Feeling More at Home

It is 17 degrees. That seems to make a little more sense for January. I was thinking all you folks in Wisconsin ought to leave all your cars running constantly since gas is now affordable. That global warming deal doesn't seem to be working out for you all. I think you need to encourage it.

When did Bob the Builder stop being a friendly contractor with talking machines and become a nut-job environmentalist?? I used to like that show.

The museum was interesting yesterday. They have such a complicated history down here. The churches are such a big part of life down here but they were such a huge part of justifying slavery and segregation. The lady we went with told me she had gone to the confederate museum in town and that Abraham Lincoln is cast as a vile, evil man. The only good thing about Greenville is it is filled with transplants. Anyway, we went to her house for a snack afterwards. We have lived here almost three months and this was the first time we have been in someone else's house. That seems so wrong.


I made her one of the stationery boxes, which she seemed to like. I finished the ones for my former neighbor girls up north. Will have to get them in the mail Monday.


We lost power in the middle of typing this. It was out a couple of hours. I am glad it happened. I had been thinking about what I need to be prepared for such things and it helped to actually have it out. We really need a generator. I think everyone does. Since we have city water, we could still flush (that doesn't work when you have a well) and the gas stove worked, which was good because we were in the middle of making pancakes. It got cold fast in every room except the living room with the fireplace. I taped the fridge closed right away to remind my people to not open it. Alec and I have been going through the Lehman's non-electric catalog--I wanted to order some oil lamps. Oh, I am rambling here, but it is good food for thought. I don't think many people (me definitely included) are prepared for a storm that would leave them without power or access to stores for a time. I don't want to be one of them.

The only plants that I am having trouble with are the kiwi and papaya. Can't get those buggers sprouted. I need to do some research on that. I have three of those wall o' waters and am planning on setting out some tomato plants the first week of February.

Two things I would like to get going in the next month would be getting some Parmesan cheese made and aging and making up some soap.

Dan is working on the log bed. The tool to make it cost $300. He did not purchase it. He is trying to make it with what he has.