Getting ready for the Ice

It always comes on before I'm ready. The horse, goat and chicken water tanks were sealed with ice yesterday and today. Armed with hammer, I got them all water access then set about to heat our water world. I bought some heated buckets at RK, for the dogs and goats. Also got ten bags chicken food, two 50lb bags dog food, and a bed for poor Thor.  Looked for dog-coats for Thor but neither RK nor Walmart had anything useful.  Repaired the wiring for the horse tanks. This took an hour, and I got shocked because one of the elements was bad. So need to work more on that one tomorrow. Certainly can't have the horses shocked when they drink. Rigged the henhouse with light, finally. The circuit breaker at the hog barn gave me trouble, but I persuaded it. Newly strawed nesting boxes look cosy in the lamplight. Cleaned up the left over project wood from the outside goat corral today and gave Xerxes a long chin and poll scratching. Medicated Leo... his ERU is acting up again but the atropine and aspirin do help him.  Farrier wants to fit us in tomorrow but I asked him for Wednesday because tomorrow is already so busy. Chuck will come cut a branch of the big Elm threatening to fall on the electric line in next wind storm, plus he'll lend us his tall ladder to reach the barn lights that need changing (about twelve bulbs in all, 16 feet up). Hopefully, he'll also have his laser level with him and can help set marks for the start of our new clubhouse construction in the barn. I put a new toilet seat on, in the house bathroom today. Took all of five minutes; wish I hadn't put that off so long. Got my son's broken dresser unloaded and moved out onto the deck, and cleaned out some stored items I had put (unfairly) in his room. Don't know how I expect him to manage his clutter if I put my own in his way. Cooked several sets of chicken enchiladas and froze them to give away...that was more kitchen time than I've done in a while. Well, got to get on line to see about ordering some Christmas gifts...that, like the tank heaters, is another thing that will sneak up on you if you aren't watching.