Friday
Linda
Since Sonny works four tens he has Fridays off and it has become our day to go to Clarksburg to get needed supplies and a lunch out. Today our main objective was to hit TSC ( Tractor Supply ) for a forty pound propane tank exchange. We use them to fuel the generator and with the prior rainy week, the generator was used every morning and evening to charge the batteries. We also picked up two twenty pound bags of chicken feed and twenty pound bag of dog food. Of course as you walk around you find more items that weren’t on the list but you can’t live without. We picked up another chicken waterer. Once the weather gets cold we wont be able to use the rain water catch barrels because they will freeze. We will have to drain and store them until Spring. So we will need to fill the chicken water buckets from the house. It will be easier to swap out the frozen waterers with a fresh one from the house instead of making two trips back and forth every morning.
The onset of winter weather is weighing heavily on our minds and we are trying to prepare early. Out here cold weather gear is a must when the temperatures drop into the single digits and you have to go out in it whether you want to or not to take care of your animals. The Tractor Supply already has a stock of Carhart overalls and coats along with gloves and hats. Sonny bought me a nice pair of Carhart coveralls and we already have a plethora of hats, scarves and insulated boots here at the house. Next payday there is a coat on the horizon to match the coveralls. I will be pretty set then.
NEWSFLASH! Frontier finally made it out here to connect our phone. We are now able to talk to the outside world. Sonny has been fighting with them since about last January. Now maybe his blood pressure will go back down to normal. Oh wait minute….there is still the County Road Department to do battle with. I’m sure we will have to call them every time it snows because they are not used to people living down this far.
Ohio-Pitt delivered the additional battery bank today that Sonny had ordered two weeks ago. It was easier to meet them at the Country Store six miles from our house rather than risk a non delivery because they could not follow the detailed directions to our house. As you already know prior companies have had problems finding us because they see our mailbox, but neglect to follow the instruction “go past the mailbox another mile.”
After such a busy day its nice to slow down, listen to some relaxing music by the fire and enjoy a cup of coffee with my loved one. Life is good.
Off-Grid in West Virginia 
Sounds wonderful!!!!!xoxoxo
hey just thought of a light bulb inside the chicken coop, it will keep it warm enough, not hot but not sub zero temps at least. How did Sonny get so lucky in finding a woman like you anyway? those carharts are the best, they should keep ya working. PS. I thought Sonny retired, and didn’t have to fight the DC hassel. Hopefully soon you all will be together full time.
We plan to put a couple of Harbor Freight solar panels to a 12 volt battery to run the lights this winter. At this point we don’t have any electricity in the barn so it may be our only option to keep them laying.