You know those pioneer reenactment tv shows? Where people go out on the frontier and try to survive like our forefathers in the 1800s? They have a team of experts critiquing and advising on things like building a chicken house so the chickens don't die or run off or get eaten by wild animals. And digging a root cellar to keep the veggies edible for the winter. And cutting enough fire wood so they don't freeze or starve to death. No matter how much advice they get they are never prepared for their first winter. I believe that's historically accurate too. There was probably never one pioneer family that wasn't caught off guard by something their first winter.
That's how I've felt here. Caught off guard by our first winter.
Pretty soon after the cold weather started we realized that there were places in this house, a lot of them, where the caulk between the logs was just not doing it's job. When the wind blew, a breeze could be felt coming through the log joins. Hmm. The outlets and switches on the outside walls fairly stream cold air. The window and door frames leaked great gusts of wintry wonder also.
We've spent a fair amount of time this winter tearing things apart - carefully - and putting them back together after sealing and insulating the insides. (When I say we, I mean Gilbert) Caulking log joins, filling holes, replacing insulation. All the while going through outrageous amounts of heating oil and electricity trying to stay warm. We are going to try to install an alternative form of heat by next winter. But having a fireplace built is expensive.
This has been a record breaking winter for cold. It is possible that the pipes that froze here this winter have never frozen before. But, to be safe and because there are some who say we are at the beginning of a long term cooling trend, Gilbert pulled walls apart and insulated pipes and sealed cracks and put everything back together.
Then came the snow. The first snow was gorgeous. Light and fluffy and not at all like Maryland snow is wont to be. We were complacent. We cleared out the cars but not much else. Because we had no idea that the driveway is the conduit for all drainage on this side of the property. So we didnt know that soon our drive would be a slick of ice and snow packed ice. And then the regular Maryland snow/sleet/freezing rain came. And I got the truck stuck IN THE DRIVEWAY. TWICE. And the mail lady got the mail truck stuck in the driveway. And Gilbert has had to work from home a lot. Because if the department of transportation says stay off the roads and you can telecommute, then you really should. Especially if I'm your wife. Because I'm a worry wort. (Not literally , I try to stay away from the wort because it's stinky)
Anyway. It's a good thing I like this house because I've been spending a lot of time with it lately.
For your viewing pleasure, a picture of the truck stuck the second time. Near the driveway. It was stuck across the driveway but I got it out of that situation and into this one.
