Text Box: 	Thought we’d start the New Year with an update to the Dispatch.  Still an unusually mild
winter.  Got more rain yesterday.  Today’s weather is drier, but everything is mud.  I don’t believe
there is a bit of frost in the ground.  If only all this rain had been snow!  Can’t do much outside,
but I did manage to split some kindling today in-between football games.  I took down the outdoor
Christmas decorations as well.  A bit earlier than usual, but it was just too enticing to do something
out in the yard.

	For a while, there was enough snow that we resorted to working Dalsanto in the arena with his cart.  Finally it was time to try the sleigh!  Naturally it “feels” a little different behind him than the wheeled cart, but he got comfortable with it pretty quickly and Jodi had him zooming around the pasture while I took pictures.  After a while I jumped on as well to get him use to a bit more weight.  Jodi’s view isn’t nearly as charming as watching from afar!

	But our “winter” was short-lived and everything is brown again.  Jodi fed with the ATV as the pasture is too muddy to walk or push a wheel-borrow.  I can’t drive the tractor on my lawn unless it freezes, so cutting/splitting any more wood is out of the question for now.  Ice fishing is slow as well, some people are out but the ice won’t support vehicles yet, and many areas are still unsafe, even on foot.

	As usual, the brown winter has produced a cold/flu season second to none.  Schools were closed due to a lack of both students and teachers.  Everyone around here had their turn as with Jodi’s girls in school we pretty much get exposed to everything that’s “passing thru”.

	The cats might have the best idea yet.  Zorro and Gracie like to share the rocking chair in Jodi’s dining room, close to where the heat comes out.  They seem content to snooze and rock the winter hours away, their biggest problems being “when do we eat next?” and “last one to bed gets the worst spot!”
 
	At least the days are getting longer again, and this weather pattern can’t last forever.  Picking thru drawers and cabinets has become sport, without any snow the inside of the house will sure be clean by spring!

Happy New Year !

Larry

January 1, 2007

Ellisville Bison Dispatch