Snippets and Snaps

Deep winter, which is what we've been experiencing lately weather-wise, is chilly in this little cabin due to the size of the stove.  I can get it quite comfortable on my days off when I can constantly feed the Jøtul, but work days - when I'm only home during my lunch hour - and mornings are chilly times in here.  Chilly to the point that I don't have to refrigerate milk or the cream.  Matter of fact, I can't leave them on the floor or they'll be frozen solid!  There is an LP heater here, but I don't use it as it seems like it would be a waste of money:  why heat the place to the point of "comfort" when I'm gone or sound asleep and cozy under the blankets?  And, because of the sleeping loft, all the heat in rises to the high ceiling and makes my attempts at sleeping at night fairly miserable if it's toasty down here.  (Toasty "downstairs" means that it's sauna-like upstairs.)

I admit to being worried that we wouldn't have much snow this winter, but I suspect I always feel that way in the late fall unless we have a super early dumping.  But, happily, I can report that we have a REAL winter going with LOTS of snow!  It is simply beautiful out!  I'm going to plow today (here and at my folks'), so I'll try to get some good pictures while I'm out and about.

If you remember, I've needed new tires on the car for an AGE, and now I've FINALLY gotten them!  I have an extra set of rims (for snow tires when I can afford them - which hasn't been since I was married), so I bought the rubber in the big city 2+ hours south and then dropped the rims and rubber off at a local auto shop about a week ago.  I still hadn't heard back from them that my new tires were ready to pick up, so I called yesterday just before 1:00 (when they close on Saturdays).  One of my dear friends at work - her son works there.  To my negatory response to his "they never called you?!", he quickly said, "Hey.  I'll throw them in my car and bring 'em over (to my work).  Just come in on Monday and pay for them."  What a SWEETHEART!  Fortunately, my brain moved quickly enough that I suggested he just head home with them, and I would come to HIM after work.  So, that's what I did after work last night, and the tires have come at just the right moment.  We got dumped on yesterday afternoon and evening, and I had a hard time getting up the ridge to their house.  Now, though, my car is melting off in Mama & Papa Pea's garage, and I'll be able to change the tires out later today after I plow . . . in warmth and comfort!

The same friend (from work) and I had a cookie bake at her house a week ago today.  Her daughter-in-law and two grandsons joined us as her husband hunted (muzzle-loader for venison) and son (mentioned above) worked in the garage.  Here's a fuzzy pic of me, the oldest grandson, and her granddaughter - whom she and her husband are raising.

 

And here's another of her granddaughter and me:

 
I started writing the 'Snippets and Snaps' post last Thursday, but I guess my 'snippets' are written above.  These are the 'snaps' that I'd come up with:

Snap:  The trees in this cold weather as their sap is freezing and expanding inside their bark exteriors, causing both minor and major *snap*s and *CRACK!*s.  Very fun and "grounding" (earthy?) to hear.
Snap:  Of the logs in the stove!
Snap:  Or the lack thereof (snapshots) that I've taken of the twins.  I'm too busy kissing them, talking to them, and chewing on their toes when I change their diapers to think about the pictures that I later wish I'd taken!!  

I'll finish with saying that, yes, the twins were born that very day - November 7th - that I wrote about their imminent arrival!  More on that to come.