We’ve been iced in since late Friday and even the dogs seem ready for us to get out of the house. We’re tapped at the top of our very steep hill which, like everything else, is covered in break-a-hip ice. No loss of power and net access has allowed both of us to work. I plan to rappel down the hill and hitch to work in the morning. This happens every four or five years, providing a horrifying glimpse of what retirement must be like (shudder). No thanks.

It started as sleet and freezing rain and later changed to snow and we woke up to find 12-14 inches on the ground. Ripley and Lucy are frustrated, unable to find their favorite places to take care of business.

I hiked down the hill to take some photos but it is damned cold so I only got about 50 yards. I’ll take another run at it later today. For now, here’s a shot of the deck, road to house, our back yard, another of the back yard, the front of our house and our neighbor’s bench.

If you want to heat right, you’ve got to use it at night – propane.
All your troubles are past when you use LP gas – propane.
It’s all right, it’s all right, it’s all right – propane.

Well, you can heat up the barn and keep the hayloft real warm – propane.
You keep it in a big tank, because, ay, does it stink! – propane.
It’s all right, it’s all right, it’s all right – propane.

Lyrics by Clyde Bauman