“Paradise is exactly like where you are right now… only much, much better.”
Laurie Anderson
It’s another day in Paradise. -40 or colder outside. The Arctic air mass has invited itself to stay until Tuesday. I have seen this before. Arctic air doesn’t like to leave once it settles in. This is the third extension since it started. It’s been here a week or more and will be here for a while yet. I am going through a lot of firewood, which also means I am chainsawing and chopping twice as much as usual. The cold is a lot harder on the body and the inside of the house is a lot colder than it should be.
The cats are safe and warm. Most of them are in the room with the wood stove the rest Are staying in the loft which is where the warm air is going. In my office nope its cool in here. Ever since I built the trump wall. I will have to add a window to allow warm air to move in here.
Other problems it’s too cold to run the generator I do not have an insulated box for it. It is on my list of things to do. The solar panels are in shade this time of year more than sun. I bought the wire to move them, but couldn’t get it through the protective pipe I had for it. I really need two people to do that job. So for now My batteries are not getting a full charge. I was going to start the gen tomorrow, the cold was supposed to ease off. It’s not.
Whatever the temp I need to chop again. I know there are four logs left from the chainsawing the other day. Hope it will be enough. I don’t feel like running the chainsaw unless I have to.
Colder, much colder. I was just out to chop wood, feed the birds, jays and chickadees. One of the bluejays paid for its feed today, by singing at my window. I also Filled a bowl full of snow to melt. I took a few pics. Every time I took my glove off to take a pic, or to hit next song on the headphones, they started to freeze. Pain was immediate. Within ten seconds excruciating.
I was forced to take deep breaths because of the wood chopping. I could feel the cold air biting my lungs. It was painful. If I had to guess it was -50 out there and there was a wind. The smoke from my fire was blowing straight sideways.
I didn’t stay longer than I needed to. I got my wood in, went back out to feed the birds and filled the bowl as fast as I could. This wasn’t the right time to tarry. As beautiful as it was outside, it was deadly. To easy to become disoriented, too easy just too lay down and not get up again.
I have taken many rests in the snow as I needed to. Even Lay down on my back, on a mattress of fluffy white stuff, to let the fresh falling snow gently land on my face. Many times have taken a relax on the log pile and just enjoyed the beauty. But not today.
I think I just did my first yoga, not on purpose. I was on my knees in front of the woodstove, and crumpled forward onto my arms. I stayed like that for about ten minutes. I didn’t even move when the cat jumped on my back.
I think it might have been downward-facing wood chopper, followed by slow lumbering elephant. Haha is that Yoga? Who knows, I did feel better. Pain today ankle, back. Wrists. Fingers and what may be the beginning of carpal tunnel syndrome.
I just heard a high-pitched chirp, I know what that is. It is a weasel come to kill a cat. It has found a way inside. Last time that happened I lost a kitten The kitten did kill the weasel, but suffered a broken neck in the battle. I had to finish the little guy off. It was not a pleasant experience. I can lock my girl cats in the loft they will be safe. The rest of the male cats are in the room with the woodstove. That leaves two in my office they are in danger. I will try to find out where it gained entrance and seal that off.
As for the cold, I think it’s gonna be here a long long time.
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