Everyone loves that first storm. So fresh, powdery, lovely, and magical looking. That feeling lasts for all about 15 seconds for me. When I see snow first thing in the morning, or even on the radar, I get a pit in my stomach. I get anxious. I get agitated. I get angry. It's almost like the steps of grief.
I seriously think of Ned Stark from Game of Thrones saying, "Brace yourself." I know this is a very old joke at this point but it's truuuuuuue!!! Ask Matt. I see snow on the forecast and I literally start a plan of attack on how to best combat the beast and ensure that the horses are well cared for. This past storm definitely put me in a slight pickle. Cold. Then warm. Then regular rain. Still warm. That turns into sleeting rain because it's starting to get cold. Then sleeting rain that turns into snow because the temperature drops literally 25-30 degrees in a 24 hour period. Then snoooooooow. We got 6 inches in 6 hours, which I know people who are used to being in massive amounts of snow will respond with "quite your belly aching!" But I'm sorry, that's a lot of snow! And WET snow. Here is my list of horrible badness when it comes to wintry conditions:
- Freezing rain on top of melted then refrozen snow. It was like a frickin' slip in slide ice rink getting out to feed the horses. And it's not a short walk. Especially when you have to take baby steps. And avoid tripping over wild snow puppies.
- Freezing rain full stop. I. Hate. It. Especially when it's windy. Yuck.
- Plummeting temperatures with freezing cold wind to make the wind chill literally 20 degrees colder.
- Snow. Any kind. Any amount (well, except for a dusting, that doesn't hurt anything).
To be fair, this is how Matt looks half the time too since he's really picked up the slack in helping me with having so much snow and ice.
Now I know what almost any and every one of you are saying to me right now. But YOU wanted to have YOUR horses at HOME so YOU can take care of them. IT'S YOUR FAULT!!!!.
I agree. Seriously I do. I know I brought this upon myself. That doesn't mean I can't hate it every now and then. Look here's the deal. If just one of these factors were at play, it would be NO BIG DEAL at all. Seriously. But the fact that:
- This has been a horrific February
- We don't have a full barn up (by NO ONE'S fault. It just wasn't feasible to get that up before the bad weather set in with out spending an absolute fortune).
- First winter having the original 4
- Getting Rui right before the winter set in and sadly having some herd integration issues (poor guy is all alone most of the time because the older guys don't really like him. The girls, however, love him.) I am so incredibly thankful that he is SUCH an AMAZING baby!!! He doesn't act like a coming 2 year old 95% of the time. And he's learned that he can be a wild baby when he's been turned out for run around time-it's hilarious to watch. And terrifying. All I can think some of the time is "I REALLY REALLY REALLY hope he doesn't do that with me on his back in 2 years. 'Cause I will be T.O.A.S.T." He's pretty level-headed so I have good faith that he will be a perfect gentleman when it comes to that point.
- And being knocked up. Yea I said it.
With all of these factors, winter has been tough. I know that slogging through this winter will make me that much more grateful when the barn is up! And although my pregnancy has been pretty easy for the most part, I've started to pop out like a turkey thermometer within the last few weeks. Apparently, that makes doing things (mobile, needing to be flexible outside while wearing 4 layers of snow gear kinds of things) a little more difficult. Thank to the Lord that I didn't start popping sooner and that I made it 6 months before I actually had a belly to contend with. And apparently people think it's a small belly, but I'm feeling like small is a relative term these days....
At the end of the day, when I'm snuggled warm in my bed, feeling Critter kickin' around, I know I'm blessed. Horses are healthy, safe, and warm despite the awful weather. I am healthy, safe, and warm-no worse for wear for having to work a little harder to take care of the animals I love so very much. My husband is an absolute angel and saint for helping me without complaint (most of the time) and all he wants in return is a warm dinner (and maybe some lovin' but that's a different story!!). I know I can sound ungrateful when it's 10 degrees outside and I have to trudge out to feed. But it could be worse, I could not have them at all which would be heartbreaking.
Regardless, this is me when spring hits:
And this....
And this.....
Ok, I may have digressed some. But you get the point.
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