The winds are just howling outside, and there’s already 5” of snow, at least that’s how much that hasn’t blown away yet.  The morning started out at 29*, dropped to 27* and stayed there.

I’m trying hard to stay on top of email for as long as I can.  Only a few more days left on the batteries for the cell tower; I’m guessing because I really don’t know and no way to find out. After that I’ll have to go into town with the Tablet.  That will not be convenient.

I finally heard from Suzy in the Willamette Valley of Oregon!  With her hubby driving truck to Texas and Louisiana, she’s often alone at home with the four kids: Koty (22), Katie (11), Joey (8) and Charlotte (5); but they’re doing ok. The goats, cats and horse sensed the quake in Yellowstone, and the aftershocks, but the chickens were oblivious for the most part.  I guess that’s typical.  She’s trying to keep the kids busy with tending the animals so they don’t worry about their dad.  Phil had just left on a trip to Louisiana when the quakes hit. I sure hope he’s ok.   With so much disruption everywhere, Suzy has decided to home school rather than risk the young ones being somewhere else if more happens.  I certainly can’t blame her.  I worry about my boys all the time!

It’s a day for good news!  I got an unexpected phone call from Eric!!  They really are doing fine, but with as busy as Bernita is in her higher level of Emergency Management, she’s asked him to move back in, temporarily of course, to take care of Emi and the livestock.  He said … no.  Gotta hand it to him to stick to rules she laid out.  He’s set up a bedroom for Emi at his new place and told me he would pick her up from school, then go to Bernita’s.  While Emilee picks up a few things and feeds the cat, Eric will feed and tend the horse and chickens, collect eggs; but then they will go to his house, where Bernita can pick up their daughter when she gets off work; if she works too late, Eric will take Emi to school from his house.  He works from home 90% of the time anyway, so it makes sense; and why should he sleep on an air mattress on the floor, when he could/should be sleeping in his own bed.  Bernita is learning she can’t always get her way.

I finally turned on the TV for some news.  It’s been 17 days since the first quake, and rescue efforts have mostly turned into body recovery.  The toll now stands at 78,523 confirmed dead, some not identified or even identifiable; at least that many more missing and they’ve lost count of the injured. Unbelievable! It was said that the only way to deal with the body count was with mass graves.

One thing everyone will have to be cautious of now, are all the inmates on the loose.  It seems they offered some maximum security prisoners a reduced sentence if they helped with recovery and clean up, then the prisoners just walked away.  Now the population will have to contend with some real nasty’s wandering around!  I suppose the officials felt it was worth the risk, but then they likely won’t have to deal with it, just we will.  I’m forever thankful to be way up here, in this small corner of the world.  Even so, I wear my shoulder holster constantly now.

Oddly, there wasn’t even a mention of the continuing relief efforts on the east coast for the victims of Hurricane Sandy.