Yesterday it was about 65 degrees and for a brief moment the skies were clear and the breeze was light. ... That was about 24 hours ago, and since then we've gotten about 12 to 18 inches of snow and temps are down 40 degrees. I suppose it was inevitable, but a guy could get used to tee shirts in an upstate November.
I think I got as much snow last night as I did all last year. But hey, that's the deal.
I was always this big of a wuss about winter.
Last year I had no idea what to expect, was woefully under-prepared and winter turned out to be a non-event. I got lucky. This year I've patched up the leaks in the cabin: Gonzo now uses a "real" cat door instead of a loosely hung piece of foam that swung on a BBQ skewer. And I used clay to patch the area where the stovepipe exits, cutting off another significant draft.
Also: I added a significant amount of thermal mass, via heat bricks, to the stove. And I've got a lot more wood cut this year.
So at this point I'm as ready as I can be. The cabin could use more insulation in the walls, especially down low. ... But for this season, that ship sailed. That will require redoing a big chunk of construction. Maybe next spring. Just the idea of it is depressing, pulling down walls and having to re-do a bunch of things.
As always, Gonzo and I are also thinking south. Hit the road, or maybe find a place like this someplace warm. I could see spending a few months out of the year in the desert, or renting a place in the Pacific NW.
What am I talking about? I've got the wood stacked and the pantry stocked. I'm not going anywhere right now ...
