My indoor wood storage gets me through from Sunday evening to Saturday morning in warmer temps, but in this weather, not so long. Needs to get topped off midweek.
Okay, losing daylight and just remembered I left my boots at work. Changed into office shoes and forgot to change them out when I came home. This will be more interesting. Y'all kick me off of here if I try to post again before I have the wood rack full. Lazy Saturday afternoon was great, but it's over now. DS is off for the weekend on a school trip (at a camp on a lake, bet they're having fun-- :lol
so this one is on me. Dog and cat will be providing moral support from the horizontal position: "You go, boss! You're number one! You rock! Check the food dish on your way outside, will ya?"
ETA Okay, I've earned my seat back at the fire: three sled loads each of spruce and birch, had to split some of the spruce rounds, and dragged down one of the Rubbermaid tubs full of wood scraps for kindling. Put on Prairie Home Companion, and the Powdermilk Biscuit ad gave me the strength to get up and do what had to get done. Sunroom looks like a woodlot--I brought in enough wood to cover me in case the temps drop again-- and in a few minutes I'll go down and tidy up, water my plants, make a sandwich, and put on a movie and call it a Saturday.
The inversion must have kicked in, because I spoke to a friend earlier who said that it's -30 in town, and it's a balmy zero out up here. Found a pair of the Alaska woman's secret weapon in my closet (see links below). I took the time to dress for the cold, and felt like I could be out there for hours. Beautiful evening, sky deep cobalt, stars starting to come out, sunset fading behind the mountains, snow is full and soft and covering the trees. Remembered last year this time when I was digging wood out from under snow and pulling it uphill to the house. This year all my wood is under overhanging roofs, and the birch is uphill this time--I just load the sled, pull it over about ten feet, and push it down the hill, and another 20' pull into the house. Piece of cake. World felt like a peaceful place. I got a kick out of remembering that the last time I handled some of that wood, I was sweating in the summer sun, anticipating the day that I would come back and find it here when I needed it. Felt like closing a circle, and found myself thinking forward to next summer when I hope to do the same thing. Worse ways to spend an hour on Saturday.
Regional Forecast for Middle Tanana Valley
Tonight Clear. Patchy ice fog after midnight. Lows 25 to 40 below...except around 10 below on the hills. Mainly light winds...locally east around 10 mph.
Lobbens:
http://www.winterboots.net/
and a word from the death bikers, as I respectfully call them:
http://forums.mtbr.com/alaska/lobbens-neos-both-487055.html When you see someone peddling through the ice fog at -30 wearing bunnies and a parka, you know you're looking at people who take resolve to a whole new level . . .
