Stir Crazy

Not a very good day, I'm afraid. I had things I needed to do, and didn't feel like doing any of them. Snow this morning, then the sky cleared and it's been mostly sunny but cold and windy. I picked up an old generator somebody was throwing out, needed to get it out of the truck. Pretty clearly just going to end up as a parts machine; I think the compression's shot and there's no practical way to fix that on these little 2-strokes. But it did start with a little effort, so I used up the last of the gasoline in it putting juice into the batteries and running the bread maker and the well pump. I confess with the weather the way it's been my personal hygiene has not been the best; not a lot of water gone from the cistern since the last fill-up but I like to keep it full. Even if the old thing never starts again you take free energy when you can get it: Now I've got full batteries, cistern and breadbox, which is better than when I woke up, and it didn't cost anything in fuel. Took care of some trash issues, moved some stuff out of the weather, then all I wanted to do was sit and read. Too damned cold for spending a lot of time outdoors. The boys put up with a couple of hours of this and then threw a little riot, demanding a good walk. So we went down the back slope, across the wash, and played hide and seek in the high brush where the wash makes a big loop. Ghost was still going strong, but after a while the older dogs started edging toward home. Now they're all sacked out and content again, and I confess it made me feel better too. I've been doing too damned much sitting around inside, and it's affecting my mood.

Anyway I've got to arrange a trip to town this weekend. I poured the last of the kerosene into the heater and lamp this afternoon, opting to use it up in order to hoard my propane. I can heat with propane but also need it for cooking and heating water. Trouble is I've been so niggardly with all my fuel for the past couple of weeks that I'm cold all the time. That's affecting my mood, too. No doubt about it: Cops or no cops, paranoia or common sense, I really do want to spend a day in town this weekend. Gorge on fuel, work on my pantry stock, maybe catch a movie and eat popcorn. It's about a seventy-mile trip each way, and for safety I need to move while it's dark. What I really want is a blizzard: That would cover my movements nicely.

Heh. Nope, no paranoia here. Everything's perfectly normal. Except I'm going stir crazy! Narf!