Snow Vacation, Getting Stuck, Still Sledding, and Losing Trees

Jeff said we would take the week off school — and he’s our principal, you know. I think we’ve gotten a foot and a half of snow. This morning, Jeff couldn’t get out to go to work. Someone else had tried to get out and got stuck in the middle of the road, blocking everyone else. Our principal can use a day off, anyway, as he came home yesterday after having worked more than 30 hours on storm duty.

Each morning and afternoon, the kids have been going to take care of our neighbor’s 13 goats and 2 dogs. The snow is covering the grasses on which the goats usually graze, so the kids go over there and give them hay while the neighbor is at work or staying in town. The kids are still sledding, too, although 2 of the 3 sleds are now cracked or broken clean in half.

That’s all fun, but the bad news is that we’re losing trees. A cedar fell down; Haniya found it yesterday. I haven’t seen it yet, but that makes me sad because I love cedars the most of all trees. Behind the barn, a madrone tree is completely uprooted. There are trees bent over from the weight of the snow, as well as trees snapped broken. Broken branches are lying scattered here and there. Right now, Jeff is outside with his hand saw, trying to prevent any more damage.

I sewed Jeff a pair of the water-repellent supplex pants this morning. He wanted some, too, although he abhors elastic waist pants and would prefer suspender-like straps to hold them up. But that’s a project for another day — today he got the regular elastic-waist style. Now I’m the only one who doesn’t have any rain pants. I hope to remedy that, but I’m not sure when.