What a week

Thanks Tonia, for you kind words about Kristen. The whole week has been downhill from the funeral!

Wednesday, my cat Ruby went into labor on schedule. She had slipped out a couple months ago and was discovered under the house with the neighborhood tomcat. Willow was so excited to have some kittens in the house.

Ruby went into labor around noon on the couch, and proceeded to have four stillborn kittens. Friday morning I found another dead kitten that she had during the night. She went over 24 hours before she had the last one. We were all heartbroken!

Yesterday at the farm The Boss wasn't in the barn in the morning. The big snow we had Wednesday she overexerted herself. We had about 16 inches of snow. She came up on the hill to trim a buckling's hooves mid-morning, and addressed the three of us: "I am still not feeling well. You all had better seriously start looking for other jobs because I am cutting back drastically."

I embarrassed myself by crying in front of P and R afterwards in the tack room. Kristen got me that job, just devastating to think of the farm downsizing to that point.

Then this morning the Firebird and I got in the car to go to the farm for work. No power steering. I filled the reservoir, still no steering. I backed up and saw all the fluid in a puddle in the snow. I called the farm and told them they would have to come get us or get someone else to work since we were stuck.

They decided to come get us, so I said we would wait at the end of the drive. It was freezing!! Below zero, sun just coming up. I told the Firebird we would be warmer walking and we headed down the road. The breeze from walking was pretty cold. I used to walk a lot, I hit my stride and kept going. Everything was covered in frost from the cold, the low lying sun made everything look as if covered in diamonds.

We walked about a mile to the end of our road. The sun was up by then. The road comes to a T intersection there-straight ahead is a frozen pond and the sun was rising over it. It was almost cozy in the sun. We certainly drew attention from the neighbors. One lady from town was heading down our road and asked us if we needed a ride.

Then my phone rang. Mr. Boss was in the next town over. Boss forgot to tell him to turn up the road we were waiting on, and he overshot us. He did pick us up, the car was nice and warm! He had to drive us to the big bucks over at Prescott mid morning, but I called a friend to give us a ride home and we left from there. It was -4F when he picked us up, and 18 F (heatwave!) when we headed to Prescott.

The Firebird had some trouble with his hands freezing, and like a typical teenager he refused every suggestion. "move faster, get the blood going!" shake your hands, squeeze your fists, take my gloves..." well, it WAS cold, poor kid.

I attempted to fix the leaking power steering line. A patch was put in the last time-of course it was leaking there. I crawled under (the car has about 8 inches clearance and I actually got stuck under there at one point and had to pull myself through the other side!) and loosened and tightened the clamp and it stopped leaking, but I thought I was out of fluid, so a friend brought some fluid and I started the car and didn't see a leak. I crawled back under to tighten the clamp up good just to be sure. And then power steering fluid started leaking all over my hands will I was trying to get the screwdriver in there-it was a nightmare, and my hands were frozen by the time I finished.

Neither friend could fit under the car-the skinny one tried. which was why it was me who was under there.

Now all the fluid has leaked out again so I don't know if it is still leaking or not? The men assure me I can drive it without power steering. hahah. I can't even turn the wheel. I have lost a lot of upper body strength with the thyroid thing. So I guess I will eventually call the mechanic and then see if I can drive it over there with no power steering. Since I don't want to pay $100 for a tow.

That's a heck of a week, isn't it? Nine miles to the nearest store and no car. sigh.