You did not mention which city/town you are in. Check to see if you are covered by municipal aggregation:

https://www.mass.gov/info-details/municipal-aggregation

Prices are much less. I am currently paying 9 cents a kwh.

Around here we call them Nutmegers.

I also remember him from the game show circuit; he and his wife Patty Duke often were on together: Password, Tattletales, Match Game. He just seems like a very gentle man.

I would love to see John Astin do a walk on as Buddy. I could do with a "but I'm feeling much better now". I am not sure of his health, he is 92, but was still teaching acting a couple of years ago.

He is a really underappreciated performer.

I remember the 2 area codes. In fact I remember when the exchange used be a mneomonic for what area of the area code you lived in. And that is how you gave your number. For example, Lucy and Desi's number on I Love Lucy was 212 685 9975 and one would say Murray Hill 59975. You knew the apartment was on the East Side in the Murray Hill section of the city. Our exchange in our section of Pittsfield began with 44, so we would gave our number as Hillcrest x xxxx.

Yes but I grew up in the 60s and the culture I grew up in is very different than today. I grew up in a tipping culture. People today are surprised to get tips, but I have always tipped delivery people, on Christmas the trash collectors, paper deliverer, postal carrier etc. Never very much, just a couple/few dollars as a sign of appreciation, annual tips a bit more. Tips should never replace a liveable wage, but what is wrong with giving people basically a free coffee or soda or snack on me.

1. They are a union shop
2. Their local store is very conveniently located
3. Pickup is free with a yearly subscription.
4. Pickup is quick. The second I am in the parking spot for pickup, the groceries are out packed in my trunk without me doing a thing (easiest pickup, with target second but slower)
5. Specials, coupons, reward dollars can add up to real savings.
6. Personalized rewards on things I have shopped for before
7. Great Subsitution policy - if they don't have an item ordered for pick up, they will substitute a similar item at the lower cost of the original or substitute
8. Employees seem in general happier than other stores
9. In our area, Aldis is the cheapest, followed by Price Chopper, Stop and Shop and Big Y, so not the most expensive but has the most variety.
10. They have store brands for a wider variety of items than other stores in our area.
11. I either grow my own veggies or stop at a farm stands, I don't eat flesh, so I am far more open to have others select my groceries.
12. Gas discounts, ours have their own pumps.

What I dislike:

1. They do not allow tipping.
2. Their app does not include all items they sell.
3. Veggies and fruits are not the best and not the most local.
4. Although store managers listen, corporate doesn't when you have a issue.
5. Inventory issues, they sell out too quickly.

Edit: corrected a couple of spelling issues.

At night, I can not sleep if it is warm. During the day, I wear a pair of chunky socks over my socks and typically a chunky sweater or sweatshirt. I hate hot weather. In the summer, I garden before 9 AM because I am worthless once the temp gets just south of 80. I run the air conditioning a lot in the summer. With the splits and solar (which I own not lease), it costs me nothing for the air condition. Normally my electric bill shows a credit from Mar-Nov.

Hot Harrys is great. I should add that although there are few uber rides, Doordash and Instacart are both quite reliable, so delivery is an option. Angelinos has the best subs in the city. They used to have a location next to Harry's Supermarket but it closed. They have other locations in the city.

If you get a chance walk down hill to Harry's. They have a good deli. It is been own by the Nichols family forever, but they recently sold it. Staff were long time Nichols employees many well passed retirement age. The new owners are South Asian and I am told have introduced several South Asian specialities, so you may find some interesting things there.

The intermodal center is on the corner of Columbus and North. Transportation is tricky, very few ubers, you need to call for a cab, so have those numbers ready unless you have secured a ride and buses do not run at night, and daytime they run like once an hour. They originate from the intermodal center, so ask for the bus going to upper North. It is not really walkable to St Charles, especially in winter. Do expect to see homeless people nearby, you are at the Center of Downtown. If it is dark, stay closer to North St rather than walk too far down Columbus. There is a huge fire station a block away and the area is very well lit.

St Charles is North and in a safe area, though it is a mixed use neighborhood, residential and commercial. Harry's supermarket is a block away. I would avoid walking too far from there alone especially on Wahconah St much after dark. It is not so much unsafe but the design of the area is unnerving and there is not a lot of traffic at night. I would not have hestitation walking around in daytime there, it is just very isolated at night.

Also the area around St. Charles is hilly even for Pittsfield and we have had snow so walk carefully.

Hope you have fun. Transportation without a car is really your biggest concern.

Not just British, a limited number 4-12 episodes per season is true for many European and some Canadian comedies and streaming drama and comedy series. Andor and Kim's Convenience had 12 episodes per season. Polish series like Krolowa have 4 and Gang Zielonej Rekawiczki has 8.

Interesting fact, the series 'Allo 'Allo was being marketed to American TV and in series 5, they made 26 episodes in an attempt to sell it to an American network.

Yes, stay away from the areas around Linden Street by Daniels and Robbins especially at night because of drug activity. If you are walking downtown or are at Coltsville you may be approached for money by homeless people. The city has hired social workers to help provide resources and has put up porta potties to provide comfort stations for the homeless, but it is sad to see the struggles some people are experiencing

One thing to be aware of is the city probably has the highest dog ownership in the state. It is also a running and walking city, so even in winter you will see people jogging, walking, walking their dogs. Be on alert for that as you are driving, especially now we have snow piles and pedestrians are pushed further into the road.

This time of year people here are display lights mad, and almost every street is lit up. I would encourage you to avoid Stockbridge (Norman Rockwell's home town) this time of year. It is amazing but very, very crowded. Naumkaeg Winterlights has an amazing display if you get a chance.

And yes we like to talk to strangers more than our friends in the Eastern part of the state. I would lock your car, but not worry much about your personal safety, just remember it is a city.

Any specific questions, places you interested in?

Don't know what happens Jan 2024, but Pittsfield contracted with Dynegy Electric Services a fixed rate at $0.09603 per kWh for all rate classes for 36 months (January 2021 to January 2024). The mayor deserves a lot of credit for this deal. Great Barrington just went wit Dynergy and their rate is $.22. Salem is locked in at $.11 to the end of 2024.

Thanks, I just got my monthly gas bill $86 for furnance and indirect water heater. It was $207 last year this time. Heat pumps really help. My electric went up to $68, it was $47 last year this time, and last month it was $18. I am on a city electric pool, so my rate is .09 per kw, which helps There wasn't a lot of really sunny days, so my panels could only do so much. Snow covered them for a day even though it was sunny after the last storm. I may just set my main thermostat to 61 and keep it there and not run the splits in the bedroom. My bedroom is on the second floor of a cape so it accumulates heat from the first floor. Having a warm mist humidifier really makes a big difference. I also put down the shades and close the drapes before sunset and open after sunrise. (They are automated, so I really don't do much.) And I keep the door closed on rooms I am not in.

I appreciate the advise, Jan is always the real test.

Great advice. I leave my main thermostat at 61 in the day and 59 at night. My living room splits (where I spend most time during the day) is set at 65 during the day and off at night. My bedroom split is off during the day and set at 63 at night. With humidifiers, it is quite comfortable. I added a zigbee temp sensor in the basement to warn me if the temp in the basement goes before 40 at night.

It has been weird. The ski centers have been making snow, the last few days have seen the 40s. Nights are cold enough but the days have been warm. The snow will be gone by Monday.

Join us in the Berkshires, we are expecting snow Sunday. Only an inch, but still.

That makes sense and it would depend on the emergency. They are our prmary vet and have used them for decades as both primary and emergency vet. They do have limited resources, but usually can stabilize. Sadly, Pittsfield vet hospital no longer provides emergency care. The vet situation in Pittsfield is getting pretty thin. Berkshire vet itself used to have eight vets, they are down to three. They lost several in the last year and a half. The best avian vet retired from there a year or so ago. They also had an exotics vet and a really great surgeon. The vet practice on upper East St also just closed down.

Berkshire vet hospital in Pittsfield is a small emergency hospital and has 24 hour staffing. Several techs are there at night, but you should call before leaving. The vets are on call at night. The tech calls the vet to meet you. But if you are in the Amherst area, the Hartford, Springfield, and Tufts are much closer. Tufts of course has 24/7 vet staffing and the latest equipment, but it is expensive.

According to the article, they are also expected to ask for an increase for delivery fees, too. I imagine too many people have selected someone other than Eversource as they supplier, so they are unlikely to reach earning projections unless delivery fees also go up.

You must live in a college town too! Middle of January, the kids heading off to morning class.

My first time botted!!

It is not really a fashion statement unless you are also wearing flip flops all winter.

That makes sense. Thanks.