January 29 2016 The Delivery!

Trail coming down from the
south ridge that Larry thinks
may have been made by an elk.

Oh, there it is!

Jesse's favorite winter place
other than in front of the
wood stove.

Wednesday 1/27. Gridder arrived on the snowmobile at about 10:30 this morning with everything, including my new vacuum!  Hurray!  Mail, MAX parts, JB's prescription, yogurt.  Had a nice, long visit with Gridder and he offered to go up once a week to start Miss Kitty.  Do we have great neighbors or what?!  He was quite surprised with all the snow we have Up Here.

We spent the rest of the day reading mail and magazines.  I also unpacked my vacuum and put it together.  I was so impressed at how simple that was.  No snow shoveling today!

Our high for the day was 32 and the sky remained overcast.

Thursday 1/28. It was 33 and overcast this morning, but the wind picked up and soon blew away most of the clouds.  So, with the sun shining, I opted to try out my new vacuum instead of trying to fix MAX.  But first I figured I really had to dig out JB's Jeep so he could move it a bit so the tires aren't sitting in the same place all the time.  I had two days without shoveling any snow, so I had to make up for that.

After brunch I started vacuuming and, again, was so very impressed with my new machine!  It is so easy to use and has the best accessories.  The directions are incredibly simple, obviously engineered and written by someone who has had to deal with not-so-easy machines and really stupid directions.  It is a Shark Rotator Professional.  When I was done I figured my house was almost as clean as Elsie's house, and that is saying something!  It may seem odd that I am so excited about a new vacuum, but there is a lot more dirt Up Here than Down There, and now I feel like I just might be able to keep on top of it.

Then I shoveled and widened the path to the shop so we could get the snow blower inside to try and fix it.  The motor starts just fine, so we just backed it into the shop and will get to it after we fix MAX.

The wind blew all day up to 14 mph, but fortunately the snow is just too heavy to drift.  Our high for the day was 40 and there was lots of melting going on.  The snow is sinking and has quite an icy crust.

It is Mardi Gras this weekend in Mobile, AL.  Our son will be costumed and riding a float, throwing out beads and other goodies.  He may actually have to wear some long underwear as it is pretty cold there right now.  Well, cold by their standards, not ours.

Friday 1/29. It is 28 and snowing.  Won't get to MAX today if it keeps up.

Thought for the day: Happy Birthday, Elsie!

January 27, 2016 More Shoveling & A Trudging Trek

Our wood shed.

A view from my hike on Tuesday.

Monday 1/25. A busy morning of dishes and laundry, then after lunch I shoveled half of the mountain of snow away from the chicken coup.  JB wanted to bake some pumpkin bread, so he got all the ingredients out and then realized that he really couldn't do it with just one hand.  So I made it.  Two large loaves that turned out wonderfully.

For most of the shoveling, I use a small, light shovel.  I only use the big snow shovel on the paths.  So I am really not lifting any heavy weights, it just seems like it when I am done. . .

Our high for the day was 34, and it was another beautiful day.  Still light out now when we eat dinner at 5:00 pm, and the afternoon sun is coming out from behind the trees to the southwest.  So nice.

Nene called and we had a nice, long chat.  She mentioned that those bear-paw snowshoes were actually my Grandfather's before they were my Dad's, so they are probably at least 100 years old.  He would use them to go hunting every winter on Mica Peak, which is southeast of Spokane.  Nene remembers her Dad letting her use them occasionally, too, so she was delighted to see the photo.

We began watching the second season of Blacklist this evening.  So good!

Tuesday 1/26. It was 26 and mostly cloudy this morning.  It has been a week since Miss Kitty was started, so I let JB talk me in to hiking down and starting her up again.  I left at 9:45 am, after bringing in the fire wood, as I figured I would be way too tired to bring it in when I got back.

With each step I took, my feet sunk in at least to the top of my ankles and often up to mid calf, so it was more of a trudge than a hike.  By the time I reached Miss Kitty, I had no inclination to ever do this again.  Felt like it took me at least two hours to reach her, so it was a very pleasant surprise to discover it had only been 1-1/4 hours.  I rested for about twenty minutes while running her motor, calling JB and eating a big slice of pumpkin bread.  I arrived back home at 12:45 pm, wondering if I would feel masochistic enough to do it again next Tuesday.  Pretty sure I worked off the last of the holiday eggnog during this excursion.  A cup of cocoa, a nap and a hot shower brought me back to life.

Our high for the day was 40, and there was lots of blue sky by sunset.

Wednesday 1/27. It is 28 and overcast this morning.  Gridder plans to be Up Here with our mail, JB's prescription, yogurt and the parts for MAX by about 10:00 am.

Thought for the day: So, if we lie to the government, it's a felony.  But if the government lies to us, it's politics.  Bill Murray

January 25, 2016 A Pity Party & An Aborted Snowshoe Trek

The snowshoes that we really need!

Looking out of the shop door.

A view of the mountains
on Sunday.

Friday 1/22. Some of those reading this blog may think that we were unprepared with the appropriate vehicles when we embarked on our off-the-grid/mountain retirement.  Well, we would have had the money for a snowmobile and/or whatever we might have needed if it weren't for that Wall Street debacle of 2008 in which we lost both of our 401K's.  Wasn't a big fortune, but it would have been a nice cushion.  As it is, we are living on Social Security, but actually doing better than I thought we would.

Larry may be able to plow the main canyon road and ours in another week or so, depending upon the filters they ordered for the SnoCat.  That would be wonderful, especially if we can get MAX fixed.

This morning's fog quickly receded and by 9:00 am we could see blue sky.  Snow bombs began falling from the trees in earnest, and then a breeze picked up creating even more snow bombs.  Our high for the day was 40

I really did want to take the day off, but with the sun and warmer temps, I had to get the deck cleared off before it melted.

We binge-watched the last four episodes of Justified this evening, not being able to wait to see the ending.  I thought for sure at least one of the main characters would die in a hail of bullets, but the ending was even better than that.

Saturday 1/23. It was 30 and snowing this morning when I got up at 8:00 am.  Upon seeing those snowflakes, discouragement quickly began to set in.  Not so much from being snowbound, but from JB's sprained wrist, which leaves all the work to me.  Definitely time for a pity party.  That affair lasted about ten minutes, then I put on my big-girl panties and got to shoveling.  We had received 4" by 9:00 am and it was still coming down.  It is what it is.

As much as we prided ourselves in being prepared Up Here, we are finding that in many ways we weren't.  As Elsie said the other night, "This winter is a wake-up call."  So we will have some projects to keep us busy when the snow is gone and the weather is warmer, like rebuilding the hen-house roof to face east and west, rather than north and south.  And an extension on the recycle shed that will shelter the door.  Also, remount the gate to the wood shed so that it opens out instead of in.  Raise the door thresholds to the hen house and recycle shed.  I am also going over our winter supply list, increasing the amounts needed on a few items.

I cut JB's hair today, not that he is going anywhere soon, but he does not like it when his hair gets in his eyes or gets long on his neck.  Personally I think he would look pretty cool in a pony tail.

This evening we watched Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, which Gridder had loaned us.  Very cute.  

Afterwards, at about 9:00 pm, looking out the bathroom window to the Full Wolf Moon lighting up the landscape, I noticed that there was about a 2-ft. overhang on the battery shed that was more than 2 ft high.  It looked very ominous, so I got dressed for outdoors, grabbed the shovel and spent about 30 minutes getting rid of the overhang.  I shoveled it away from the shed so when it melts, it won't run down towards the house.  Don't know how much difference it will make, but it felt good to get it done.

Sunday 1/24. This morning presented us with a beautiful blue sky and a temp of 28.  Such a gorgeous morning!  My hands and wrists really did need a rest from shoveling, so we thought this would be a perfect day to snowshoe down to Miss Kitty to get her started again.  We did the morning chores and started out after lunch at 1:00 pm.  I pulled the sled on which we put the back pack, shovel, and a saw for a small tree that fell and is encroaching on the road.  By the time we got a little past the hair-pin turn, I knew that our trail snowshoes were completely worthless.  It was easier to slog through the snow without them, but it was going to take way too long to do what we wanted.  What we really needed were my Dad's old bear-paw snow shoes, but I am pretty sure the leather bindings will not hold as they are at least 85 years old.  (See photo above.)

So back up we went, with the snowshoes added to the items on the sled.  We stopped at MAX to start him up.  While he was running, I dug out around him.  Looks like I am not going to have a day without any shoveling for a long while.

But all in all, it was an incredibly beautiful day and our high was 39.  I can see where the snow is sinking down a little again.

Monday 1/25. It is another glorious morning with blue sky, sunshine and a temp of 24.

Thought for the day: Attitude is everything!

January 22, 2016 Snowbound in 7-1/2 Feet of Snow

Shoveling off the chicken coup
and hen house roofs.

The chicken coup after the shoveling and
another 4" of snow.  Will have to get rid of
 that big pile I made on the ground.

Wednesday 1/20. In this kind of winter, you think you are maintaining some kind of control, until you realize that you are not.  You really are completely at the mercy of Mother Nature, as always.

I did not try to go Down There today as the main reason was to get a vacuum that was on sale at Costco.  I discovered it was also available on line, so that's where I bought it.

I shoveled and brought wood in, then after brunch drove MAX down to groom the road and let Dinga come with me.  The neighbor who had been plowing the main road is gone for a few weeks, so even if I had driven MAX down to Larry and Elsie's, I would have never got him back up.  I started Miss Kitty and dug her out of the 6" of snow we had received yesterday.  Then we headed home.  Got maybe 20 ft up from the hair-pin turn and the tensioner came loose on the chain.  So I stopped and fixed it, (have to take the seat out to do that) but it didn't last more than another 20 ft.  It seems that any extra strain makes it pop up.  I fixed it again and made it another 20 ft before the chain itself came off.  MAX wasn't going anywhere now. 

We trudged up the driveway and were home by 1:00 pm.  Dinga loved the outing but as soon as we got in the door, she made a bee-line for her bed in the bedroom and we didn't see her until I fixed their dinner at 4:00 pm.  But after lunch I began shoveling the snow off the roof of the chicken coup and hen house.  (See photo above.)  Got almost half done before my hands gave out, as did my energy.  Our high for the day was 38 and my clothes were sopping with sweat.

Went inside, turned on the generator, and took a nice, long, hot shower.  Just what I needed.  Then had some hot chocolate with orange vodka in it and a handful of ibuprofen.  (Just kidding, Nene. I only took three.)  But it was one of those days where I was really amazed at what I was able to do.

Still enjoying the last season of Justified.

Thursday 1/21. It was 28, overcast and foggy this morning.  We had received another 4" of snow overnight.  Snoqualamie Pass is closed due to avalanche danger, and highway two is closed west of Leavenworth in Tumwater Canyon for the same reason.  Pretty soon flying will be the only way to get across the mountains.

After morning chores and brunch, I loaded the sled with two of the four pieces of wood that we would need to jack MAX up and put the chain back on, then pulled it down to where he is parked.  JB came down with me on the second trip of more wood and the jack.  After much shoveling and work, we finally got the chain on but only made it up about another 40 feet where Erno's road turns off.  I parked him there off the road as much as possible and that is where he still sits.  At least the chain is still on, just loose.

We are indeed snowbound, but can be reached by a snowmobile.  And this is the first year that a snowmobile has been available in the canyon.  The Universe always provides.  JB ordered the necessary part for MAX, plus an extra one.  They were shipped out today to Larry and Elsie's business and should be there by Monday.  Gridder will bring them up on the snowmobile.  So good to have such incredible neighbors.

So here we will sit for awhile.  We have several months of food, plenty of water, wood and power.  Getting low on fresh milk and eggs, but not to worry, I have powdered supplies of both.  This is just the sort of situation we have been preparing for.  We are good to go, or rather, stay.  If our chocolate runs out I will just strap on my snow shoes and walk down to the Jeep to go get re-stocked.

Our high for the day was 30.  Checked our records and we how have received 7-1/2 feet of snow!  More is on the way.  Looks like shoveling will continue to be a daily chore until we can figure out what is wrong with the snow blower.

Friday 1/22. It is 30 and we are still fogged in.  The avalanche canon is booming away over on Mission Ridge.  Going to give our muscles a rest today.

Thought for the day: I am an optimist.  It doesn't seem too much use being anything else.  Winston Churchill

January 20, 2016 Grooming The Road By Myself

The road near Miss Kitty
on Monday.

Leftovers on the road from a squirrel's
meal of fir cones.

Monday 1/18. This morning I drove MAX down to the main canyon road all by myself to groom the road.  Went slow and did a pretty good job.  Actually pretty proud of myself!

Just before I left I received a call from a friend who had been one of my Mother's closest friends.  She is going to be 100 years old next month!  One would never guess it to talk to her.  She told me that her son says her body is finally getting the message that she is getting old, but her brain doesn't know it yet!

By noon thin clouds had almost filled the sky, but the sun managed to shine through them most of the time.  Our high for the day was 38 and you could almost see the snow sinking down.

After lunch I started to clean the snow off the deck, but with less than 1/4 done the shovel slipped out of my hands on one of the throws.  I went down to get it and by the second step into the bank up to my crotch, I'm thinking, "I really should have worn my snow shoes."  I had my slip-on boots, that come almost up to my knees, and by the time I retrieved the shovel and got back into the house, they were full of snow.  Enough for one day!

We began watching the last season of Justified this evening.  This is the only series where I've been rooting for the "bad" guy.

Tuesday 1/19. It was 28 this morning.  We were fogged in and the trees were covered in rime.  JB took the dogs on their morning walk for the first time in a while.  I stayed busy with dishes, laundry, shoveling, getting fire wood, and baking cookies.  Also made time to read my book, Critical Mass by Sara Paretsky.  Has to be her best one yet!

Around 10:30 am, snow began to fall yet again.  It was still coming down at sunset and I am sure we got another 4"-5".  

I would like to get Down There for some groceries and a vacuum that is on sale at Costco, so I may drive MAX all the way down to my Jeep at Larry and Elsie's.  I could probably get down in Miss Kitty, but I don't think I could get her back up again.

Wednesday 1/20. It is 29 with a clear sky this morning.  Not sure if I am going Down There or not.

Thought for the day: The ordinary acts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul that their simplicity might suggest.  Thomas Moore

January 18, 2016 Shoveling & Getting the Hang of MAX

Looking down the main canyon
road on Sunday.

Friday 1/15. Shoveled the paths in the morning after bringing in the fire wood.  Checked out MAX after lunch and he did indeed have a slipped chain.  Fortunately this is something that could be fixed with three hands, which we did.  Took a bit longer than if we had four hands, but we got it done.

Saturday 1/16. It began snowing again sometime early this morning.  When we got up at about 8:00 am, the temp was 24 and we had at least two more inches.  By our 10:30 am walk up to clean the panels, we measured 3".  Snow fell on and off, light then hard til around noon.  Then the fog moved in.

More shoveling. . .  Not fun being the only person Up Here with two working hands. . .

We haven't had an egg from the girls in about a week now.  Not sure what caused that winter spurt.

Sunday 1/17. It was 23 and we were fogged in this morning.  Snow began to fall at about 8:30 am and kept on most of the day.  Our high for the day was 28 and we had two more inches by 2:00 pm.

Shoveled again this morning. . .

With all this snow, we had to groom the road and go start Miss Kitty.  So at about noon, we got in MAX and I actually drove like I knew what I was doing.  Miss Kitty started right up, but I didn't want to drive her as the main canyon road has not been plowed and I wasn't sure I would be able to get her back up to her parking place.  Let her run for a while, then turned MAX around and we were on our way home.  Had issues getting up our driveway, but was able to do it with no problems once JB got out.  So glad I was the driver. . .

Watched the last two episodes of Wayward Pines.  Great series, except for the last five minutes. 

Monday 1/18. It is 30 with clear, blue skies this morning.  There is no spectacle quite as stunning as sunrise over snow covered mountains.

Thought for the day: If we all did the things we were capable of, we would literally astound ourselves.  Thomas Edison

January 15, 2016 Another Winter Adventure

The hen house and outhouse/recycle
 shed.

Coming down from the south ridge
on our Thursday afternoon walk.

Wednesday 1/13. We decided that JB had to see a doctor today about his wrist, so at 10:30 am I backed MAX up in order to drive down to Miss Kitty.  I am not at all very good at backing him up.  Something went "clunk" and then he didn't move any more.  So I got our walking sticks, put on the back pack, and we started walking.  Poor JB wasn't feeling all the great, so it took us almost two hours to make it to Miss Kitty (1-3/4 miles).  Drove down to the Jeep, and then to the clinic in town.  Almost three hours later JB's visit was done.  His wrist was not broken, but he has a bad sprain and some tendon damage.  With a splint that works and some meds, we were on our way home.  The short version of the story is that I left him at Larry and Elsie's so Larry could bring him home in the SnoCat when they got home from work.  I drove Miss Kitty up to her parking place and began walking back up to Rose Camp.  By then it was 4:45 pm and getting dark, but Gridder was going to come up on the snowmobile and drive me the rest of the way as soon as Mrs. Gridder got home.  By 5:15 pm, I was just 1/4 mile from home and called Larry so he could call Gridder and tell him not to bother.  About ten minutes later, here came Gridder to give me a ride up the steepest part of the road.  How nice that was!  Elsie called on the radio at 7:00 pm to say that Larry and JB were on their way up in the Sno-Cat.  About an hour later she called to say that they were back at their place because of engine problems with the SnoCat.  So Gridder ended up bringing JB up on the snowmobile.  Thank goodness for great neighbors!!

Thursday 1/14. It was 28 with blue sky and SUNSHINE this morning!  A beautiful day all day with a high of 34.  A day of relaxing and recuperating.  Didn't even look at MAX to see what was wrong.  Will do that tomorrow.

We had received another five inches of snow by yesterday morning, and another half inch by this morning.  

So very sorry to hear that Alan Rickman has passed on.  He will be greatly missed.

Friday 1/15. It is 27 and overcast this morning.  Going to have to check out MAX today. . .

Thought for the day: When God answers my prayers, sometimes She says, "Yes."  Sometimes She says, "No."  And sometimes She says, "You've got to be kidding!"

January 13, 2016 Snow & Rime, Same Ol', Same Ol'

A rimed moose - how poetic. . .
Just for you, Randy!

Monday 1/11.  Any trip Down There in the winter is an adventure, and especially if we take a dog.  But Jesse is the perfect travelling companion, so all was well.  The three of us rode in MAX down to Miss Kitty, then rode in Miss Kitty down to the Jeep.  Then it was down to town.  After our visit to the vet, I was able to buy a latte for the first time in weeks.  We bought a few groceries and then took our trip in reverse.  We arrived back home with a handful of meds and ointment for Jesse and a diagnosis of an infection in his paw.  

JB did something to his left wrist, so now I am nursing two patients.

Began watching Wayward Pines this evening.  Very weird. . .

Tuesday 1/12. It was 20 with a thick cover of rime over everything outside.  The temp didn't vary all day and snow fell from about 9:00 am.  It was too fine for any measurable amount until late afternoon.  

It was a very quiet, inside day reading papers, magazines, mail and books.  We put a splint on JB's wrist which helped a lot.  It isn't swollen, just very painful.

Wednesday 1/13.  It is 16 and overcast this morning with valley fog.  Looks like we may have received another 3" of snow overnight.

Thought for the day: Every survival kit must include a sense of humor.

January 11, 2016 A Winter Weekend & A Visit

The nest Jesse made on Saturday.
He likes our fleece sheets.

Larry & Elsie arriving Sunday
afternoon.

Friday 1/8. I helped JB dig out his Jeep so he could move it.  Also spent time writing my book.  I tend to do it a half an hour at a time, two or three times a day.  Also still writing notes for it throughout the day and often into the night.

JB has been spending time on his computer researching the Washington State Constitution, and he did so today.  He also baked some focaccia bread to have with dinner.

Our high for the day was 34 and we actually saw a little blue sky until early afternoon when the fog moved back in.  Am really getting tired of that fog.

Saturday 1/9. It was 28 and overcast as the day began.  A light snow of tiny snowflakes fell all afternoon, but all it did was turn the tree branches white.  No measurable amount.

JB used the tractor to move some of the big piles of snow and I spent most of the day doing inside stuff.  Our high for the day was 30.  It is actually getting cooler as predicted.

Sunday 1/10. It was 24 and overcast this morning, and that pretty much describes the whole day.  I cleaned house a bit and JB tried to use the snow blower, but thinks a belt to the impeller may have broken.

Larry and Elsie arrived at about 2:30 pm in the SnoCat, having plowed our road all the way up.  They drove up and around the south ridge too.  Then we had fun playing two games of marbles and split them.  With Larry's plowing, we should be able to get Miss Kitty back up to Rose Camp.  

We are going Down There tomorrow to take Jesse to the vet to have his paw looked at.  Also going to pick up a few groceries and go to the post office.  If it looks like Miss Kitty can get up our road, we will go down on Tuesday to get her.

Monday 1/11. It is 20 and overcast with valley fog this morning.  We must have been fogged in overnight as everything is rimed.  It is going to be a cold journey this morning.

Thought for the day: Don't tell me that worry doesn't do any good!  The things I worry about don't happen.

January 8, 2016 Riding, Shoveling & a Sore Paw

Snowballs rolling down on
the side of the road.

Wednesday 1/6. When JB measured this morning, he found that we had received another 1-1/2" of snow in the past 24 hours.  Enough already!  The temperature rose to 32 and a light rain began falling.  It soon turned to big, wet snowflakes and continued on and off for most of the day.  I think it melted as soon as it hit the ground as there was no measurable amount.

JB and I did a mountain/off-the-grid fix on two of the broken cleats on MAX's right track.  We used wire to take the place of the broken rivets.  Looks like it might actually work.

I really have to restrain myself from writing a long political rant on the events of this week.  And, if I got started, it would be quite long.

Other than that, it was a quiet day.  We are watching the third season of Major Crimes now.  Very enjoyable.

In talking with Elsie this evening, she mentioned that they had shoveled off the roof of their hen house and cabin.  As she was talking, I was thinking, "Oh, sh*t!  I need to do the deck before it starts melting!"

Thursday 1/7.  It was 32 and mostly overcast this morning, but dawn held the promise of a sunny day.  Unfortunately the clouds wouldn't give it up and the fog moved in around noon.  So, no sun again today.

JB and I were on our way in MAX a little after 10:00 am to groom the road and start Miss Kitty.  We made it down and back just fine, with no issues with the tracks.  However there was a very large, mistletoed branch that had broken off and fallen in the middle of the road, but we got it moved out of the way.  The snow is beginning to get very heavy with the warmer temperatures, but January 7 seems to be the day for the melting to start.  No Chinook so far, but there is a definite rise in the temps.

Jesse has had a problem with his front left paw for more than a week now.  It looks like he tore some of the skin off of his pad.  But this morning, for the first time, it was quite swollen.  We could get him into the vet at 9:30 am tomorrow or 11:30 am on Monday.  I took tomorrow's appointment, and by this afternoon he was walking on his paw just fine.  And isn't that the way it always is.  So I cancelled tomorrow's appointment and took the Monday one.  We would have had to leave at 7:30 am, so both of us are quite relieved.

After lunch JB gave MAX a thorough check out, while I began the daunting task of clearing more than two feet of snow off of the deck.  When JB was done with MAX, he helped me a bit and then I finished it up.  It was really starting to get heavy.

Our high for the day was 38.  The snow is slowly slipping off the sheds, and the melt is dripping in the girls' run around the edges.  Got another egg today.  Lots of snow bombs, too.

Friday 1/8. It is 30 this morning and I am not sure if we are in the clouds or fog, but I do know that I am sore from all that shoveling yesterday. . .

Thought for the day: If you really want to do something you will find a way.  Otherwise you will find an excuse.

January 6, 2016 A Cancelled Appointment & More Snow

Dinga enjoying her favorite toy.

Not only is the trail disappearing,
so is the sign!

Monday 1/4. We actually received 8" of snow yesterday, which was the deciding factor for me to cancel my colonoscopy for tomorrow.  Just got my head wrapped around going through with this and now I am going to have to wait til 2/26.  But at least now I can eat fruit again.  Only three days and I really missed it.

JB used the snow thrower to clear the paths and a larger swath by the vehicles, and again much to Dinga's delight.  I did some shoveling and the daily outdoor chores.  The girls are now giving us an egg every other day.  Larry and Elsie's girls aren't laying at all, but I think that has to do with the bobcat scare.

Our high for the day was 26, and this afternoon some of the first of the snow came roaring off the south side of the roof.  There is lots of ice under the snow on both sides, so it is going to be quite loud when it finally lets go.

Tuesday 1/5. It was 26 and we were up in the clouds this morning.  We had received another 3/4" of snow overnight.  Light snow began falling around noon and continued the rest of the day.  By 5:30 pm we had received another 3/4" and it was still coming down.  Our high for the day was 28.  JB is going to have to drive MAX down the road to groom a bit tomorrow.

JB did a little shoveling this morning, but we both spent most of the day on inside projects.  He was on the computer and I was sorting photos.  Am now up to 1989, and have several envelopes full to send to family members.

Wednesday 1/6. It is 30 this morning and we are still in the clouds.  Looks like the frigid temps are behind us for a while.

Thought for the day: The last day of the second Amendment will be the first day of the Americas' second revolution.

January 4, 2016 A Long Sled Run & A Longer Hike

One of the intrepid hikers.

Friday 1/1. The fog cleared by 8:30 am to reveal a blue sky and bright sunshine.  However, there was fog in the valleys and canyons all day long.

This was my first day prepping for the colonoscopy I am scheduled for on Tuesday.  So, for three days I am on a low-fiber diet, and Monday will be a liquid diet with lots of good stuff to drink to clean me out.  Can't wait.

For us it was a relaxing New Year's Day, and this evening we heard it had been a very quiet day for Larry also.  It seems that they only had one guest on New Year's Eve, so Elsie went to bed before midnight.  Larry and his neighbor friend then decided to go sledding down the road to Gridder's (almost a mile), neither of them feeling any pain until today.  Larry called Gridder to see if he would give them a ride back home if they made it to his place.  He did, and then Gridder sledded down with them.  Larry managed to completely wreck two sleds with runners during their adventure.  Just wish someone had been out there with a spotlight to make a video.

Saturday 1/2. It was 10 with clear skies again this morning.  Our temps are often warmer than down the mountain in the winter and today was no exception.  It was 5 in town and 4 at Larry and Elsie's.

JB wanted to leave for Down There at 9:30, but didn't get on his way until an hour later as the chain came off the sprocket for the front left wheel of MAX.  But we had it fixed in just a half an hour.  We are getting so good!

The only reason he had to go down was to get some Gatorade for me to mix with the solution I have to drink on Monday.  The kind we had bought last week was red and it cannot be red or purple.  So, of course, he had a list of other errands to run (including getting several more keys for the mail box) and a few groceries to buy.  

He got down to Miss Kitty only to discover that he had forgotten her key, so he had to drive MAX all the way down to Larry and Elsie's to the Jeep.  But he did manage to make it back home by 3:00 pm.  When we go Down There on Tuesday, he will have several more keys made for Miss Kitty.

Because JB was driving MAX on the hard, plowed main road, two more cleats broke on the right track and he had a problem keeping that track on the tires.  So, since he did not start up Miss Kitty, we are going to walk down to her tomorrow to start her up.  Don't want to use MAX as we will definitely need him Tuesday morning to get down for my appointment.

We watched The Homesman with Tommy Lee Jones this evening.  Very good, but very heavy.

Sunday 1/3. It was a balmy 16 this morning and overcast with valley fog.  Snow began falling just before we left at 10:30 am for our hike to Miss Kitty.  It is about 1-3/4 miles one way, so 3-1/2 miles round trip.  We took turns carrying the backpack and we made it down in one hour.  Spent about 1/2 hour there letting Miss Kitty run, and I drove her down to the S-curve and back up (about 1/4 mile each way).  After water and a snack, we began our return hike.  By then our tracks from coming down were almost covered.  It took us an hour and a half to get back home.  More uphill and more tired.  The snow stopped falling as we arrived home and by then we had received 2".  Just another adventure on the mountain, after which we both took a nap.

Our high for the day was 18, and more snow began to fall around 3:30 pm.

Monday 1/4. It is 20 and lightly snowing this morning.  Looks like we might have received 6" of snow.  I may have to cancel my colonoscopy appointment for tomorrow.

Regarding Randy's comment about Jesse, if we don't cover him up he will pull the covers back by our pillows and make a nest on the bed. . .

Thought for the day: Opportunity may knock just once, but temptation bangs on the front door forever.

January 1, 2016 A Very Cold Start to the New Year

On the south ridge looking up to the peak.

Wednesday 12/30. I took down some of the Christmas decorations today.  Will do the rest tomorrow.  I like to do it gradually. . .

JB put some SeaFoam in the gas line of the snow blower yesterday to dissolve any clogs that may have formed.  He let it set overnight and today it started up after just a few pulls.  He widened most of the pathways, much to Dinga's delight.  She loves to jump up and try to catch the snow as it is thrown.

I baked cookies, sorted more photos, and was able to let the wood stove cool down so I could clean it out.  A very dirty, but necessary job.

We finished watching the third season of Longmire, but now it's going to be very hard to wait for the fourth season.

Thursday 12/31. It was 10 and partly cloudy this morning.  Brrrrr!  And, because it is so cold, we have decided we really cannot go to Larry and Elsie's this evening.  Am very disappointed, but it is just way too cold for these two old bodies to drive down in MAX.

In thinking about greeting the new year, I have identified some things, ideas and people that I need to let go of.  Sometimes hanging on can just hurt too much.  So it is out with the old and in with the new.

I took down the rest of the Christmas decorations, sorted and threw out more photos (although I am putting some aside of people who may want them).  Always around New Year's I get in a real sorting and throwing mood.  This year it seems to be aimed at my thousands of photographs.

JB did some more clearing with the snowblower, and then baked a chocolate cream pie from scratch.  Yummmm!

The sky was partly cloudy all day but the sun managed to shine most of the time.  Our high was a whopping 16!  Too cold for me to be out any longer than it took to do the daily chores, which included gathering an egg the girls gave us.  It was a much lighter brown, so I think it was Blondie's gift.

Friday 1/1. Our wishes for a very Happy and Peaceful New Year to All from our frigid little corner of the world.  It is 10 degrees again this morning and overcast with freezing fog trying to move up from the canyon.

Thought for the day: Make a list of the things that make you happy. Make a list of the things you do every day. Compare this lists. Adjust accordingly.  From a posting on Facebook.