Bitter Cold

We've experienced record-setting cold temperatures for the past few days, with the mercury falling to minus 20 or lower.  A couple of days ago we had 10-12 inches of snow as well, but it was the bitter, bitter cold that was the hardest to take.  I was out plowing from 4am until 8pm.  A very long day.  The power went out at 1:40 that morning and stayed out for four hours (something to do with a line or a pole that snapped in the -25 cold).  In that short span of time pipes froze all over Bailey and many were without drinking water or showers for one or two days.

Things are slow in the country store, probably a reflection of the weather more than anything.  On the morning of the power outage, channel 9 news from Denver sent a team up to the mountains to find a good story and they ended up at the Cutthroat Cafe next door.  I didn't see the broadcast, but they stayed at the cafe all morning and would cut out to the news, then back to the cafe again.  We've got some colorful characters up here and I think they interviewed every one of them - tatoos, cowboy hats and all.  Later on the woman presenter stopped in to the store to buy a snack for the drive back to Denver.  I knew- through my keen powers of observation - that she wasn't local.  Course,  the tights and fur coat were a dead giveaway.  She was immediately enthralled with the store and the whole Sasquatch theme, and she wants to come back up and do a story on us before Christmas... since this is the season of "believing".  Believing... in Sasquatch?  Hey, maybe we should start a new religion called Squatchism ("I'm a Squatchist; what are you?"), and I could be the Right Reverend Jim "Squatch" Myers!  Hmmm... maybe not.   Anyway, I hope it works out cause it would be great advertising for the store.  Speaking of Sasquatch, I'm thinking of asking one of the local micro breweries if they would make a special batch of just for us that I would call "You Don't Know Squatch" beer.  I think it would be a huge hit!  I've already bought the domain name - youdontknowsquatch.com   Yes, I'm serious.  I know a great idea when I hear one.

On to more serious matters: Today is the SEC CHAMPIONSHIP game between Auburn and Missouri, and Auburn is a 2 point favorite.  2 points??  Never heard of a spread that small.  Two days ago it was 1.5 points, so I guess the bookies suddenly gained .5 points worth of confidence in Auburn.  Who knows?  By this afternoon it could be all the way up to 2.25 points.  Anyway, today is also the annual Conifer Christmas parade that starts around the same time as the game, so I may end up watching the game with me, myself and I.