RM> My place was never intended for winter use so I have hassles like
RM> having to chop holes in the ice in bay out front and carrying pails
RM> of water up the hill for basic needs.

DI>I've lived in tents and cabins with my family here we had water in metal
  >barrels that would freeze solid.  Since I was the oldest child and the
  >only son, I was out there at 5 AM with a blowtorch warming up the
  >barrels.

The first time I started staying here over the winter, back in the
late 80's, I learned the hard way that I needed more insulation
than I had added. I woke up a few times in the morning to pails
of water on the kitchen floor having a layer of ice on the surface.
I wintered here for 13 consecutive years back then.

I was here last winter and am expecting to survive it again this
year, but I'm not as young as I once was so I'm not sure how
long I can continue doing that, which also makes it impractical
to spend a lot of money on renovations to make thing better for
just a couple of years.

For a lot of years I was living with my parents in winter since
they needed the help then and, although I missed being in my own
place, it was more comfortable in winter being in a 'normal' house..

DI>It is unusual here to drop below freezing for any great length.

Wouldn't that be nice..    B)

Right now we're getting just above freezing during the day and
just below freezing at night but, within a week or two, it will
drop below, and stay below freezing non stop most likely until
early March.

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 * SLMR Rob  * If there is no wind  -  ROW !
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