Happy Holidays

This entry is going to serve as my Christmas letter. I am writing it too late to send out with a card, so I hope my friends and family check the blog. I promise to try and do better next year and send out cards!

It's been pretty chilly lately here in Madison county. This morning almost felt warm at 23*F, compared to the 3* I woke up to yesterday morning. Our water froze night before last and still has not thawed, so we are without water. Ordinarily, during weather like this, I keep the horses penned close to the house because I don't want to have to go far in search of them if they don't show up at the house for supper or breakfast feeds. But with no water, I had to turn them out. So far, they're being good boys and have been coming up at the expected times.

This Christmas is threatening to be a silent one for me. My voice is fading fast today and by tonight I may not be able to squeak out a word at all.

The house building is going slow these days. Right now Gary and Lee, our plumber neighbor from up the road, is working on the plumbing. Once that is done, we'll have the insulation blown in and the sheet rock hung. After that I'm ready to move in and finish it while I'm in there.

Gabrielle is 16 and driving now. Folks on the road should be forewarned, haha. She's still planning to go to LSU and become an equine vet.

Garrison still loves to skateboard and tried his hand at snow boarding, or rather, ice boarding, while his ramps were all frozen over in a glaze of ice recently. I didn't get the impression he liked that very much.

Zack has gotten out of OTR trucking. He had an accident in Tucson in September and although no one was seriously hurt, it made him think he'd rather not be on the road so much anymore. He is working for Tyson in Berryville. He likes being able to come home every afternoon now.

I hope everyone enjoys the holiday season and stays warm and safe. Merry Christmas!