Sure Gets Dark Early These Days

 

It’s not quite 5 PM and just about dark outside already.  You’d think at my age, I’d be used to the early-dark days of Winter, but I’m not.  I must be part Bear or Groundhog; during this time of year (at least here where it’s cold), I really have a hard time getting excited about going places.  I’m perfectly content to be snug at home working, writing or doing whatever.

In just about an hour I will, however, be going to a CERT training session for the evening.  It’s on shelter operations, and I’m looking forward to receiving formal training on how to help run the shelter.  The recreational center which has in the past opened itself to the neighboring area during natural disasters (offering free showers, bottled water, phone charging, etc.) is now a designated shelter for the entire county.  CERT members have helped staff the rec center when in “shelter mode,” and tonight we are receiving formal training on setting up and running a shelter.  We are being provided a meal; I would imagine it will be standard shelter fare, in order to give us a “real” experience.

That means I’ll be heading “up the hill” (as is referred to around here) in a bit, in the dark, in light rain.  The “hill” is actually Musconetcong Mountain and the direction up the hill is South.  That felt unnatural to me for quite a while when we first arrived here.  I felt like if I was going up a mountain, I should be heading North!

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Since I’ll be away this evening, Dave and I had our “Friday night” last night.  I had a coupon, so we went to Perkins for burgers and then had two epic chess matches.  We started at 8 PM, and each game lasted two hours, so we had a late night for us, especially with the following day being a work day.  Sure was fun, though, listening to melodic Celtic tunes and playing chess.  I even won the second game, my first victory since we started playing again about a month ago.

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We plan to hit the used book sale at a nearby library tomorrow morning.  We’ve been a few times and scored some good reads.  This is really for Dave, as he prefers to hold an actual book.  I don’t have a Kindle, but do have the Kindle app and another book app on my iPhone.  Right now I’m progressing through the works of Zane Grey.  I’ve known about the author for a long time, but never gave much thought to Westerns.  After reading the first one, I’m hooked. 

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We have our usual quiet Thanksgiving planned, just the two of us.  I cook and we just chill.  I plan on hitting the grocery store Sunday for all those provisions, and a few more “storm provisions,” as there is the possibility of a Nor'easter hitting us Tuesday evening through Wednesday next week.  We’re stocked up pretty well, but I’ll get another package of paper plates and some more Handi Wipes, just in case we lose power (which would mean we would lose water since we’re on a well here.) 

Today has been rather mild; however, a change is coming Sunday, with a blast of arctic air (and perhaps a bit of snowfall) preceding the possible arrival of the Nor’easter on Tuesday.  At least the leaves are off the trees now.  That’s a good thing, trust me.

Other than that, we’re pretty well set for Winter.  Plenty of warm clothes and outerwear, water hose heat-traced and with the drop light at the turnoff valve, the pump room is well insulated with a little heater in it, we  have gas for the generator and plenty of propane on hand for several days.  I’ve confirmed arrangements for plowing the property if it snows enough this Winter to be plowed.  The company paid for four new tires on the company truck, so it’s good to go if there’s snow/ice; this vehicle even has 4-wheel drive.  Yahoo!  This is our 3rd Winter here, so we pretty well know “the drill” by now.

Guess I’ll finish getting ready, as I’ll be leaving in a bit.  Have a great weekend!

Thanks for stopping by!