The day has hardly begun and it is already half over. There you have it, an oxymoronic sentence. However, opposites hover in space before attracting. Then they become impossible to separate.

Another maintenance day coming right up. I woke up, lifted my head, looked out the window and saw it was snowing – again. I know from years of experience to focus my eyes on a dark area or object – this way I can estimate if it is snowing or just how hard it snowing. I didn’t even have to look at an area or object this morning. The snow was coming down straight, hard, and fast, like rain. It is on the verge of being rain – it is a near snow-rain mix. As I have said ad-infinitum, I like it when it snows but don’t like it when it stops because then I have to deal. Any and all ideas are put on the back burner so that we can again shovel paths, driveways, and now, roofs.

Pete, who I should call Mr. Maintenance, immediately said that we’d have to shovel off the trailer. I said yes, it was quite the investment. It is now paid off and we’d hate to have to deal with damages. So this is what Pete is going to be doing shortly.

Pete clearing the goat shed roof

I went outside, trudged through the quickly accumulating, heavy wet snow, and looked around. The hoop house is also going to have to be shoveled off. And I am a bit concerned about the fiberglass panels on the top of the horse shelter. All this is going to have to be done whether or not the snow stops. The man in the weather radio says that we are going to get 1-2 inches. Well, we have already gotten 1-2 inches. Usually we get 2 inches for every one inch forecasted.

And today we have to go to town – Pete is going to have to drive because the man in the weather radio also said that it is raining in Palmer. I suspect that it is also raining in Wasilla. Rain could turn to ice. I have to go to the dentist for some maintenance work. And then I have to go to the audiologist for some more maintenance work. I will return home with a filling and perhaps a hearing aid.

I am not thrilled about the prospect of getting a hearing aid, but I have put off dealing with this maintenance task for a number of years. I cannot hear people in crowded places and I noticed last week that when in such situations that I cease to participate in conversations. I also am lip reading more and more. And I can’t hear Pete when he turns his back to me. I have often pleaded with him to look at me and to speak louder, but to no avail. Things like this are hard on a relationship.

I always feel a sense of self-satisfaction when I take care of maintenance tasks. Today this feeling is going to be off the charts.

Next: 79. 3/20/18: More on Maintenance Mode