Timbecca Hiatus

For anyone who hasn't heard yet, Rebecca moved out of Timbecca Manor last week. She wants a "trial separation."

Tim's public thoughts can now be viewed at Tim Alone.

His private thoughts can be had by contacting him directly.

Prius Geek Report

It's now been six months since we bought our beautiful, beautiful Prius, Smuggy.







Smuggy got a new license plate in January:



Now our blog and our car have similar labels. It's one small step closer to building our Timbecca empire. I also like the new license plate because it differentiates our car from all the other silver Priuses we see driving around town.

I'm still totally smitten with the car, even though our mileage has taken a beating over the winter months. Smuggy doesn't like the cold. When I first calculated the aggregate miles per gallon the car had gotten last November, it was at 46.54. Since then, that average has slowly crept downward as the average temperature has dropped. (When it's cold out, it takes longer for the car to warm up, which negatively affects the mileage. Plus the wind is worse in the winter, and Smuggy and I hate the wind-- unless it's directly behind us, in which case we love it.) During January, I was lucky whenever I broke 40 miles per gallon on my commute to work.

As of the end of February, our aggregate mileage has fallen to 43.41. Here is a chart that shows how many MPGs I got each time I filled the car up:



As you can see, aside from the fact that I've totally geeked out over my new car, our best mileage was during September & October and the worst during December & January. Now it's starting to get better again as the weather gets warmer. Yesterday, on a trip to the tennis center, I averaged over 50 MPG for the first time in months.

Now I have yet another reason to love spring.

Although our decision to buy a Prius was not a financial one, it is worth noting that since buying Smuggy last August, we've saved an estimated (by me, of course) $676 in gas costs. That's more than two car payments out of six. So every third car payment is paid for with gas savings.

We love you, Smuggy!

I Love Weather

Throughout this winter season, I've been obsessed with the state of the pond behind our apartment. It always seems to freeze and attract wild life in strange and beautiful patterns. I first noticed it last January when it froze in a weird S-shape:



Since then, I've hauled out the camera on seven different occasions to document the pond's condition, often making me leave late for work. Here's a snowy S covered with geese:




On this clear day, most of the pond is frozen except for a ring around the edge:



Frozen pond with goose sprinkles:



Windy day. Pond is half frozen and half choppy:



And two more:




I bring this up because I got an unexpected surprise this morning. I've been sick the last four days, and missed last Friday and yesterday (Monday) from work. This morning I was feeling better and ready to get back to work. In the bathroom I heard a weather report that there would be a winter storm warning today and we might get 3-5 inches snow this evening. Hmmm, I thought, maybe we'll get a snow day tomorrow. I got showered and dressed and was eating breakfast when the phone rang. At 6:30 in the morning, the only reason our phone ever rings is that my boss is calling me to tell me that the college is closed. That was, in fact, what happened. I was confused, because this is what the pond looks like this morning:



As you can see, there is no snow. There is also no ice. Here is what the main road in front of our apartment looks like this morning:



Notice the presence of cars and the absence of any kind of inclement weather. Apparently, the weather is a lot worse down south where my college is. So after a 4-day weekend (I was weak with a slight fever and much sniffles), I get an unexpected extra day off.

I don't know what to do with myself today, hence this long-ass photo-filled blog.

UPDATE: 3 hours later, the snow has come. Here's the field in front of our house: