This will be a short post, covering a few small tasks, such as taking down holiday decorations and some maintenance items. That’s about it. I do have one new purchase, though.
Given the continuing mild conditions, Pam and I decided to take down our Christmas decorations a few days earlier than normal. Yesterday (Friday) temps approached 40 with little wind, so it was a good day to “un-decorate.”
Frost after rain storms had deposited moisture on the lights, wreaths, and garlands so I set up a drying station in the garage. Once these items are dry, they can be packed away for another year.
Inside Christmas decor is also being packed away for another year. The trees are still up but are largely undecorated. We’ll finish packing things this week. Although it’s sad to see decorations go, I’ve noticed the days getting a bit longer which boosts the spirit.
My new purchase is a used generator. Followers of this blog will remember that I purchased a unit last year that proved to be too small to run the “honey wagon” pump (1/3 hp) used to empty holding tanks of The Box on The Lot in Colorado. This new purchase, found on Facebook Marketplace, has a higher output, 2,200 watts compared to the smaller generator’s 1,600 watts. I hope this new generator does the trick.
The Kia Soul received a front license plate mount and new wiper blades. The lawn chipper / vac received new (used) rear tires to replace one that had self-destructed due to age.
Quaker has recalled several products that had a chance of contamination, so I had to go on-line and file a claim (including this photo of the boxes of granola we had in our pantry). As this particular cereal is hard to find in NE Iowa, we tend to buy multiples when it can be located. Figures – our stock was high when the recall hit.
I received a message saying my claim would be “looked at” but nothing since. This is a story in progress.
It was time to order a propane refill this week; 318 gallons were pumped into our tank. This amount is about 1/3 of the 900 gallons we contracted for last fall. Our hope is mild weather that will continue into spring, but undoubtedly January-February will have cold spells along the way. Right now this December is well on the way to being the warmest one on record for this part of the country, with an average temperature of just above freezing. So far we have received only a trace of snow. The local average is over 13 inches by Christmas Day. Very atypical weather, for sure!
If anyone reading this rides ATVs, I created a new gallery of my rides around Fairplay, Colorado. The Heart House gallery was updated with a few new photos as well.
And that is about it for this last post of 2023. The upcoming week promises to be very quiet, as we don’t “celebrate” the new year. Other than finishing the packing away of decorations, not much else is on tap.
Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!
That’s it for now. Thanks for looking in.
Pam’s Penny
Interesting week between December 25 and January 1. Not a time to start major projects, just end one year and anticipate the next. Looking ahead, 2024 will be a doozy. The local advertising for the GOP caucuses in January is getting pretty mean already; the general election is likely to be even more so. And then, there’s always the drama surrounding the do-nothing House of Representatives — will leadership get their act together, or will they shut down the government in February and cut off our Social Security checks? Drama we can do without in the new year.
Happy Trails.
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