Electricity is coming and a big snow storm hits

Another of my usual catch up entries. It is January 23, and I survived the brunt of the big snowstorm. We could have gotten up to 18 inches but my last measurement after the snowfall had stopped showed about 10 inches. On Friday morning I drove my truck down to the gate at about 7 am, just after the snow had started to come down hard and then I ran the tractor a couple of times, first running down to the gate using the scraper blade and then getting back up with a few tense moments of slipping. I decided not to go back down until Sunday at the earliest, when it should warm up into the high 30s. But I did clear out about 250 yards of road so I could walk some and that worked very well. I took several walks on Friday and then two long ones today. I rode the stationary bike (which I lubricated today, but the oil had no effect on the noise so I think I might have to buy a new bike) and did my weights and yoga and watched Duke finally win (after an unheard of 3 losses in a row), beating North Carolina State by 10 points. They looked very good in the second half but they need Amile Jefferson back or they will have no chance of going far in the NCAA tournament. The big news is that the Eliot company crew, especially the backhoe drivers Brandy and Tino, got the cable and conduit all the way to the meter base on Thursday. And more importantly, they didn’t fun into any big rock which would have required them to bring in a jackhammer machine and would have cost me thousands of dollars. I worked with them on Wednesday and Thursday morning, mainly keeping the conduit in place while Tino backfilled the trench Brandy dug. They were terrific and wouldn’t accept my tip (they did accept some meal money on Tuesday), which would have been generous. Brandy also dug the trench I asked for and dug it all the way to the culvert. I think I may leave it uncovered and just let the grass grow up on the hill. I have figured out that I will have to pull 15K from my 403B for the new truck down payment but that is better than the 25 I thought I might have to take out. I don’t think Cathy is going to quit and there is little I can do. I offered to help and that is all I can offer. My classes are going well and I have about 45 students, not a bad load at all. My knee held up well working with the Eliot crew and I just hope it will be okay until May. I finally spoke with Kelly and she is doing fine. That is a comfort to me. I have no idea when I will see her again, but that will be up to her when she feels that it will be okay with Alfredo. I got down to the pasture around 11:30 and cleared all the way to the big hill. On my way back Andy Sisson showed up and he cleared my road up to the house. I offered to pay him 100 dollars but he only wanted 20 but I ended up giving him 40 and promised to send him some Harry and David pears (I did order some and also some chocolate truffles). I emailed my kayaking friend and her driveway hasn’t been plowed yet so I offered to pick her up tomorrow morning and drive her to her office. I watched the first playoff game and Denver won an exciting one, winning 20-18. I checked out the bikes over at Dicks and a newer version of the one I have is 500 dollars with 129 to deliver it and install it, which I will do. I then had some food at El Grande and talked to Cathy and she sounded okay even though she is very concerned about the girls. The second game is a blowout but I have to wait for a call from my kayaking friend so I will watch till 9:15 then head slowly home, parking near my gate and walking up.