Winter Called

Yesterday afternoon I had just hung up the phone from talking with Mike (who was in Kansas), and was about to feed the dogs, when Winter called.

"I've been reading your blog," she said "and you don't seem too impressed with me so far. Go look out the window". I could imagine her on the other end of the line, some crusty old babe with long white hair and a slightly too tight white gown with cathedral sleeves. I went over to the window and looked out and holy crap was it coming down - sideways. It was hailing like I've never seen hail. And then it turned to blinding snow. The wind started howling to the west, and within seconds we were in a white out. "I'm not all mundane and being about hovering around zero,'' she snapped "I've still got it, you know!"

I looked at the thermometer, and the temperture had dropped about 10 degrees in 10 minutes. "If you think you're so smart, get out there and feed the horse." So I did. And it was the first time ever that I have absolutely instisted to Buck that he was going to be eating inside the loafing shed. I took his grain in there, and fought my way through the wind and blowing snow back to the hayshed for enough hay for the night. I could hardly see where I was going. Rupert got his hay in his house, and after clearing snow off the logs I brought in from the woodshed, I was back in and warm once again.

After the dogs and I had finished our meals, Winter called back. "Don't forget about your car, honey!", she said slightly sarcastically. I opened the door to have a look out, and the inside doormat was promptly covered with snow that had driftted up against the door. My car had all but disappeared under blowing snow. "You'll be needing that to get to work in the morning," she sneered. Hah. I looked around for the broom to start clearing it off, and then looked over at Mike's pick up. It had blown completely bare. I decided those were the wheels I'd be taking to town in the morning.

Winter's next tactic was messing with the lights. They went out for a few seconds, twice. "Never mind that, Winter!",I said. "I'm turning off the computer right now. I know exactly where the flashlights are, and I have the bathtub filled with water in case of emergency. I have zillions of candles, ...and (my tour de force) a windup combination radio/flashlight. And better still, I have a generator that's full of gas!"

"You win that round," conceded Winter "I'll mess with the lights over at Horse Lake instead...but I'm not done with you yet...I know how much you hate lying in bed at night with the wind howling. I'll give you a heaping dose of wind tonight."

And she did. But I was reading such a good book, and was so tired, that I fell right asleep instead of my usual cowering under the covers.

Winter was a bit of a bitch last night...but she left everything looking pristine and beautiful this morning.