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February 2008 Updates February 9th-10th: Camp Fair in Ann Arbor: Chris was at it again in February, back on the road to spread the good news about camp and our programs, but this time the other direction, off to Ann Arbor for two days of camp fairs. This time Chris had the luck to stay with Ann and Sam, Kat’s parents for the weekend and never missing an opportunity, Chris invited Taylor and Ashley to accompany her. What a perfect opportunity! Chris and Cathy spent the weekend talking camp while Kat, Becca, Taylor and Ashley spent the weekend practicing vaulting on Kat’s barrel. With a vaulting fest right around in the corner in mid-March any chance to work on their routine was well worth the effort. Of course, as luck would have it being February, the ride home from Ann Arbor was NOT uneventful, as they were hit by yet another snow storm, with high winds and blinding snow. Chris vowed never to drive again by the time she got home, well…….at least not again for another 24 hours! February all nasty, all the time: That was it. All nasty, all the time. It sums up February for us. It was a series of storms and half thaws, and then storms again. All of November, December and January friends, clients and family would call or write and say, “How are you all fairing out at camp this winter?” My answer was always the same; “We’re fine. Breaking even. Everything is running, everything is working, life is good.” Not so in February. Some interesting statistics for this year: Average snow fall for the month is around 20 inches. In 2008, we got 41 inches. By the beginning of March when we finally saw the sun, it was the first day of full sunshine since November. By the end of February when it stopped snowing, it was the first day in 22 days straight that we hadn’t had some kind of precipitation, either rain or snow. “No one can complain about the water table now.” We quipped. And that’s true. The water table has been down, and now isn’t, but that high water table and ever changing snow levels, meant a deeper frost, and record low temperatures meant frozen water lines. So. When people called or wrote me in February and asked, “How are you fairing out at camp this February?” I did NOT say anything remotely close to “Life is good.” I said things more along the lines of, “We need to cut more firewood.” ”I need to plow driveways” “The horses are in overnight again because of the terrible weather.” “The tractor broke down, has to go into the shop to be fixed and I can’t figure out how to live a day with out it, much less 3.” “The water line is froze for the water trough (again) and we have to carry water in garbage cans (with the tractor which is going in the shop) to fill it twice a day.” “Raphael was injured trying to lift a tractor implement for the tractor that was frozen to the ground.” “We need more round bales.” “We need more square bales.” “We need more shavings.” “The car battery is dead and has to be replaced.” ”The tractor battery is dead and has to be replaced.” “The blue truck battery is dead (both of them) and has to be replaced.” “The sawdust truck battery is dead and has to be replaced. “The tractor is stuck and needs to be pulled out.” “The manure spreader is frozen up and broke the chain.” “Raphael has to have an operation.” “The tractor bill is 3300.00” “My electric bill tripled this month.” “We need to cut more firewood.” “The water line in the indoor broke free and is spraying water all over the place.” “The stove won’t start because the line is frozen.” “I need to plow driveways again.” “The horses are in again.” “The water line in the barn froze.” “The ground is icy and dangerous. We need to salt EVERYTHING.” “The thawing snow is thawing down INSIDE the barn, because the barn is lower than the outside where the snow is.” “We’re flooding stalls.” “We need more shavings.” “Raphael is gone for two weeks because of his operation.” “We need more firewood.” ”I need to plow driveways.” I think you get the picture. Eventually, people stopped calling and writing.