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[clhw AT InfoAve.Net (clhw)]

Bev -- For the most part, we don't have cured wood to burn. There are
scraps from the pallet business, but those burn in a hurry. We generally
cut wood in the summer and fall for the winter's use. And usually wind up
cutting wood and burning it in the same week.

Husband does attempt to drop trees when the lunar phases are right to have
lower sap in the trees, and it seems to make a difference. Do others garden
or cut down trees by the moon?

I think we've had a thread in the past on homesteading into your elderly
years. Heating with wood is one situation which bothers me. I was not able
to lift and bring in the chunks of wood, mostly locust, which were cut
earlier this week. I doubt I'd be able to split much. One compromise I've
decided on is to buy cut and split wood. There are usually enterprising
people around selling it.

Being out of coffee would be drastic here! I can't drink sweet drinks, and
drink coffee black. I use the warm drink to warm myself. A cup or two of
hot tea is also nice, but lacks the substance of coffee!

It's 3:57 here so about the warmest point of the day and it is 33. I
believe that's the warmest it's been. I walked to the mailbox a little
while ago -- we wondered if "rain or sleet" still applied, called the post
office and found it did, though a little later than usual, so I collected
the W-2 form on my $10 of state income (a total of 80 CENTS of FICA taxes
-- wonder what the paper cost to print them on), the phone bill, got my
feet nicely cold.

There is still slush on the high points. Nothing coming down but the road
will probably be slick in about 3 hours.

The phone bill contained information about a refund on the federal excise
tax for 2006. What does anyone know about this? We also got 8 CENTS refund
on "Thanksgiving tax". Will have to research this. I think there was a
state moratorium on tax for Thanksgiving weekend and people who charged tax
anyway are having to refund it. I thought it was just for retail stores but
apparently the rural telephone co-operative is included.
Lynn