Thawing out two cottages at the Hemlocks

Thawing out two cottages at the Hemlocks

       My strategy is that if it took a day to freeze, it will take a day to thaw out

The weather forecasts suggest things will get above freezing during the day slowly but surely. That means, to me, that my pipes should not freeze and burst, but it will still be cold outside. After all, it is the winter time until the equinox in late March when the spring arrives.

My ancestors had it tough, too. And in retrospect, maybe I am becoming a pansy in my old age.

And it does pay to walk around and check things. It turns out the major cover under the main house had blown down and exposed that houses underneath  to the elements. That explains why I suddenly lost general water when it had never happened before. It's my own damn fault I did not check earlier, and now I am paying.

And the puppies did finally find the puppy house in the barn with its two chicken house electric heat lamps which are better than nothing. They all made it.

And old habits do die hard. The cottage next door had me light off two kerosene heaters, which leave an aroma most Americans don't like. But after my time in Korea during a winter, I still like the scent since it meant heat to me. Once a Marine, always a Marine is true in my case and habits.

The inside temp next door was well below freezing earlier, like 24 F in the kitchen. The inside temp in the main house room I generally stay in was 64 F this morning.   Both cottages (0n the inside)  are above freezing right now. During my time in Franklin, Tn., I set the thermostat on 58F and put on more clothes since heating a 14 foot ceiling house that is without insulation (built in 1888) can get expensive.  Others have since found that out, including one rock star who toughed it out for a couple of years before he sold the house and moved. By the way, the outside temperature right now is around 11 F.

Last, thawing out two cottages costs money and wood for my wood stoves, which I am willing to pay as well as cut and split wood as a reflection of how cold it is to me. And I did once call my old man a cheapskate, but now I call him thrifty. Thank goodness for the Colton long  johns which I am wearing in layers since I don't exercise as much as I both should and use to do.