Freezing

[gailmom.livejournal.com]

It got down below freezing last night. Other than adding extra bedding to the chickens nest box, and dripping the faucets, I didn't do anything to prep.

This includes turning on the heat.

Given that central heat and a/c are the biggest users of electricity/gas, ie contributors to carbon footprint, I've been trying to make it a month longer than I did last year without turning on the heat. Last year I made it to November, so this year I've been trying to make it to December.

I'm so close, just a few days to go.

Thanksgiving day the front came through, and the temp dropped like a stone in an hour. "If it gets below 60 in the house, I'll cave" I said.

Last night I didn't look at the thermostat, knowing I had a heated mattress pad, so the temp wouldn't matter until I was out of bed.

This morning it is 58 in the house. The though that went through my head when I saw that "that isn't MUCH below 60". :P Guess I'm more stubborn than I thought.

Honestly? I'm fine except for my fingers, which are COLD and achy.

Maybe I can find someone to knit me fingerless gloves so I can still type but have warmer hands...even better if they were just fingertipless. I bet I could manage for longer without heat if I had those so I could still type.

Now it's time to put on my rubber boots and check the girls to see how they made it through the night. I expect egg production will drop a bit now that we've had a real cold snap, but up until this I'm still averaging 4 eggs a day out of 6 hens...not bad, ladies! :D