The Christmas blizzard of 2009.....

It all began on the Wednesday before Christmas......our power went off at 6:30 in the morning and of course I had turned the heat down to 60 the night before. So it was a cold start to a long day. We have 270 head of cattle on the place so the generator was needed in several places...trying to keep the cows with water and us with heat was a busy job for Gary. The way the water system is set up meant that not only were the cows without water but so were we.

As cold as it was in our house ...... the beauty outside would warm anyone. We had hoar frost that was absolutely amazing. It stuck to everything. I would sit here and look out the window and couldn't believe the beauty.

Our power came back on Wednesday at noon... but went off again at 8:00 p.m. But it was 70 degrees in the house so we considered ourselves lucky to have a good temperature at the git-go.

On Thursday morning Gary woke up at 4:00 and his nose was cold and he wanted a stocking cap for his head.....47 degrees in the house and very windy outside. Out to the barn to get the generator.....and we had the furnace running by 4:45. The weather still wasn't totally nasty yet so at 1:30 we headed out for the Detention Center. We had wanted to go on Wednesday evening but there was a "no travel" advisory out so we obeyed. There were 12 kids at the JDC who were not allowed a Temporary Release for Christmas so we wanted to share a little bit of Christmas joy with them. We were there for 3 hours.....seeing 2 boys separately because they were in Max. When we got home our house was down to 42 degrees......but just as Gary got the generator up to the back door to hook it up.....the power came on and it hasn't gone out again since. However, many of our neighbors were out for 4 to 5 days....including our Pastor Tom and his wife Judy. We were very concerned for them because Judy's health isn't real good and being cold really gives her more problems than she needs.

We had hoped to have Christmas Dinner with my Cousin Dwight and Marvanne and their family. The pork chops were cooking but the weather was getting more and more nasty so we are still waiting for that meal.

We did end up with frozen water pipes but with a little help from a neighbor we were able to unthaw them.

As of Sunday, we got the two water tanks unthawed and producing water for the cattle. Dwight came last night with hay for them and so now everyone is happy. We still don't have our driveway (which we consider 1/2 mile long) plowed -- wondering if the snow plow has forgotten us.....but we can get out through the corn field if we need to. We did get the car out of the drift....in fact just as I was typing this Gary backed it out --- after a time of both of us shoveling. The other photo is of a drift about 8 feet tall just south of our trailer.

Today (Monday) is a beautiful sunny day and we are enjoying it. Yesterday we took a cross country walk (part of it on our snowshoes) to a neighbor for coffee. So we are doing fine. Seems like we totally missed Christmas -- anyway all the good food and family fun..... but Christ is the reason for the season and we didn't miss that.

May God bless all of you in the coming New Year.

Gary and Barb

November update

I feel like I need to apologize for not keeping this updated often enough. As I read the last update I had to laugh!!!! It seemed that I was complaining that the thermometer read 60 degrees but the wind was so cold. Good grief.........now I don't dare complain about the below 0 temperatures for fear that it might get colder. But winter has arrived ----and it is COLD!! For a couple of days we were afraid we might need our furnace looked at, but.....suddenly it started working right again. :-)

We have been keeping busy. Gary is putting up a workshop -- inside the workshop. Which means he is building a building inside a building. Are you confused now?!?!?! Anyway --he is looking forward to having his tools handy so that he can be more efficient. And it should be a nice cozy place to work as we are putting in a good amount of insulation and a heating system.

While we were home in Michigan over Thanksgiving our Pastor Tom Vander Ziel and Wyonne Walkling took over for us on Tuesday Release Time. That is a blessing to us that we don't have to worry about letting the Release Time kids down.

Last week Release Time did not happen. It was a snowy day with more predicted so the kids were released for home at 1:00. Now this coming week....on Tuesday the school will have their Christmas musical in the evening and the music teacher likes to practice with the kids all day so --- no Release Time. But ---- we are scheduled instead on Wednesday. That will be the last time for the year 2009.

Tonight the Lakeview CRC had worship service at the Detention Center. There were about 20 kids in attendance. Pastor Tom always does a great job. As the kids come in it gets worrisome that they will settle down and listen. But after the talking and visiting with each other has gotten out of their system -- they settle down and listen very well. I wish you could see some of the faces....they ARE hearing God's word. Now our prayer is that they will apply it and that they will put their trust in Him. We had 4 young people stay after tonight for a time of prayer. We are never in a hurry to leave....but give them as long of a visit as we can. We are so thankful that the officers are so open to our being there. And the Lakeview people that go along are so good.....so caring and concerned and prayerful.

Peer pressure is an issue at the JDC too. There always seems to be a ringleader or two. Some of the kids get taken in on that.....others try to avoid it. And of course as the group gets larger (which it has been doing) -- it makes it harder to get close to the kids. But there are several who listen so intently......who are so respectful..... Those are the kids who really make it all worth while. And when I (Barb) get in the "sermon giving mode" that mom's can get into --- they even seem to pay attention.... :-) Hope it sinks in !!!!!!

Now onto the ranch news. We have around 200 head of cattle living on the place with us and so we have the responsibility of checking that they stay in the fences and that they have water and seem to be healthy. If trouble arises -- we make a phone call to "the boss" :-) Yes, we did have some - about 11 - try to escape from the place but they were found out and put back in.....keeps things lively.

Love to all............Gary and Barb