Freaked Out

Everyone is freaked out by the weather.  It's kinda what we can expect in January, in upstate New York.  The freaky part to me is going up to 40 one day, then minus 20 the next.  It was minus 19 on the farm last night and about 20 inside the barn.  That's a forty degree difference and the animals are out of the wind and snow, but water will freeze at that temperature.  The bitter cold and a hay diet makes everyone thirstier.  My gas tank regulator froze and I have no cook top.  Combined with a broken oven that makes microwave and toaster the only cooking appliances in the kitchen.  I think I have a crock pot in the barn somewhere, buried in old fleeces.  I hope I didn't use it for dyeing.  The weatherization non-profit Matt works for is having their holiday party today, at Aqua Vino in Utica.  I'm meeting someone to drop off hand creme at Barnes and Noble in Utica on the way.  Isn't that wonderful, that the woman who wants it from western New York could not make it due to the weather and is sending her sister to pick it up for her.  That kind of fan base keeps me running that little food processor that Mia gave me for Mother's Day a hundred years ago.  I'm putting together gift bags for the ten or so in the weatherization crew.  I only see most of them once a year and they are truly dedicated to keeping disadvantaged people warm in New York.  With funds cut so drastically last year I know people are freezing in their tin cans - trailers - as I did the first year I lived here.  I'm so warm, ridiculously so, in this little apartment, but still remember running two electric heaters full time to get the temp up to 40 and waking up with my hair frozen to the wall of the trailer.  Some people deal with that situation all the time while raising kids.  Yikes.  The sun is shining brilliantly and we got out to the mail and the Louis Gale Feed Mill in Waterville.  Picked up Matt's old Saturn  which broke down on him in Syracuse the other night from the repair shop.  The tow truck driver was nervous driving so far away from his city.  When they got to Bouckville he said, gee, I've never been "this far out" before.  Yes, we are a ways from civilization.  Ain't it grand?  I got my Colorscape Chenango application today, so it's started.  Even though I've done this show for several years I still have to apply, pay a jury fee and submit pictures.  This fantastic show in Norwich, in September,  kicks off the season and is totally worth it.  Fingerlakes needs their application fee, too.  Another year of shows, friends and fun begins.