I've been scarce, I know. Partly holiday burn-out and partly just being lazy. We've had a lot of snow and cold weather here in the northwest, not very typical, and it's been fun but inconvenient. Luckily I don't have to drive anywhere for work!
We keep getting snowfall after snowfall and in my area we now have over a foot. Very rare because snow around here usually melts by the next day. I visited my mother in the next town and she has a large lawn....covered in a lovely blanket of snow! We got nostalgic for when I was a kid so we bundled up and made snow people! It turned out to be a community effort. Once folks saw us playing in the front yard they stepped outside their doors to contribute. One gave us a carrots, another had a brush pile for the arms, another came over to help us lift one giant snowball onto another, etc.
We had a blast. And were sore for 2 days! Time for a hot toddy!
But yet more snow was headed our way. Potentially a grand storm with extreme winds and very cold temperatures. We bought a generator, stocked up on kerosene, batteries and booze (well, what else is there to do?) And then our furnace died. You have got to be kidding. How does it know? Well the storm was no big deal and our kerosene heater kept us toasty warm for a few days until the furnace was repaired. $600! Gasp! Figures. But isn't that was Christmas bonuses are for?