Well the weatherman said the low for the night would be 17,
and he was right. When I got up in the morning it was 17, unfortunately that
was also the high. By the time Rudy got up (a short time later) it had dropped
to 16. He groaned when he looked outside. Driving to Roswell in freezing fog is
no fun, but Father was coming back from his vacation. Oh well such is life.
By the time I went out to feed the temp had dropped to 14,
what fun. It was beautiful outside. Everything was covered with white, not like
snow, but all light, and lacy. The horses were all lacy too. They had frost on
their manes, and tails, even their eyelashes sported lacy white frost. Luckily
I had put the beet pulp in the tack room so it was only slightly frozen. I tried
breaking ice for the horses, but it froze over again quickly. Water is a
problem. Without electricity down at the barn I cannot use the water heaters.
They don’t drink a lot, but they still need water. There’s not a lot of snow
for them to slake their thirst so they have to drink what they can when they
can. Unfortunately, I can’t quite seem to make them understand that.
I get everyone fed, break ice, and take it up to the house
to put in the big tank where I have water heaters. George calls, and asks for a
ride to Capitan. By now the temp has dropped to 13, and I have to doctor Sierra
in this? He of course is being a pill yet again. As soon as I get one side
done, he paws the gauze off before I can get the other side done. Finally
(after I get quite ticked at him) I manage to get his leg up in the air resting
on my knee. I slap both gauze pads (loaded with antibiotic) on at the same
time. Quickly I pulled out the wrap, and started to wrap his leg, which he
tried to thwart till he realized that I was only wrapping his leg. That he
doesn’t mind. Finally I get done. Kids! Thanks to his fighting I’m not really
that cold, which is a good thing as the temp has continued to drop.
I take George to town, come home, and rest a bit before I
start working again. Rudy has called several times, first to tell me that
Father’s plane has been delayed an hour. He saw about 4 or 5 accidents on the
way up including a state trooper who ended up smashing his front end on a
barrier after spinning out. Embarrassing! The roads are very icy. He calls
again when he is stuck on 70 on his way back home. A pickup has wiped out, and
they were waiting for the salters to come before they let anyone else through.
He had already been sitting for half an hour. Actually he was very lucky because
shortly after he turned off to 380 they just plain gave up, and closed 70. He
called when he got to town, Father had to eat, and because the roads were so
icy he wanted to get home as quickly as possible so they didn’t eat in Roswell.
They were at Smokey’s eating, and would be home soon. Meanwhile I start cutting
wood. It is going to be a very cold night, and I need to get more wood. I test
the logs I cut the other day, and they aren’t ready to split yet. This cold
should help, I hope.
Rudy gets home, and immediately I can tell that Father is
sick. No he says it’s just his normal cough. Right. I get more wood cut, and
split filling the wood boxes, and sit down for a few minutes with Rudy. 4:00
has come too soon and its now 9 degrees out. The poor horses, I know they are
built to deal with these cold temps far better than we are, but I can’t help
but feel for them. I gave them extra hay, and oats in the goodies I give the
seniors. I know they will be fine, but ok so I’m a big softie, what can I say it’s
cold out. The sun hasn’t broken through the fog all day leaving little light in
the barn. It’s so cold that the soaked supplements I give Jeri freeze before I
can feed them to him. I’ll have to bring the beet pulp I normally soak
overnight into the house. They’ll freeze before the pellets can absorb the
water even if I leave them in the tack room. After I get everyone fed I still
have to break the ice, and fill waterers. There are two buckets in the barn,
Sierra’s small tank, and the two automatic waterers in the back stalls. Star is
the thirstiest horse, and because she has such a small petite head with a short
nose she can’t reach the water so I have to fill her tank three times a day. As
soon as she sees me with the bucket she runs over to get a drink. She doesn’t
seem to understand that I have to put it in the tank first. If we ever get
electricity back down at the barn things will be a lot easier. Until then I
have to do things the old fashioned way. It makes one wonder how our ancestors
managed so long ago without the conveniences we now take for granted. Water is
always my first concern, but no matter what I can always get some. I just go
down to the village key in my code, and fill my water tank. If they had snow
they could always melt enough for cooking, washing etc., but what about the
desert people. How did they manage? It makes one appreciate our modern
conveniences, and points out just how spoiled we truly are.
I finally get done, and head up to the house. I feed
the dogs, and chickens, and then myself. I sink into mothers chair heating pad
on my back, and plan not to move till it’s time to come to the computer room
after Rudy goes to bed. Father comes in, and says, that he’s running a slight
temperature, and his cough is going to keep him up all night. I don’t know if
he’s insulted more by being sick, or by the fact that I was right. I told him
he was sick, but no he knows better than I. I ask him if he took his cold
medicine, which he forgot he had, so I get him a cold tablet, and make him some
honey tea. That should calm his cough for a little while at least. I also set
up his vaporizer with Vicks in it. It’s dry here to begin with, and with his
heater, and the fireplace going the air in the house is twice as dry. When you
have a dry cough that only makes it worse. Anyway I get him situated in his
room, and settle back down. By the time I put Rudy to bed, and sit down to my
computer, it’s 5 degrees out. I think that’s cold enough. I start the fire in
the computer room since one fire isn’t going to do the trick this night. The
computer room is a converted porch I think. There are sliding glass doors
leading to it off the TV room. It doesn’t necessarily help to warm the rest of
the house by having the wood stove going in there, but it does keep the cold
from invading the rest of the house. When we lived in a regular house with
heat, and air I would turn the thermostat down to 55 at night in the winter so
it works out about the same. Sometimes it’s even a little warmer in the
morning, at least in the TV room it is. Now our bedroom is another story. It
has lots of windows, and it’s on the north side of the house. That works fine
in the summer, but winter not so much. That’s what blankets, and quilts are
made for. Finally I settle down and get myself to bed wondering what tomorrow
will bring. Hopefully a little warmer day, are you listening Lord?
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