With the outside of the house coming together now - I'm focusing on the inner workings.

Power - I'm going to be solar powered and self contained.

Step one in shifting to solar is downsizing your power needs. Most folks throw up their hands and walk away at this point. "What? You expect me to give up all my electronic gadgets - NO WAY!" is heard as they shake their heads.

It's not so bad! I've made it a game. How can I do the things I like to do without using electricity?

I've replaced my electric coffee grinder with a hand crank version - just like the old days. The best part about this? Kids FIGHT over who get's to crank it - so I don't even have to do the work.

I've replaced my bedside lamps with solar charging, battery operated LED lamps.These are so cool! You pop out the solar panel (which also contains the batteries) and set it in the sun when it get's low. At this point I just grab it and put in the windshield of my car as I run around.

I'm currently seeking a hand crank Juicer for making apple and carrot juices.

I'm using battery operated clocks and radios already - with a solar powered battery charger I simply keep full at all times.

In the end the only power needs I'll have that take more than a couple of double AA batteries will be my composting toilet, my water pump, recharging my laptop computer and cell phone and one LED flat screen computer monitor for watching movies on. I may include a few LED lights in my wiring too - just to cut out some of the smaller double AA batteries I'm using.

I'm seriously considering hooking up an exercise bike with a hand crank device to recharge my cell phone and computer battery. I could then get a little work out and keep my toys juiced up. Hmmm.... a little more research to be  had here.

And then there's always the chainsaw blender (I met these guys on my way home from Burningman last year)