Preparations for Winter

Preparations for Winter

Welcome to Christianity Oasis. This is Preparations for Winter from our Sojourn With Luz Leigh Collection. We hope you enjoy this enlightening reading and it helps you on your own be-YOU-tiful Christian walk.

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Sojourn With Luz Leigh

Preparations for Winter

Written by Luz Leigh - 23 October 2007

As I began the task of picking up the pecans that nature has provided for me, there was a brisk north wind blowing. We are experiencing our first "cold" spell of the fall. Nothing, to brag about, but at least the hot humid days of summer and early fall may be a memory. While enjoying the cool temperature and bright sunshine, my thoughts wandered back to the years we lived in the old house.

After having lived my entire life in that same house, it should have never come as a surprise to me that there were things we needed to do to prepare for the coming winter. But, I have always been a procrastinator. To help seal the rooms from the cold north winds that always came, we installed heavy duty plastic over all the windows on the north side of the house Redneck-engineering, but it helped keep the warmth inside the house.

Instead of performing this annual task when the first sign of winter approached, I waited until the wind was whipping and the temperature was icy. My husband had chores to attend on the ranch, so I was left with the mundane job of "insulating" the house.

A trip to the hardware store for the big rolls of plastic and a supply of staples for my heavy duty staple gun was the first thing I needed to do. So, I would warmly dress the three kids, load them in the car and away we would go.

Once back at home, I would deposit the children inside the house out of the cold. Now, where did I last leave the step ladder? Where are my scissors I use for the purpose of cutting the plastic? And why did I not write the measurements of the various windows on something so I would not have to re-measure them ... every year???? Three of the windows were the same size, so that would be easy. Measure once for them. Unroll the plastic on the back porch which faced south, thus sheltering me from the wind. Cut three lengths of plastic; take one length at a time to the other side of the house; climb the ladder, fight the wind and begin stapling.

Oh, this is going to be easy. Wait, what happened? This dang sheet is too short. Oh, now I remember. Once again I forgot to allow for some extra to fold under on the edges to strengthen it. Well, not to worry. Now I remember why I always purchase two, not one, large rolls of plastic.

After re-measuring, making allowances for the "tucked under" edges, I cut one sheet, take it to the window and begin stapling it on to the frame around the window. The wind is having a field day with me and my project. One side of the plastic is in place and it happens. I had forgotten to fill the staple gun and I am now out of staples.

Down the ladder, find the staples, load the gun, climb back up the ladder only to find that with the wind blowing so hard, some of my earlier staples have pulled loose. And this is just the first window. I will persevere; I do this every year and every year I make a silent vow that NEXT year I will not wait until the last minute when the weather is now my enemy. I will plan this activity on a day when the man of the house can be here to assist me. Yeah, right.

I hear a noise from inside the house. Familiar noise. Little sister is screaming because her two older brothers are doing what they do best, aggravating her because they think I am too busy to stop and correct them. "Do you want me to stop my work and come in there????" In unison two male voices answer, "No maam" while one female voice yells, "Yes, maam!" We live in a democratic society; majority rules. Work outside continues. Screaming subsides; boys find something else to do.

Without benefit of gloves, which I never learned to use, my fingers are now beginning to lose feeling ... numb is the word. I dream of the day when our house will be well insulated; no need for this annual ritual.

The correct measurement for the other two windows was written on the floor of the porch. I quickly cut two more sheets and now I that I have my work going well, I get them in place rather quickly.

Without too much trouble I get the last three windows covered just as I hear the familiar sound coming up the driveway. Husband is home! He helps me gather and put away my supplies. The ladder is stowed in the utility building. He smiles so sweetly and inquires about my day. I explained that I had covered the windows. "Is that all you did?"

Why would a grown woman cry when asked such a simple question?

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