Our compost hot water system

Here's a video playlist outlining my compost hot water system so far:




This all stems from a Frenchman named Jean Pain. I discovered Jean Pain's composting method back in 2008 while browsing for info on composting toilet systems. All that existed then was a single article in the Readers Digest from 1982. So I started a Wikipedia article, defended the notability challenges, negotiated copyrights for images of Jean Pain, and watched it grow from there. A few months later, Youtube user TaranikiFarm copied and uploaded the 1980s documentary, The Power of Compost, focusing on Jean Pain's method, made back in the early 80s as well. Jean Pain drew 18 months of energy from his large compost pile. Heating and gas, 100% of his energy needs, including his truck and machines!

Now, clearly such a method is not for everyone, but it is for me. Energy rates in parts of Australia are expected to rise over 60% in the next 3 years, and I don't intend to be left out in the cold as energy poor either. My outspokeness and impatience with work always gives me a sense of precarity in regards to income, so I think its a good idea to skill up on alternative living. Besides that, its just good fun :)

Next step, getting methane gas from it for cooking...

Australian backcountry skiing

Sunshine, Eve and I took a drive up to Guthega on the weekend, to scope out a ski trip for when the snow falls. Inspired!

Lots of people scoff at the idea of Australian skiing. Personally I like it more than anywhere.

Wikipedia has a great article on skiing in Australia, and check out my little map with videos:


View Australian Back Country Skiing in a larger map

Born

Sunshine's waters broke at the local movie rental. I was called from work at 1230. We arrived at the hospital at 2. Eve Leyson Blackall (working title) was born at 4:39pm 8 Feb 2010! 3.2kg, 50cm long. Dark hair, eyes wide open, feeding and sleeping well.
Sunshine, "6th fastest baby deliverer in Australia", is well but under observation after some complications delivering the placenta, expected home on the 10th.

Video
Photos

On this day the world has come closer. enemies are now friends, friends are now family, family is now one.

Sold

100 Somerville sold to investors in October, who are renting it out. Last we heard they had paved and painted it, and we know they loved the gardens and renovations we had done. Hopefully the tenants will keep the food trees growing.. sad to let it go. Bye bye 100. Bye bye Dunedin.

Canberra

We moved to Canberra on 1st October. Renting a nice old house in Turner, have a vege garden in already, living round the corner from old friends. Canberra is easy living if you can afford it.