Apr 11 Cold is back

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.

Charles Dickens

The cold is back in April, not like the quote above. We are luckier than the lower prairies, which are expecting 80 CM of snow.

I will probably need to cut wood later this afternoon. I am good with that.

My indoor supply is dwindling. It looks like it might warm up by next Saturday. Hopefully, this is winter’s last gasp, at least till it all starts again in September. I really doubt it. I expect more.

I didn’t manage my time very well. I am sitting at the back of the post office. While they finish lunch. It was 12:29 when I arrived here. I have to wait until 1 PM. Half that is done now. I need to keep Gracie running. I have just finished grocery shopping, and it is cold outside.

Roads were icy, snow was blowing. It feels like January, not the middle of April. The weather forecast is cold all week. Then after that warm temps plus 11 during the day. Until then, it’s a scramble to keep wood in the fire. Wood pellets, after the cats have used them, are just not warm enough.

Ten minutes to go. Then I can get my freight and go home. Tuck Gracie back in her garage, unpack groceries, relax for ten minutes, find wood, and relax again. Do more work.

7 minutes to go, so glad I had coffee to drink. The post office lady just arrived. I don’t dare go in early. She scares me a bit. She is the queen of her world and I need to enter it for a few minutes. I will go to the front of the office at 1 PM, pray she is in a good mood, and hope she will allow me to retrieve my boxes at the back of the post office.

If not, I will have to pour gas down Gracie’s throat twice to get her started. It’s a big problem to fix that, but since it is so easy to steal her, most of the time I don’t mind. Ya it is a bit embarrassing but so is my haircut, and I am still wearing my mask, and I am the only one.

I went out to chainsaw wood. The melting snow revealed enough to get me through the night. Not much snow or ice to pull a sled, though.

The funny part came later, almost none could be chopped through. I will burn them the way they are.

Lungs are hurting from the extra exertion. Also, a few cats got outside and decided they would stay in the cold. I will try to retrieve them later.