One Week In

2018 is one week old. Here is what I have been doing since my last post.

Snow fell last night, a heavy, wet snow (1 – 2 inches) that packs down into slippery surfaces. Being Sunday, our little town has not plowed the roads. I did get out the John Deere and cleaned our driveway, sidewalks, and some of the neighbor’s sidewalks as well in hopes they will melt off quickly, as it is supposed to be in the low 40s later today.

Winter is the time for a few cleaning projects, particularly in the main bathroom. Light fixtures removed and cleaned, vent grill removed and cleaned, and tops of cabinets vacuumed. It is amazing how much lint accumulates in these areas. (And how long we can ignore the buildup!)

I took an ATV ride with my ATV group this past Saturday morning. With little snow in the high country, the ATV season has been extended. The area we rode in is not high in scenic quality but did traverse several forest zones from dry grasslands up through juniper and into aspen then into tall pine. It was refreshing to be out riding and we had a good group of 24 machines.

ATV group on 1-6-18 ride

My odometer indicated the loop was about 66 miles long and took us about 5 hours. All of us pack a lunch and rides include several breaks including a longer lunch break. For this trip I put on long johns under my snowmobile suit and had a sweatshirt on as well. The ATV has heated grips and heated throttle lever (a Christmas gift from Pam several years ago) so I was quite comfortable even though we were getting close to 9,000 foot in elevation. A few snowflakes made their appearance later in the ride but were welcomed, as the ongoing winter dry conditions are of concern to all of us.

Pam had to return to a work schedule without the remote work option, after enjoying two weeks off over Christmas and New Years. This only confirms that she is mentally ready to retire (me too!); getting back into the routine gets harder each time there is a vacation break more than a few days.

The kitten Pumpkin Pie was delivered to his new foster home and is reported to be fitting in very well, even though he squeezed into a small space between a built-in dishwasher and cabinet and had to be rescued. (Pam had specifically warned the foster family about small spaces around appliances!) We hope this works out well and the foster family ends up adopting Pumpkin.

The rest of the week was basically routine — going to work, watching some football, household chores. The next few months are likely to be more of the same while we wait for spring to make an appearance. Pam is looking forward to watching televised events she enjoys at the Winter Olympics in early February, particularly ice skating.

That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in!

Pam’s Two Cents Worth:

The outside cat colony (+ roaming ferals) is eating its way through a little more than 16 pounds of cat food per week. While feeding at this level is financially sustainable at the moment, when I segue into my semi-retirement period — not so much. An ongoing spay/neuter operation starting in February is scheduled, in cooperation with the animal shelter in nearby Rifle.  (I used to work with that shelter’s director, and she looks out for me.) I also have two ranch homes interested in some of the ferals for mousing. In times like this I always try to remind myself that the step from rescue to hoarding is a small one.

Happy Trails.