Hard Winter

One of my favorite old time Mainers told me to expect a "hard winter" this year. Last year, he said, was snowy but it wasn't "hard"...

Well I guess I get what he means, as we are getting mega cold Canadian air masses to last through the weekend with serious record lows and wind chills. I don't have a thermometer outside but when I took one out last night before bed it read -17 F. It is supposedly below that at present, but I haven't dragged the thing out today to check. I know Dog went out and came back in, in record time this morning.... this being Dog Who Loves To Lay In The Snow... so I know something was up.

Then, before I could get my Words of Wisdom written and up the power went off. Thankfully it was only for 50 min or so, but had we not had it return serious consequences would have followed, as the water could not run with the pump off and the pressure tank as well... We will have to consider some sort of backup for their power needs or some alternative system but that needs to come after the repluming, I am sure.

It is cold enough that we have started the aux. kero heater in the living room, and carried it to the far end of the house (bed/bath) last evening a bit before bed time, to take some of the BRRRR off that area, which gets little heat from the furnace. A friend mentioned having found a small, easy to fill kero heater on sale recently and is using it -- along with their larger one, a twin of ours -- to keep their WV place warm through this cold snap. If I can find a similar unit, I may well consider it, though I doubt if the "end of season" sales that gave them the good deal will be starting here in the Northlands for a good while. The draw on this new style of heater is the ability to remove the fuel tank for filling, which would eliminate a lot of nasty schlepping of heavy kero cans or heaters the length of the house. I would use it only in the before bed hour or so, to take the worst of the chill off.

The last few days have been filled with many computer follies, as the hard drive that failed a year ago, but had been working seamlessly during the intervening time, failed again and took with it all but the data. We had installed a new, larger drive the end of 07 but when K got the old one working, we did not "turn it on" so to speak... so it is now working and I have been reinstalling software and plotting a much needed reorganization of data. But only plotting, as the down time put a serious crimp in client work and since I need to put in hours at the store this weekend, I am a bit behind the curve.... but catching up slowly.

Now, if the power will just stay on, things should be ok. I'll do a bit of touch up on some web edits this morning and then get to work on the Park Service project, big time.

Tonight after work I will be spending time at the altar with Frigga and her ladies... With many in my family and circle being touched by illnesses and other afflictions, the Needfire will be burning brightly as I work the threads on their behalf.

Stay warm, stay safe.