Jan 6, 2014 Ice Camp!

Our yard with the retreating ice.

Friday 1/3.  JB has renamed our home Ice Camp!  Just wish we had skates.  There is so much ice, I wouldn't even try to walk down our road let alone drive.  On their way to work this morning, it took Larry and Elsie about three hours just to drive the one mile from their house to the pavement by throwing dirt on the road.

I finished Painted Ladies by Robert B. Parker today, another book from JB for Christmas.  No one does it better than Parker!

It was a bright and sunny but brisk day.  Our early morning temperature of 23 had warmed up to 25 by 1:00 pm when we went out to the shop.  JB had to dig down about a foot, but was able to find the drain right away and snaked it.  Too late to do a wash, so we'll see how it works tomorrow.

Friday is pizza night.  Somehow mozzarella didn't get on the shopping list last time JB went Down There, so we are out.  Used the Kirkland Mexican mix from Costco and it works okay but I think we'll skip pizza til we go down on the 14th.  At least we haven't run out of chocolate!  It's also movie night but we decided to binge on season three of the Vampire Diaries.

Saturday 1/4.  16 and clear this morning.  Did dishes and a load of wash.  Found out it was NOT a clog in the pipe that was the problem, so it must by the vent stack that is blocked.

Had to get out and about, so I went for a short hike with the dogs.  Such a magnificent day!  Before we left I had helped JB get the 16' radio antenna up on the deck.  He had been trying to decide the best place to put it and then realized that we had a small tripod for a satellite dish that his nephew had given us.  So he was going to attach the tripod to the deck and then attached the antenna to the tripod.  The perfect solution.  When I returned from the hike, I helped him finish up.

I started the Jim Butcher book that JB had found for me last Fall, Cold Days.  I don't actually read his books so much as devour them.  I had been saving it and it is so worth the wait.

Sunday 1/5.  This morning was 18 and mostly clear.  A very thin overcast crept in and our high was 25.  Obviously the temperature isn't even getting up to near freezing and yet the ice is slowing disappearing.  It must evaporate like water does.  

We always have even a slower morning on Sundays than the rest of the week and after lunch JB decided to bake bread, so we'll attempt to snake the vent stack on Monday.  Thank goodness it is in the wall and near the edge of the roof by the deck.  Not really looking forward to that.

Monday 1/6.  This morning is 13 with a light overcast and a 40% chance of snow for tomorrow.  I certainly hope NOAA is right this time because we sure need it.

Thought for the day:  When you figure it out, you're ready to know.  Jim Butcher in Cold Days.