Wednesday, January 14, 2009

We're living WAY too High

No, I don't mean on drugs, people - get a life, would you? Have you ever tried to breathe at 7,000 feet up in the air? It's thin - very thin - especially for us Flatlanders that live at 900 feet. Big Brother lives on the side of a mountain at 7,000 feet so Ole and I take six steps and then have to stop to catch our breath. Good thing we're not afraid of heights, huh?

I took a better picture of his "view" for you. Isn't it beautiful? I could live here without any trouble at all - that is if they could make the air a little thicker!! Just think - winter temperatures ranging from 20 at night to 50 in the daytime. I talked to Lars yesterday and he said the forecast was for 31 BELOW.



Lovely Daughter and Lars had a major issue at their house over the last few days. Their water line froze and they had no water. They live in a mobile home, so normally there is a heat tape that is wrapped around the water line coming out of the ground and going up to the floor of their house. Somehow a little bunny, a very hungry bunny had gotten under their house and chewed the insulation and the electrical wire. He fried himself a bit, which of course left the waterline without any heat and exposed to freezing temperatures and the house without water. It was quite a job to get the line thawed out when the temperatures were more than 20 below. Ugly. Very ugly.

Life is pretty exciting for the doggers here. Big Brother has 3 acres of fenced forrested property in a canyon which backs up to national forrest. So there's a lot of wild critters around here - elk, deer, mountain lions and other smaller critters. We usually have a nightly barking session with Beau, Daisy and Bruno trying to protect all of us from harm. They must be doing a pretty good job too, because nothing has gotten any of us yet!!

The neighbor has a horse that gets out of his fence occasionally and wanders over to say hi. Funny thing is though, that the horse isn't a bit afraid of the dogs. Fortunately Lucy and Senior Citizen Simon aren't the least bit interested in getting outside. They're perfectly happy sitting in the RV surveying the world through the big windows.

Big Brother is building a cabin on his property. He's been living in his 5th wheel for the last year while building. Progress is slow when you're working by yourself so Ole and I decided to come down and help him speed things up a bit. The guys have been sheetrocking for the last several days and are almost to a point where I can start painting. I HATE to paint but volunteered just to speed things up a bit. I hate to paint because most times I end up with more paint on me than I do on the wall. Don't laugh - last time I painted I ended up with green hair. Not flattering at all.

Big Brother and I are going into Ruidoso this morning to lay in a few supplies. He's close to a couple of small towns, but they have no shopping facilities. His closest shopping is about 25 miles away, all mountain roads full of curves. They're beautiful, but when they're covered with ice and snow they're not for Flatlanders to drive on.

Well, that's all for today Folks. Lena, reporting in from New Mexico.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Be careful driving! I know what it's like to be breathless. not fun at all. It sounds like you are having a good time, though.

I feel bad for lovely daughter. she muct be going crazy.

Marge said...

Oh, I could live there too! Give me mountains, trees and water and I would be one happy old lady! Most of these folks are complaining about the fifties during the day and the twenties during the night, but all I have to do is think of back home in Minnesota, and these temps seem tropical to me! Enjoy!

p.pasterski said...

Reminds me of when we were in Denver and I couldn't walk across the hotel parking lot to the restaurant without stopping for breath. If that picture above if a representation of what you are looking at though, perhaps that is what is taking your breath away.

Anonymous said...

Although we're not as high as your brother (snicker) when we have guests they have trouble with our altitude too.
You be careful on those roads!

Anonymous said...

Oh Lordy! I can't begin to tell you how much I was with you right now! I'd even paint for a little warmth!!!!