Winter Storm: Day 5

Wednesday sunset.

I pondered how to title this post--we've not seen active storm conditions as in the earlier onslaughts of freezing rain, sleet, snow. Rather, we are in deep cold and the landscape all around is still ice-glazed. 

I tapped gently at an ice encased branch of a hybrid magnolia as I inched past it; the ice held fast, no tinkling fall. 

Walking outdoors is a definite hazard, not only for those of us who qualify as elderly. The top layer of what appears to be snow, is in fact a crust of ice over snow, over a bottom layer of frozen slush. Booted feet slip, crunch, gain traction only to find that the slightest incline down the slope of the dooryard threatens a skid.

Tuesday afternoon I went out the back door with cat litter to dispose of in the usual spot at the edge of the south ravine, well below the house. I had trudged only a few yards when I realized that this wasn't a safe path. I could well end up flat on my back!

I reversed carefully, made my way around the north side of house and barn to the burn pit.

Jim declared yesterday mid-morning [Tuesday] that we should drive to the Appliance Store in town and select a replacement clothes dryer. 

The main road into town was mostly clear although there were patches of black ice. Jim [who has driven thousands of miles cross country in a semi back in the day] is not daunted by winter weather, but allows for inept drivers who, in his opinion, don't know how to drive on ice or snow.

Some effort had been made to scrape the parking area in front of the store, ice melting grit had been strewn in front of the entrance. 

Our purchase quickly settled, arrangements were made for delivery on Thursday, weather conditions permitting.

Wal Mart being next door we went  in for a bag of russet potatoes, a small bag of Honey Crisp apples and a head of celery. Snow had been pushed to one side of the store entrance and frozen in a jagged heap. I took great care maneuvering around it.

Back home Jim drove the car down the slope to the back door, the entrance the delivery men would need to take with their van. He crunched past the porch and up the incline of the lower meadow, turned and came back around. The icy terrain didn't hinder our car, a Honda CR-V, but Jim had reservations concerning the appliance delivery van.

This morning he announced that he would go to town with the Dodge truck and collect the dryer!

Howard phoned as we were eating a late breakfast and announced that he and Shannon were heading into town on errands. He volunteered to retrieve the dryer.

When I noticed his truck coming slowly down the icy lane several hours later I was pleased to note that the dryer was well protected in a  heavy cardboard shipping carton.

Shannon and the dogs kept me company in the kitchen while Jim and Howard dealt with setting up the dryer. 

I had optimistically washed a small load of laundry and happily chucked it all into the dryer. Settings chosen, start knob pushed--nothing happened. 

Jim elbowed in, pushed buttons. Shannon offered help; Howard had heaved himself up from the chilly floor after making sure the unit was leveled. I noticed that while three of us were flapping and fussing around the dryer he was merely rolling his eyes.

I had a sudden brain wave: 'The breaker!' Howard made it first to the breaker box at the foot of the stairs, flipped the correct switch and after another jab at the start knob the dryer obediently began its task.

It was a day of saying 'Duh!' first over the dryer/breaker episode, then for me in my cooking venture of the day.

I stewed two large chicken breasts with the intention of assembling a biscuit-topped chicken/ veg casserole, was well into the process when I realized I didn't have easy makings for the sauce/gravy--no chicken broth or bullion cubes on hand, no canned cream of chicken soup. I tried to extend the broth in which I had cooked the veg, it wasn't quite enough. Shannon assured me it would be okay.

We ate it, and it was hot and tasty, but needed more sauce.

Putting things away in the pantry later I discovered a 4-pack of chicken soup--in plain sight on top of tomato soup cans.

Perhaps these small 'idiot' moments keep us humble!

Why  am I relating all this trivia? Because I realized that being more or less house-bound I'm losing track of what day it is and the mundane recital keeps me better in touch.

I finished stitching on the much-maligned wall hanging this evening. [With help from Thimble-cat.]

I'm not proud of it; my attempted hand quilting is not complimentary to my careful piecing of the blocks. I will launder it tomorrow and doubtless add a photo to this endless recitation of winter days.