Rambling Cold Thoughts

Twenty degrees below normal...

That's where the temperatures here lately have been hovering.

I think I need to build a sauna! Big enough to have my entire house in it.

Rowdy, remember Rowdy? The bed stealing monster that was such a cut little puppy two years ago. The one who now has grown into a snack begging horse.

Well it's so cold that even Rowdy doesn't want to venture out the door into his huge yard to take care of business. Even the opportunity to bark at deer, bunnies, pheasants and the chickens won't entice him to spend more time than absolutely necessary outdoors.

Even Lakai the red nose pitt bull and cohort of Rowdy refuses to wonder out for more than a few minutes at a time.

When I feed them during the mornings and then open the door and tell them to go they just look at me with that are you serious look. Begrudgingly, with tails hanging low they pass by me and onto the porch. Before jumping off of the porch into their yard they turn and look with a please don't make us do this look in their eyes.

I told them though that if they learn to use the toilet I won't make them go out.

Their water bucket has been frozen for a few weeks now.

I had emptied it but some rain had filled it one evening and overnight it froze solid and has stayed that way ever since.

Now when I put them out they don't wonder their yard searching for critters and things to bark at. Instead they quickly take care of business and scurry into the hay filled dog house. Yes house, not houses.

About an hour later I open their gate and they come rushing back in like lightning.

They have two houses filled with hay, but they both cram their huge bodies into one dog house. Not a dumb move when you consider they help keep each other warm that way.

It'd be nice if I had someone to help keep me warm too. Instead I have to rely on the electric blanket...

This is the time of year when being single does get to be it's loneliest.

Less daylight, we're down to about ten hours a day now. Less time outdoors working or wondering through the fields and woods.

More time to spend looking at walls and wishing they could talk.

More time cooking much more food than one person can eat before having to toss moldy masses and globs into the wood burner. Darned wood burner won't even tell you it tastes good...

This weekend though with more snow predicted, maybe six inches, it may be time for me to get it in gear and do that thing I dread. Christmas gift shopping. With a snowstorm predicted for tomorrow there may be less people wondering out to the stores.

Probably by next weekend the sales will be close to their highest and the prices close to their lowest, but the weather might get nicer and bring out more people to shop for the last minute deals. So paying a little more this weekend instead of dealing with hordes of people next weekend just might be my best option.

That way I can keep my smile while I get the gift buying for the grandkids done.