Wattson - energy monitor for home

I thought that the wireless monitor that came with the solar panels also could monitor your electricty usage but it actually doesn't.  Wattson, by DIYKyoto does and it's pretty cool!  Look at the video and it will tell you all about it.  And it can do it for 3 phase power too with an extra clip.

It's on sale at Neco for $199.  I think I might get one.

Here comes the sun...

I got a phone call yesterday from the guys at Energy Matters saying that they had an opening TODAY!  So if I was OK for them to come round and do the panels then they'd get started and do it.  Hell yeah!  They also told me that the inverter I wanted is not available so I have to get a replacement and they suggested 2 inverters (which apparently cost more than the original one).

So what did I have put in?  I had 14 Suntech 180W panels which are sitting nicely on the roof making it a total of 2.520kW.  The wireless monitor shows how much we're generating on a minutely basis, and it's kinda entrancing to watch it go up when the sun is out.  At the moment they only had one antennna so we're only looking at one inverters output, so basically our solar electricity generation is about double what is being shown on the monitor.

Walked outside and I can hardly see my new panels.  I did want to get a photo of them.  Well at least they're unobtrusive!

Oh and another thing they don't have the meters from the electricity company yet.  So we won't get our feedin tariffs credited.... oh well!

What a scare!

Geez, I was driving back from a friend's place and I was driving along a major road not far from home and the light was green but traffic was backed up.  The car in front of me stopped and then I hit the brakes but I wasn't going that fast anyway, but the 4WD behind me couldn't stop in time and rear ended me with a huge crash.  Julian was asleep but he woke up with a scream and I was petrified he'd been injured!

I pulled over and checked Julian, he was fine, no glass on him but the back of my car looked terrible!  Glass everywhere, boot smashed in... bullbars - they're car killers!

The driver of the other vehicle was so apologetic and was really nice about everything, asking if I was ok, and I was trying to reassure him.  He sorted out everything so quickly - I had only just gotten home and he rang me to tell me the claim number and what to do and what number to call.  I thanked him and reassured him again.

See it's not like I was doing anything wrong.  Sometimes accidents happen and there's nothing you can do about it.  But just thinking that being hit from behind and what's between me and that other car is the children...

When I got home I took out the car seats so I could put the back down and get the pram out.  Somehow the pram managed to survive unscathed.  Must be the way someone put it in.

First day back at work

First day doing work after having Julian.  Starting it off with my usual orthopaedic private list.  Only have a shoulder and a knee on it today so not too long.  I was quite worried about sleep so yesterday I hit the sack straight after playing World of Warcraft and though well Julian will be up for his feed soon...

Next thing you know I've woken up, it's dark and I look at the clock and it's 530am!  So either I slept through him crying or he slept through!  I went to his room and he was sound asleep like I left him.  After I fed him, got Erika's breakfast ready and got her up and fed her pear porridge at about 630am.  Got her done before 7 which was great because I needed to leave the house then.  Now I really have to remind myself next time not to forget:

1) Breast pump (steamed it up but forgot it in the rush out)
2) Breast pads
3) Eat breakfast and take vitamins! (did brekkie but forgot my tablets)

Thank goodness I haven't got much on today I can make it home in time to express before I leak all over the place.  I don't know why I was so blessed and had such a good night and good sleep but I am grateful.

Skinship

I came across a term today which I thought was quite nice - skinship.  In Japan and Korea, the term "skinship" is used to describe the intimacy, or closeness, between a mother and a child. Today, the word is generally used for bonding through physical contact, such as holding hands, hugging, or parents washing their child at a bath. The earliest citation of this word appears in Nihon Kokugo Daijiten in 1971. (from Wikipedia)

Of course this could be from bonding through other things like baby wearing, co-sleeping, or baby  massage!