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.