Hunkering Down

Momma and Daddy came just in time for the year's first ice storm. Hopefully, it won't be like the one Jan 28, 2009:

None of the projections I've seen cause me to think it will be like that one, but they rarely get the weather forecast right here. We might not have any ice, sleet, or snow at all.

But if we do, I'll take some pictures.

More baby pics

Here's a few more pictures from yesterday. Tomorrow I'll get some more of Keigan, and some new ones of Chloe.

New Grand-daughter

Here's the most recent addition :) Baby Keigan Marie Cline weighed 7 lbs 0 oz and was 20" long. Mom and baby are doing great!

After the snow

Once the snow starts melting, it starts to look pretty ugly.

The icicles are beginning to melt.

It's dripping so hard it sounds like rain hitting the roof.

Every once in a while, a big slab of ice falls to the second roof, making a loud thud and the dogs bark like the booger man is up there.

Tonight and tomorrow, we're supposed to get more snow, but also freezing rain. I love the snow, but hate the ice, so I hope we don't get freezing rain.

Snow Day

I love the way snow covers everything, including the junk, lol. Makes it all look so much prettier. Hides all the work needing to be done.

Garrison stayed at Cody's in anticipation of a snow day today, they had plans to go sledding and riding four-wheelers in the snow. I stayed home from work, got most of what I needed to get done yesterday and figured it's not worth the risk to get there for non-urgent business.

It's not so deep that I can't get out if I have to, though, and I'm waiting to see if Gab's going to go into labor now just because it'll take longer to get to the hospital.

Imminent Grand-daughter update

Word from the doctor this morning is that Gab is dilated 2 cm and 50% effaced. Keigan ought to be here soon :)

Lessons

Well, no. He didn't put the pipe clamp on tight enough. Yesterday the tank was overflowing. This morning, it's empty. And the plug was on the ground.

Sometimes suffering inconvenience makes learning something have a little more sticking power. He's not happy about not being able to take a shower tonight, either. I'll bet the pipe clamp is tight now.

One Small Step

Today Zack got home early and put a plug into the end of the water line. It's all frozen still, but at least by now the tank should be full (because it's been frozen from the tank down and unable to flow out the cracked end once it froze solid) and by tomorrow when hopefully the sun will warm the ground enough, it'll defrost and we'll have our water back by the time I come home from work tomorrow night.

So, I know it's not a major plumbing job, but it was a tremendously necessary one and a first step for Zack in learning to make a repair on his own. The real test will come when the water comes back in. I think there's almost 90 lbs of pressure at that point when the tank is full, so hopefully he put the pipe clamp on tight enough so it doesn't blow the plug out.

Later we'll put a valve in so we can cut off the water after the house and before the shed.

Reluctant Morning

This morning is one of those kind, upon which seeing first light the first things I think is Ugggggggh! Maybe it's just a bad dream.

A few seconds later, another peep from half-shut lids, and the truth is revealed. It's not. It's real. And I do have to get up.

It was nearly midnight when I quit working on my powerpoint presentation.

Around 3 a.m. the trickle of water I'd left running in my sink went silent. Having gone to sleep through the noise of water falling into a bowl, the sudden quiet woke me. The realization of why I woke led to checking all the faucets to see that indeed, they were all keeping mum.

At 4:30 a.m. Snippy started letting me know he'd eaten his last stem of hay and he was cold and wanting more. Horses can be very loud when they want, did you know?

It's nearly 10*F outside, but at least this time I can see better than I could at 4:30. Now I can find out if the broken and steadily draining the tank nozzle at the end of my water line is frozen solid, too.

Horses Retrieved

One part of the weekend's goals have been met. Zack got both of the horses home yesterday. But I have the wrong parts for repairing the water line, so that will have to wait. It's only leaking a little, I just wanted to get it taken care of before the weather turned so cold.

This morning, it is already so cold.

Blustery is a good word for today's weather. The wind is gusting and it's below freezing.

Cold Weather Coming

Well, it looks like we'll need to get all the outdoor work we need to have done all finished on Saturday.

That means horses retrieved, hay brought up and the leak at the end of the water line repaired pretty much all done on one day's time. Getting the horses home could take a few hours, and if things don't go right with the water line issue (we are inexperienced water line repair-ers), that could too. Especially if I don't have the right parts and need to run into town.

Zack and I are working Friday so nothing can be done until Saturday anyway. Loretta will be working Saturday, so that means either I or Zack will be taking care of Chloe... which means either Zack or I will be getting all that stuff done with Garrison to help.

Tomorrow he'll pick up propane bottles and I'll bring up a load of hay after work.

Sunday it's supposed to get fairly cold, with wind chill near or below zero by Sunday night. Or at least that's what it said last time I looked at the forecast. That changes some every time I look, so it could be better or worse now, but I'm preparing for worse.

Then it's supposed to stay that way for the main part of next week.

Gab should tell Keigan to stay put until the weather levels out again, at least!