be the victims of such shoddy service from Levacs. We ALWAYS have to call for a fill-up..the last time we were waiting for 2 or 3 days and our tanks were getting VERY low. My husband SAW the truck drive right by..he's more mild mannered than me and said they'd probably come back shortly. I was convinced they wouldn't so I got on the phone and demanded an explanation. The person I spoke to said she call and tell him to come back..and 2 hours or so later, he did. Lucky for them! Our tanks aren't as low yet as that time but we already have a call in ...let's hope they show up ..the funny thing is that 3 weeks ago or so, my sister ran out of propane and was left in the cold for 2 days. The explanation they gave her was that they were short on drivers?? Nothing mentioned about a propane shortage..It's starting to smell pretty bad and fishy...so many excuses ..and so many unhappy customers...
• I can understand a shortage,but your people on the phones are rude & need a coarse (sic) in manners. My father is 86 years old. When he told the supplier he could not stand this kind of stress. The man said he did not care even if he was 106. What on earth is wrong with your customer service??? This may have cost you at least 10 other people that I know of, to switch to a different company. My household included. A supply shortage will not be the only reason you are loosing business.
• It's funny that Levac is the only company having problems with delivery. Their customer service is beyond horrible and they have left numerous people without heat. This is them trying to cover themselves. Maybe this story should be investigated a bit more.
• Well I have been without Propane since noon yesterday. I continue to get promises of delivery from Levac which never comes. I am normally on automatic delivery and have always paid my bill when I receive it on delivery day. I have spoken to another supplier who has NO SHORTAGE because they purchased their annual quota's some time ago. I will survive this cold right now but Levac's may not! I am switching as soon as possible and I encourage others to do the same. It is the only recourse for such poor service.
• We have been out of propane for 4 days now. Luckily we have a woodstove. What bothers me is that for 4 days we have tried to reach Levac to no avail. We have tried every Phone number available . Even calling their partner company in Maxville Ont for answers. They tried to reach them too and nothing. I also sent faxes that were not even acknowledged. That is the part that left a bitter taste in my mouth. We have another company coming to remove their tank and install new ones. Thanks for the horrible customer service Levac. You certainly have handled this CRISIS and that is what it is to people with no heat very POORLY......

Tankless water heater update

Picture this...for a week your hot water was tepid, hubby notices (long showers?). You do research on tankless water heaters, phone a company, get a quote= $3300, to remove the old, rusty hot water tank and put in a propane tankless water heater. It is wonderful. I love it. I am VERY conscious about using hot water!

You feel good about this.
In a week, the Bracebridge company has the new tank. You go another week with NO HOT WATER. You know, with Haiti's and Chile's earthquakes, that you cannot complain. You don't. Washing your hair in cold water, from the tap, having sponge baths from heated kettle water, for many is a luxury.

In two weeks, you have a date of installment, they arrive with the tank, you have a heckuva time as they realize that the propane tanks leaked, and had to be replaced.

You see, propane tankless heated water is more efficient than electric heated water. You have propane onsite, for the new furnace you put in the weekend your mother was dying. You saved the environment, spending thousands of dollars, but this is before the new program, for which we didn't qualify as it predates this program (May 12, 2006 - Mother's Day weekend!)

It makes sense to install this new heater for us. It takes up less space, it is more efficient. With only one bedroom upstairs most of the water is heated and piped to the main floor from the basement, meaning you are not running heated water, except for morning ablutions, to the distant 2nd floor.

Oh, says Ottawa Green Party Candidate (S-I-L), you can get money back from the government for installing this efficient system. After phoning the company in Orillia (the closest to us in Muskoka) that does this Energy Assessment, they explained that they will charge us $349, plus GST 14 %, to do the assessment. Fortunately, they do not charge mileage, like all the other contractors in Muskoka! Orillia is an hour away.

The government rebate for this is $150,  therefore of the $390 assessment, - 150 = $240, have to have the  inspection done. We will get back $325 from the prov, plus, $325 from the Federal government.

The catch: even, with a former business manager husband to interpret the detail on the government website, you realize, after phoning the 10 places that do this Preinstallment Survey, that you needed to have the survey done before you had the tank installed. Two weeks without hot water, maybe it could have been done if we'd known. But we only knew that we needed a new tank, toute de suite. So no Ontario or Federal rebate.

Tricky work amongst Muskoka trees

Firstly, we ordered a tankless water heater. The old hot water tank was leaking. We were taking tepid showers, then cold showers, then I would simply wash my hair in the cold water in the tub. BRRRRRR!!!! (With folks in trouble in the earthquake in Haiti, I cannot complain!)

The new propane, tankless heater arrived. It was installed, with much installation of pipes and uninstallation of the old, rusty tank.  The old one removed and taken to metal heaven. 

From son-in-law, Green Party Candidate:
Jean-Luc Cooke http://www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca/residential/personal/retrofit-homes/retrofit-qualify-grant.cfm

$315 from the feds, plus $315 from ontario for installing this.
All is good.

Except, our crew found that our propane tanks, which primarily heat our house, had leaks. Toute de suite, Brian phoned Superior Propane at 3 p.m.,  in an hour someone was here. (I was out working with my Hospice Client!)


The new person checked the tanks, yes, a leak, ordered some one in to plow the neighour's driveway and a 1/2 hour later (where the truck was going to work) the driveway was redone.

Paul was brilliant. Firstly, backing the truck down the neighbour's driveway. (It is partly hers, partly the municipality. )  This is our view from our living room window.

This is how you take away a propane tank in Muskoka. 
Next, the arm had to bo through the two trees, swinging a 75% full tank.

Jim arrived, and unhooked the old tanks, unplugged the new hot water tank (I still hadn't had a shower yet!) and Paul picked up the old tank with his hydraulic arm. 
  
He said it took him awhile, when first hired, to master the fanny pack of buttons.

I tell you. This retirement life is never boring. Here is the first of the new tanks. "Here, catch!"

This was all finished by 9:15 in the morning, as the ground gets pretty mushy as the warm sun heats the land.

I did a workout.

We took the cats for a walk on the lake,

and I had a wonderful, hot shower!

Here is the video of the removal.

This was a delivery of new propane tanks. What a time we've had. No hot water for two weeks, then the old tanks had a leak. Superior was there the next day. Good job, all.