The Horses are Back!

The guys came to check our furnace arrived this morning at 8am, the one morning I slept a bit later than usual, and the one time they have ever arrived before lunchtime! In some disarray, I threw on some clothes and decided to take Spike for a walk while they crawled around through the attic and under the house.

The property across Los Alamos from us was used as a helicopter landing spot after the fire while the telephone lines were being replaced. I think they actually used the foundation from the smaller red barn which burned down. We were never able to tell whether the house burned or not, but everybody, including the horses, seemed to be gone for quite awhile. They're back now, and this morning  men were cutting the burned fronds off the palm tree and putting them into the shredder, startling the horses. Everyone, seems to have gotten used to the ongoing sounds of tree cutting and shredding because the horses settled down almost immediately.

There are still three lots in the area to be cleared, one of them being right next door to us. We have no idea what plans that neighbor has for clearing, although she told John she would not be rebuilding for now. Most of the others are trying to start rebuilding as soon as they can get electricity to their properties and permits to proceed. 

The nice young men who checked the furnace reported 'extensive' rat activity underneath the house. This came as no surprise to us as we can hear them chewing under there. We had gotten rid of them before the fire, blocking off all their entrances  but the fire seems to have opened up some openings. The good news, according to the heating guys, is that all their activity is outside the ducts. Usually, they said, they get inside the ducts and destroy them. Traps with peanut butter and birdseed was the recommended recipe for catching them, a job John has always done but certainly can't do now....and I certainly won't be doing it. 

Never a dull moment around here....