Dec 26 - an early arrival

We heard from Jeffrey mid-day that they were making good progress and their NAV was showing an 8pm arrival. He figured more like 10, and they arrived just before. They had taken the more direct route north from Chesapeake Beach MD to Buffalo, which cuts off many miles. Often those direct routes are jammed with traffic as you go through little towns but Dec 26 traffic was light.

They had originally expected to stop at Stef's, thinking that they had 15 hours of driving / 19 hours of travel, but since they could make it same evening, it was much more straightforward to go through. I have to agree, since I helped them unload the car. It was overflowing with stuff ! With Jeffrey, Chase and I bringing everything down to the cottage it did not take too long, but that was still a 20 minute exercise.

The day stayed warm, the temperature just over freezing. Today we have more of the same but getting colder as the day goes on, dipping to -6C by nightfall and -16C overnight. The house is warm inside, but I promised Sara that won't last ! The high tomorrow is predicted to be -14C.

The lake ice looks more and more wet, but there's lots of it. I measured 5" yesterday. I took the 3-wheeler out for a spin, going on the ice. That surface snow will continue to melt today and then freeze. I cleared most of the residual snow off my "skating rink" out front and that will freeze nicely as the temperature plunges.

We didn't do much else yesterday, or at least I didn't do much else. I did use the trainer and the elliptical and lift some weights. One of those weights is me, using the chin-up bar in my work room. Sandy cooked all day. I did my part, making white bread (not everyone likes my seedy bread) and banana bread. Ok, so I cheated and used the bread maker for both :).

The 3-wheeler started right up but of course by the time David gets here it will be much colder and it will complain. The 4-wheeler did too, but there's never a question about that one.

Sandy is going into Sudbury today; not sure if I'll go or not. The original plan was "yes", but with Jeffrey here, I may not. I was hoping to go into Loring yesterday to pick up a couple of things at the General Store, but called first and didn't get an answer, clearly closed for Christmas. They are normally closed on Sunday so it being Christmas, they took the extra day.

Sandy also squared away the bedrooms yesterday. Jeffrey and Sara are in the room that faces the driveway; Emma in the end room facing the lake -- where Stef will be the one night; Chase downstairs. I've got heaters strewn through the basement and had the temperature up to 68F down there but of course that will be harder to maintain as the outside temperature drops from 34F to 0F.

That's about it. Another day begins.

Onward !