It was getting to be much colder on the island before we left. We put our heavy duty down quilt on the bed the night before we left. We turned off the water at three houses.. The family house, our neighbours house next door and our neighbours house up above.
At soho we closed the taps at the water tank; detached the 12volt battery in the gen shed; turned on all of the taps inside and outside of the house; and put antifreeze in the toilet, tank and drains.
At i’s we closed the access to our water tanks, opened his kitchen tap and put antifreeze down the drain. At our neighbours above I don’t know what we (royal we) did as I was cold and went back to my wood stove. E took care of it. Last winter we didn’t have a freeze but there have been problems for islanders in the past with frozen pipes. Two of the houses will be occupied at Christmas and we will open everything back up but for the mean time it is best just to be sure… drain the pipes.
The dogs have to have their hair clipped very short. Living on the island, with long hair they turn into walking wet muddy rags. Unfortunately our timing could have been better.. Just as the weather is turning we were in Ladner and able to take them to their groomer..She is really good with them and they are not the easiest clients.. They are now clean and close shaved and ready to return to the island today.
Sammi will be very cold on the boat so my sister gave him an old shrunken wool sweater to wear home. I had to roll up the sleeves but it has stopped His shivering. It’s his birthday today. He is seven.
When we get back it will be dark almost immediately and it is going to take a few hours to heat the house… I am thinking it will be early to bed, and there will be a dog wearing a sweater under our quilt.