It’s been several weeks since my new windows were installed, but finally I have a picture for you here of the best feature of these windows: they OPEN! As I type this, 9 of the 12 windows in the house are wide open, and it’s a beautiful thing! This particular picture is the view from my desk. The kids’ computers are in front of me, one on either side, so I can keep an eye on what they’re doing online (no, there are no computers in the bedrooms in this house!) As you can see, it’s a gorgeous, sunny morning here.

What you can’t see (or feel) is that it is only 63 degrees out in that beautiful sunshine, which means the house (which had the windows open all night) is playing catch up. It’s 59 inside the house right now. And yes, I’m sitting here in a sweatshirt, sweatpants and socks – enjoying the extra lovely warmth of my French Vanilla coffee.

You might think it a bit freakish of me to allow the temperature inside the house to get so low – but 1) I warned you I would have the windows open once they were installed and 2) I refuse to let one iota of this lovely cool weather to escape me because….August is coming. Plus, I’m experimenting with the windows and climate control in the house.

You see, last week we had a day where it hit 90 degrees, and everyone I know had their A/C on – but not me. Those windows you’re looking at face south, and without trees on my side of the street, we bear the brunt of the afternoon sun. There is another pair of these windows about 4 feet to the left of what’s pictured here, so the living room/office part of the house heats up in the afternoon – severely. Or…let me correct that – used to. These babies are insulated. See the grid in them? That’s on the INSIDE of two panes of glass – so cleaning is a breeze. More to the point – they really do keep heat and cold OUT. Even without curtains, the living room/office was not sticky-hot that afternoon last week. (Yes, there will be curtains up there before the monster heat of summer kicks in.)

So, if I’m going to be away for the day, I simply close the windows on the front of the house before I go. I leave the windows on the back of the house open, because the backyard is shaded and is significantly cooler. The house ‘breathes’ all day long with cool air from the backyard, while the warmer air from the front yard doesn’t make it in.

Yesterday morning it was C-O-L-D in the house – it got down into the 40’s Saturday night. But since Second Son and I were the only ones home (PDD had spent the night at her dad’s), it was fine. We both like the cold. Amazingly, the house stayed cool all day long, even though it got up to 80 outside and even though I had the oven going in the afternoon. Best of all – I have not had the furnace OR the A/C on since the windows were installed back in March. So you know what that means – lower electric and lower gas bills. In all previous years, we’ve had the A/C on long before now. Plus, I like the idea of living just a tad ‘greener’ letting Mother Nature help with climate control.

The challenge now becomes: how long can I go without turning on the A/C?? I will be curious to see…