Rain and snow

It began to snow in the afternoon. Our neighbor said it was the first snow of the year, and we were glad to be there to see it. Nothing stuck, just flurries. But it was cold, in the mid-30s. Paul looked miserable mixing cement on the front porch. Gerald brought him a cup of hot chocolate, and slipped and fell because our makeshift sidewalk got so slippery.

The snow turned to rain, and it rained steadily all night long. We ran the generator for several hours hoping to charge up the battery in the travel trailer. We hadn't been able to keep the heat on during the last two nights we spent there. The first night, we ran out of propane. The second night, we ran out of battery. We were worried because we were pretty sure it would freeze that night, and we didn't want the lines in the travel trailer to burst. We ran the generator hoping to charge up the battery, but by the end of the evening, we still didn't have enough of a charge to keep the heat on all night. So we poured our last to gallons of gas into the generator and let it run until it ran out of gas. By the time it did, we had enough battery to keep the heat on.

The next morning, I got up to go to Yarnell. Paul needed some hardware, and we needed some donuts. I met Paul coming in as I was going out. He said to be careful. The rain had made the roads very slick. There was one spot he could barely get up in four-wheel drive. As I headed out, I saw where he had trouble, and made a mental note to be careful there coming back.

Even in four-wheel low, I couldn't make it up the hill. After several attempts, I found myself firmly stuck in the ditch. Paul and Gerald came in the backhoe to pull me out. Once Paul got us going, he spread gravel over the area, which made all the difference. His dad was able to get in with no problem. So was our roofer, who we called because our unfinished roof let in a cascade of water. As for us, we had dinner plans in the Valley, and the rain showed no signs of abating, so we decided we'd better pack it up and get out while we could.