Castle Frostbite has no air conditioning.
Castle Frostbite needs no air conditioning.
Daytime temperatures in the Upper Valley are in the high 70s and low 80s right now. Around the castle, it’s generally a few degrees cooler still, because we’re sitting mostly in the shade of the surrounding trees. Nighttime temps are in the low 50s, dipping into the 40s on occasion.
The summers and falls are perfect around here, and more than make up for the long and cold winters. Soon enough, I’ll be shoveling snow again, but for right now, I’m enjoying the benefits of our location in the upper reaches of Cryogenica. Besides, we’re facing the coming winter with a new roof and a new pellet stove, so that should take a big bite out of my overall workload.
Now I just need a paved driveway, a DSL connection, and my own wine cellar, and the place will be perfect. I figure another fifty grand should do it, tops.
13 Comments
July 15, 2009 at 9:02 am
I think a gravel driveway is a net plus in the snow. Easier to drive on but probably not as easy to clear with a snowblower.
A smooth paved surface is perfect platform for freezing rain.
July 15, 2009 at 9:11 am
Not if it’s HEATED.
July 15, 2009 at 9:36 am
Or if you have a flamethrower…
July 15, 2009 at 10:47 pm
Sure, as long as we’re planning, how about a radioisotope thermoelectric generator buried in the backyard? We’ll structure a loan so that it costs only a wee bit more than what you are going to save on electricity, and you can use the waste heat to heat the house or thaw the driveway with the pipes we’ll install underneath the pavement. The generator will be potted in concrete and buried far enough so no one can steal it or be cooked by the radiation.
July 15, 2009 at 9:14 am
I have a friend who also lives in the mountains of NH. He prefers to plow his driveway out … leaving a firm surface of snow on top of the gravel. Not so surprisingly, he also uses a wood stove for heating in the winter.
Of course, he lives in town (pop. 2,000) and has good ‘Net access.
No A/C either.
Regards.
July 15, 2009 at 5:22 pm
50 grand? No problem. That first novel should fetch that easy.
What? I can hope for you right? Does that make me a “bliss ninny”?
Joe
July 15, 2009 at 6:04 pm
Standard first novel advance at the big houses is just a little more than a tenth of that, Joe. Then the book has to earn out the advance before the author sees a penny in royalties.
Once it’s on the shelf, you fine folks can all help with the 50k part by buying my novel by the crate, of course….
July 16, 2009 at 1:19 am
Must be nice up there…we have a cold front coming through here this weekend. Supposed to get below 98.
July 16, 2009 at 7:28 am
Tomorrow’s high is supposed to be, like, 70.
July 16, 2009 at 8:54 am
Well, you make out a case for NH, Marko. How much sunlight do you get there? My wife can tolerate snow and cold okay, but the endless gloom that is the Northeast Ohio winter gets her down. It’s a factor in where I choose to go when I finish my doctorate, assuming we relocate at all.
July 16, 2009 at 6:49 pm
It depends on the year. The last two summers have been pretty rainy, but we do get our share of sunlight. The falls and winters are actually pretty bright in terms of cloudy/sunny day ratio.
July 16, 2009 at 11:11 am
I’m jealous. It’s 106 here in Oklahoma today, with a fair dose of humidity. Living without an air conditioner is just not an option. Even with the old window unit, it’s still not a lot of fun.
July 17, 2009 at 7:07 pm
We decided against installing central air in our log home in north-central PA. Now, THAT turned out to be an excellent decision! We’ve run the window AC in the bedroom twice this summer (back in MAY!) and–maybe–a dozen times all last summer.
I may not be as far north as you, but I love the Cryogenica label for the Northeast.