Happy New Year to all!
I've been catching up on blogs...thanks so much for sharing your holidays with all of us. From decorating, to food, to adventures outdoors, it's been wonderful to see how everyone has spent their days!
A quick catch up from here...
Christmas found me baking (and eating way too much!) Enjoying twinkling lights, secret surprises, and movie marathons.
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New ornaments found their way on the tree,
and I always laugh as I hide the pickle ornaments!
The kids look for them and then when the ornaments are found, the reward is a silly gift. In years past it's been a board game, last year it was Elf Sundae glasses and all the sweet treats to make sundaes, this year they received giant gift bags filled with their favorite salty snacks.
My son had the terrific idea of playing Clue by candlelight...it was fun!
And we were in awe of the many over-the-top decorated cars & trucks we saw:
Most days Bailey was found curled up under blankets just taking it all in.
Which leads us to today...
the power was out twice this week, and flickered last night. There's nothing like getting a weather alert this morning that reads:
Winter Weather Advisory:
Severity: Possible threat to life or property
Action Recommended: Evacuate a pre-planned activiy as instructed.
Urgency: take action within the next hour
Like so many of you, a look at the weather radar and wow, it's coming our way!
Firewood stacked? - check
Candles/oil lamps ready? - check
Propane tanks for portable heater? - check
Extra blankets for outdoor critters? - check
Batteries charging? - check
And while there is a certain charm to old farmhouses, there is also a routine for this old house that falls into place like clockwork that's not so charming. While being surrounded by open fields is oh-so pretty to look at and enjoy, with no nearby treeline to block the wind, Old Man Winter will find his way into every nook & cranny.
Kitchen taps need to drip to prevent freezing
Dishwasher running to prevent those lines from freezing
Dryer vent plugged with cotton batting to keep the cold wind out of the laundry room, which freezes the washer lines
Water stored in the basement - (a 30 and a 60-gallon tank) no city water here!
I'm not sure how much insulation good old plaster really provides. And yes, a whole-house generator would be fabulous; however, not in the budget at this time (and oh my, have you seen the price of propane lately, yikes!)
That's okay, time to channel my inner Laura Ingalls...tonight I think I'll re-read The Long Winter and sit by the fire.
Hoping you're warm, cozy, and safe if the snow's blowing your way!
We are getting the cold but not the snow and we need the snow here in the north east.
ReplyDeleteWe invested in a whole house generator just before covid started. And since then we have lost the power almost not at all once for about a hour. We use to lose power once a week here in the woods, go figure!
We have a wood stove and a fireplace we use during the cold.
And yes we got a delivery of propane just before christmas and it is expensive. It is only used for the generator and to heat my husbands workshop so we do not go through it fast at this point anyway.
keep cozy
Cathy
Happy New Year to you Mary! Thank you so much for sharing these beautiful snippets of your Christmas. That last photo is breathtaking! That fireplace!!!!! That angel!!!! I love everything about this! I think I would love your son...Clue by candlelight sounds wonderful! I had to laugh when you explained the "old-house routines." I remember them well from our old farmhouse growing up...and, while my house is no where nearly as old as yours, it has more than its share of "not-so-charming" quirks as well. When the temps drop below a certain point, I have to hook up a space heater in the egress stairs in the basement, and another in the downstairs bathroom, leave the faucets on a bit in the upstairs bath, put draft dogs down, and prepare to shovel snow fro the inside of the garage, etc. We are getting light snow now - but nothing significant. But tomorrow night into Sunday they are saying 3-6"...and, gee, I haven't had heat since this morning and having a dickens of a time getting anyone to come out. I'm so frustrated...and so cold at this point. ~Robin~
ReplyDeleteSounds like you've had a delightful holiday season. Bailey has the right idea there...
ReplyDeleteI never tire of reading the Little House books. Enjoy your cozy nest!
I haven't played Clue in years. That was one of my favorites! I have an old drafty farmhouse too, only we have woods to block the winds. Laura Ingals is always a good read!
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