..AND GOOD TIMES

FEBRUARY 5 TO 13.

All work and no play makes every one dull. We did have some delightful times as well.

Tonya and John read to the girls every night.

Tonya perfected the art of baking on the wood stove. The first ones burnt before she figured out how to lift them high enough off the stove top. When not baking, we usually had the Dutch oven full of water, heating water for drinks, dishes, clean ups, and sponge baths. This water was transferred to the stock pot, and covered with towels to keep it hot. Sometimes both pans were filled with delicious-feeling hot water, and covered to keep them that way as long as we could.

A few walks were taken. There was no good place to walk.

Just ask Daisy!

And just plain playing in the snow.

Finally, we went to the Carnegie Science Museum in Pittsburgh on Friday. That was a fun experience. A miniature train village of the area depicted every day life, and work, Falling Waters, and Mr. Roger's TV house, as well as other things.

We also played table games. In the evening, we would fill the generator and run it several times. First, for light. Second: to run the freezers. (We have 3 between us.) Third: to watch a DVD with the girls. A frequent evening past time on electricity-filled days

Power came back on Saturday, at about 2:40 P.M.!!!!!!!!!!!! What a joy!!! It was actually people and equipment from Alabama, that got us connected. Help also came from Michigan, Tennessee, and Ohio. I don't know if there were any others. By Sunday afternoon our phone and Internet were also working.

We have had varying degrees of snow every day since the 5 Th, except for the 7 Th. That was a spectacularly beautiful day with cold temps and sunshine. We've had any where from just flurries to 2 or 3 inches each day. It's been blowing, so we have no idea how much more we've gotten. We watched Groundhog Day on the 2 Nd. Maybe next year we won't do that!

...AND THE WORK

FEBRUARY 6 TO 13

Without power, we had no heat or water. Worse than that, the projection for the return of power was set for Thursday, the 11Th.

We needed water. Fortunately, we have a 2000 gallon cistern. John found it; Frank cleared a path to it. John pulled it up bucket by bucket, and brought it inside in 5 gallon buckets. Some we set in the showers for flushing toilets. Some we put in canners, stock pots, Dutch ovens, and containers with spouts for drinking and washing. Later we remembered that we had a small submersible pump, and used it instead of pulling it up. Ahhh! WATER!!

HEAT--another necessity. Earlier we had been able to hook up a wood stove in the great room. The problem was that we had very little wood split. This was another project.

We also needed to be able to get down our lane and to the road. The sheer amount of snow made this difficult, especially since the lane is about 1/4 mile long.

It led to problems. Thank God for good neighbors who could help us out of this problem!! We finally were able to get out Monday evening.

There were a couple trips in to town to friends for showers. A trip to the laundromat was also necessary. We put all our refrigerated foods in ice chests, which we set out on the deck. We had to bring the produce inside and cool it with ice. It started to freeze outside. Other than some frozen produce, all we lost was some ice cream--both in the freezers and on the deck--even in temperatures as low as 4*. Strange, isn't it?

Frank and I cleared the deck during blizzard conditions the first night. But by morning, it needed it all over again. It took me two days, but I did it! Frank was busy doing other things. Another day, I cleared the roof of the shed.

The deadline for power restoration was moved back to Friday, and then Sunday.

AND THEN: THE BEAUTY....

FEBRUARY 5 AND ON.

We did get that snow! It snowed on the 5Th and the 6Th.....somewhere around 21 1/2 inches-- or more. It was blowing. We know that just at the end of the lane by the road, there was 2 feet.

Flurries to a couple inches more has fallen every day since. Look at our wonderland!!

We even had "fairy wings" (as the girls said) and diamonds!

But look what all it did.......trees down.....wires down.....

And no power :( !!!!

A LITTLE WORK.....

FEBRUARY 4. We indeed were able to do a little work on the house. Frank continued working on Row 3. I did, too. We finished Row 3, and brought Row 4 onto the deck.

Here is Frank making the hole for an outlet.






And our fan club--they don't seem to mind all our noise.



Next we relaxed the tarps to prepare for the 18 to 24 inches of snow we are to receive later this week.

AND THEN....THE DOLDRUMS

February 2: I can't say that the wind is calm, but definitely nothing his happened on the house this past week. We took advantage of the cold by going back to "The County" to visit Mom and Dad. This was a satisfying experience for us, and I hope for them as well. We also visited other friends and relatives.

One thing around here does have movement: Daisy and Kali when they are in the same room! Daisy still does not accept Kali, and lets her know it. Kali, however, is looking for a playmate, and enjoys Daisy's remonstrations. See for yourself....

Hopefully,later in the week, it will warm up and we can work on the house.