January 15, 2018 Melting Snow, Fixing MAX & Washing Clothes

Melting snow on the grill
in my canning pots.

JB on his way down to groom
the road on MAX.

My hand-turned
clothes washer.

Friday 1/12. We actually had 1/2" of new snow this morning.  The avalanche canon at Mission Ridge was really booming, and making the dogs nervous.

After lunch, JB used the tractor to clear in front of the house, by the vehicles, and the path to the west ridge.  The powder snow that fell yesterday had turned wet and heavy as the temperature warmed today.  Too heavy for the snow blower.  It was a beautiful day with a high of 38.  The snow on the trees melted and rained down.

I spent the afternoon melting snow in my canning pots out on the grill on the porch.  I ended up with about 12 gallons, and will keep it up every day in the big pot on the wood stove inside.  Just wanted to get a jump on the water that we will use for washing dishes and clothes, drinking water for the dogs and girls, flushing the toilet.  We will use the water in the cistern for cooking, coffee, and washing ourselves.  I have two flats of water for drinking.

I love that the days are getting longer.  It is actually still light out when we eat dinner at 5:00 pm, although that doesn't last long.

Saturday 1/13. It was 34 and mostly overcast this morning with valley fog.  We got started early today.  Lots to do.  

I shoveled off the deck, again.  But it didn't take nearly as long this time.  Also brought in the fire wood and shoveled off as much snow as I could from the tarp over the girls' run.  JB worked in the shop to pound rivets out of broken cleats for MAX's tracks.

Then we all went on the morning walk, a little late.  Back in the house, we ate lunch and rested a bit.  

Outside again, we wired the broken cleats onto the one track that had lost them.  Then jacked MAX up and put the track back on, first having to take out the middle tire and suck the air out of the two end ones.  This was probably the fastest we ever got the track on!  Much easier to work when the temperature is 42, than when it is 20.  The clouds disappeared to the south during the afternoon, and by sunset the sky was clear.

While we were busy with everything else, I was melting more snow.  Got about another three gallons.

Sunday 1/14. It was 30 this morning and we were fogbound.  We had left MAX up on blocks overnight in order to wire two cleats on the other track today.  They weren't broken, but the rivets had come out of one end on each of them.  With that done, we lowered MAX back onto the ground and JB drove him up and around the south ridge to see if all our jerry-rigging would hold up.

All looked well, so after lunch JB drove MAX down our road to the main canyon road and back to groom it, which took him about an hour.  One of our neighbors had plowed the main road almost down to the dirt!

While he was gone, I washed a week's worth of my underwear and socks in our small "barrel' washer.  Very easy to use, but I can't wring as much water out of the clothes as the spin cycle on the washer can.  It will just take them a bit longer to dry.

Again today, melted more snow on the wood stove.  This will be a daily chore from now on.

Tomorrow I plan to go Down There to do wash some large items at the laundromat, and pick up a few items at the store, including more bottled water.

Pretty sure we were in the clouds today.  It was very wet and there was no air movement, no moving in and out as the fog does.  Our high for the day was 36.

Monday 1/15. It is 34 with a light drizzle this morning.  I plan to be on my way Down There by 9:30 am.

Thought for the day: If you want to fly, give up everything that weighs you down.