Busy busy weekend! (Like always.)

So yesterday, as a part of my Photovoltaics 2 class, I was required to volunteer for the Solar Home Tour, sponsored by the American Solar Energy Society and its Nevada chapter, Solar NV. At class on Thursday, we got our assignments for Saturday; our jobs were to help on the tour, put up signs, direct traffic, answer questions about green homes and solar power, make sure no fights broke out, etc. I handed out wristbands, plus maps and tour magazines when Allison and Snow were answering more in-depth questions. I got to look really kickass-smart when onlookers asked questions about the bifacial solar arrays at the Springs Preserve and I was able to answer them.

I got pretty sunburnt but had a great time. There was some downtime at the end as the crowds dwindled, and Snow was able to really get into system sizing...not before the estimate, but more on a system used to offset. Very cool. It's incredible how simple it can be when its a grid-tied system. :)

And even though my 12-year with Tannah was technically the 5th, we were both busy (see above for mine; Tannah had to go to Indian Springs for work), so we put it off til today. It was pretty fun, we started off at the Springs Preserve. Firstly, I showed Tannah the bifacial solar array, and he was acceptably impressed. Then to the Wolfgang Puck cafe there...it was nice, a good amount of food for the price and not too pretentious. Then the Ori-Gen Experience, the Desert Living Center, several trails to see natural desert plants and trees...it was so relaxing to be surrounded in that. I used to hate the natural desert and after today, I came to the conclusion that I've been fooled into the view that a beautiful landscape has to be misty, emerald-green flora. I saw so much: agave, yucca, dalea, sage, beargrass, senna, mesquite, eucalyptus, palms and of course cacti...all enchanting, just in a different way. I'm happy to start planning our xeriscape soon!

And then after being (more) sunburnt, we ran some errands, took a one-hour nap, then dinner at Milo's Cellar, a wine bar in Boulder City. I heard about it a few weeks ago from a girl at church, so it thought it might be a good idea. Since wine gets me all kinds of drunk pretty quick, I had just one glass of Chianti and a sip of Tannah's Pinot Noir; with our wine, we had a cheese platter, which included fresh mozzarella, gouda, and Stilton...I loved the Stilton, I could have just eaten the entire wedge. The cheese came with olives (gross) and grapes (yummy) so I was happy. Plus we each had a sandwich, but I think we could have gone without it...it was all delicious but that was alot of food. I hope to go back again.

Okay, enough geeking out for today: all in all, the weekend was awesome, even with all the running around.