Nov 23rd - Its Cold Here in Missouri

Last nights low was 28, todays high is supposed to be 31. Tonights low is forecast at 10 while tomorrows high is only supposed to be 30. The forecast temps here are below those for Coldwater, MI, which is about 240 miles north of us. So much for living in the "south". Here in Missouri we get the luxury of hot in the summer and cold in the winter. Actually it is unseasonably cold. Average highs/lows for late November are 52/32.

Kathy is progressing, but not nearly as fast as she would like. Next Wednesday we go back to St. Louis for a follow up appointment with the surgeon. She made 3 pumpkin pies for me to take up to the church this morning. She hasn't been off the property since we came back from St. Louis. She does get out and walk laps around the circle driveway.

I beginning to think my quest for better hearing is a test to teach me patience. When I originally when in to pick up the first set, and have them programmed, the $2,500 hearing aid did not work, right out of the box (the $1200 "microphone/transmitter" for my deaf ear worked OK). They gave me a loaner to use while they sent mine off for repairs. I picked up my unit on the 14th and everything seemed OK, although I'm not convinced I can hear that much better. The things "eat" batteries. A set of batteries went dead Tuesday afternoon and when I replaced them with some that I had purchased from Walmart the hearing aids would not work. On my way home that night I bought more batteries, from a different store. After installing more batteries the hearing aids again quit working after less than an hour. Thursday afternoon I took them back in and was told that the $2500 unit had again quit working properly. I'm supposed to get them back next Wednesday. My $200 "trial period" runs until the end of the month. As it now stands I think I will just give them back at the end of the month.

I spent two and a half days this week help a guy from the Baptist Builders work on a house over near High Point, MO, about 20 miles from here. I don't know the whole story but I think the High Point church is buying the material to winterize the place a lady now calls home. Her 57 year old husband died rather unexpectedly last summer and she is living in a "factory built" building behind her daughters house. The building was built in Versailles and moved to the site. The actual building portion is 16'x28', not including the loft above the front porch. Tuesday, my first day, I dug a trench around the perimeter so that we could stuff insulation under the perimeter and install the white skirting you see in the photo. It was plenty enough pick and shovel work to make my muscles sore <grin>. Wednesday and again Thursday morning I worked on the interior. She currently has no running water, nor sewer. The toilet you see in the bottom of the photo is the one that is supposed to be installed in the bathroom. Most of the interior plumbing is done and I think all the wiring is done. I'm not sure how long the lady has been living it it. She walks to her daughters, less than 100 yards away, to take showers and get drinking water. She seems like a very nice lady who is very thankful for the help. She seems to have a very positive outlook on life.

 On a trip out back (to take a leak), this old cook stove is one of the many "jewels" I saw. Beside her daughters house, which doesn't look nearly as nice as the shed at our house, there are at least 6 trucks, around 1950's vintage. I didn't take the time to look closely at them but from the road they looked to be in pretty good shape for trucks that were over 50 years old. No idea how long they have set there.

Doug and Anthony are coming for Thanksgiving. With Kelsey, Andy and Lydia staying in the downstairs there really isn't much place for them, and their dogs, to stay in the house. I've held off winterizing the motor home so that they could stay in it. I had set 20 degrees as the lower limit on thing freezing when it was not winterized. Tonight will be far colder than that. I'm going to go over and get 20-25 bales of straw this afternoon to use as skirting. In the morning I will know if it can stand 10 degree temps without freezing.

I've been cutting a little wood, mostly more of the junk stuff lying around. I still haven't cut up the 20' plus log from the dead tree I cut down earlier this year. I think it is still a little green so I'm cutting up other junk to burn. Some of it is really junky stuff but it burns and is fine for daytime use. In the late afternoon I add some good wood to make sure we have a fire throughout the night.

May God bless you and yours.