Shutters!

Just came back from the annual meeting of the Homeowners Association for our building.  Took two and half hours, but I think the key things I took away from the meeting are:  (1)  Dues will go up (not a surprise); (2)  There'll probably be a special assessment (also not a surprise); (3) I again dodged the bullet and did not get drafted for the Board (yay); and ... and this is the big one ... I can get shutters!

See... I have a HUGE window in my bedroom.  It makes it really cold in my bedroom.  (I'm not entirely on top of the physics here, but it has something to do with the difference between a thin pane of glass and a thick chunk of wall.)  Now, I've spent the past couple of years trying to convince the Association to let me put in new windows.  Maybe something double-paned.  Or something that, at least, actually fits solidly into the wall without letting the cold air in.

This plan has not gone well.  It's part of the whole "community living" thing.  I can't get a window that looks different from anybody else's window -- and there's only so much you can do with a new window if you have to jam it into the current frame.

So, for the past couple of years, I've just kept a space heater in my bedroom right under the window.  And complained about it.

The other day I finally realized I could approach the problem the other way.  Rather than trying to replace the WINDOW, why not just put in a window covering that's rather more insulating.  Like, say, shutters.  I thought I'd bring this up at the board meeting.  I'd need permission, because somewhere in our rules it says "horizontal blinds" or something.

As luck would have it, someone else actually raised the issue.  And we talked about how shutters don't look so different 'cause they don't mess with the "line" of horizontal blinds, and how they actually increase the value of a home, and how we can get them in a similar color to the blinds, ... and next thing you know, I have everyone's blessing to go out and get me some nice, warm, cozy shutters.

(How fascinating was that?  Man, what a letdown from the zorb story, eh?)