Winter on the Farm

Winters past involved surviving; before refrigeration and central heating, getting wood into the fire was a constant occupation. Ice had to be gathered and stored for the summer. Think about this; winter was when people would make ice cream. I never thought about it much before. Thank God for the Jewel and Woodman's and Starbuck's Java Chip year round!
Winters now involve griping about the cost of heating fuel and whining about shoveling show. Imagine if your animals were 50 yards from the house and the only thing between them and death was your shoveling to get out to feed them. Puts a whole new light on whining, doesn't it? As I watch MSP's chickens scratching in the snow for some feed, I have to remind her about that...
Speaking of whining, our grandchildren are spending the day here. I don't know who whines more; us, about missing our quiet cup of coffee on Saturday morning, or them, who don't understand that rules are different at Grandma and Grandpa's.
Later today we'll have houseguests; our vicar and his brand-new fiancee (since two days ago!) She'll be staying into next week; his mom shouldn't worry. We'll kick him home early and often! Also later today, I "get" to go to the grocery store, something I avoid like the plague on Saturday. But, when you don't work your schedule rightly during the week, Saturday shopping is the consequence.
But the grandchildren promise to help me...if I buy them treats!