It has been a while hasn’t it? I won’t make excuses for not writing since I don’t even know why I felt there was so little to say. In the time since I last wrote I have gained a Wilderness First Responder certification, the aurora season has started, other things have happened, and winter has arrived.

Yesterday wasn’t the first snowfall of the season. That was last weekend. What started yesterday afternoon has turned into the first real accumulation of the winter. This will still be here until April or May.

As I browsed through IG this morning everyone was posting pumpkins and leaves to celebrate October and fall. It made me laugh because we went through that last month. Alaska is a bit ahead of the curve on winter.

Last week I posted on IG about the start of snow and was asked if I had gotten a roof over the outhouse yet. The answer is not yet. I have a roofing panel to cut up and install, but I think I’ll wait until the snow stops falling. Hopefully this weekend.

Another project that got delayed was the installation of our new-to-us oil tank. We acquired two, actually. The 300 gallon tank and stand can be seen in the picture of the roofing material. The 200 gallon tank replaces the plastic 55 gallon drum we used last year.

The new tank will be hooked up soon. We just need to find the proper connector to go between the pipe on the tank and the compression fitting on the fuel line. We have 15 gallons of heating oil waiting to go in and we’ll be back to cozy before too long. Then we’ll have to figure out the big tank for the generator. If we’re gone for work we can’t top it off, though I do know a kid who likes to earn money and might be persuaded to check on it for us. She already gets paid to make sure the dog is properly entertained and stays out of trouble.

Cold days and colder nights call for cozy comfort. Short days call for more light. My boys occasionally mock me for my love of Christmas lights, but they make a great, low power solution for dark rooms. Between my pile of fuzzy blankets and new soft lighting I have a really nice place to curl up for hibernation when I’m not working. It’s the little things.