Life hacks with one arm

We can see the snowdrops at last

How come tips are now hacks? When did that happen? Why are they billed as life hacks, which kind of sounds serious, when in reality they may just be those useful -and not so useful -little hints and tips that supposedly make life simpler. 

A shawl made from our alpaca
wool (with a little Estonian lamb's
wool in the warp) at the local 
hand-weaving mill

Ilvija one of the fleece contributors to the brown
stripe in the shawl, along with Josefs

One arm life!

Anyway the reason I was looking up one arm life hacks is that I I broke my wrist attempting to finish off clearing a huge pile of snow. I was so close to finishing but the angles were all wrong. It was just a little slippery ridge and so down I slid. There was no great pain, just that sickening feeling and thinking that wasn't good. I got up and let my injured arm hang down, I carried the shovel back and quickly headed inside. I lay down in the hallway then thought I'd better take my coat off in case it wouldn't come off later. I then text Ian to tell him to put the animals away then come and take me to hospital. 

The snow had got quite deep (22/02)

Then it got very deep (27/02)

Ian was complaining of having to constantly clear
paths but not everyone was complaining

The good thing was that although it took Ian time to fetch me and longer than normal to get to the hospital due to the poor road conditions - even in our 4x4 pick up - there was no queue at the hospital. Zilch in fact! A guy left as we went in and a patient from an ambulance was wheeled in as we left. I was back home five hours after my accident. 

So when not sunbathing, Lolly likes to have a 
good roll in the snow

...and then perhaps a little more sunbathing

... oh that sun is so good

Others who enjoy the cold sunny days (22nd Feb)

I had to return on the Monday though for surgery. However, after a day of no food, a saline drip (standard procedure in Latvian hospitals, which might seem strange to some but makes sense as it's easy to get dehydrated in those places) and only sips of water, I was told by a very tired looking doctor that they had run out of time due to the number of accidents on ice over the weekend. At least I could have some errrr... hospital food... barley milk soup (a sort of thin porridge). They managed to fit me in the following day though and so I now have a metal plate in my wrist. They eventually let me out on the Wednesday morning.

George has been eating snow

The track to the garden to dump the alpaca manure
and get haybales

Winter is one of those times of the year when it
is tough on everyone and yet is so stunningly 
beautiful 

So each day there has usually been a new challenge. For example, I picked up a cough from the hospital and Latvian supermarkets often have herbal teas to soothe a cough or ailment of some kind, so Ian was given instructions to buy a pack. First challenge was to get the plastic wrap off the box - that was easy, I asked Ian. Next I found they were all individually wrapped in a plasticised wrapper, but without those little tear tabs. I asked Ian again, but knew the next day, I would have to solve that challenge on my own. I used the butter knife just down from the edge, held the knife down with my elbow and was then able to tear off the top. It worked.

Ian cuts paths in the snow so all the alpacas can 
get out and about

They won't be sharing a kiss, really!

Marvin enjoys eating the snow too

Lighting the fire? Ian set the fire in the morning and when I came to light it in the evening, I jammed the matchbox against a piece of wood so the box is stable enough to strike the match with one hand. Cutting up veg? Okay with mushrooms and peppers one handed, but generally anything harder has been more of a challenge until I could at least use my fingers again to steady the food. I could have maybe used the grater but I couldn't peel the veg first. I did once peel some potatoes one handed but it was too much of a faff to do many. If they were ready peeled it would be better to use our electric grater - but then I'd have to put it together one-handed. I did see a nifty hack for cutting toast, and that was to use a pizza cutter. No home-made bread though for a while as I can't cut it. 

As I said, winter is tough on 
everyone and there have been
a few health issues. Karla 
had a problem with mites
but we think this is sorted now.

Bored with sunbathing now?

A path for Ian to get to the alpaca house.

So what else does a broken wrist mean? Adding firewood to the fire meant going backwards and forwards with one log. I can't stack and balance a load on my sore arm. Also opening jars of food can only be done if they are fairly loose. A bit tighter and they are put between my feet to hold them and I use my good arm to turn them. Worse I guess is that I can't drive. My boss was meant to take me to university for the week but it meant Ian driving to a pick up point and he came down with the cough I had picked up from hospital. He was so ill he didn't eat his porridge in the morning. My husband not eating is serious, as normally he eats almost constantly throughout the day - he also burns it off looking after our animals, so he's not overweight, just in case you are wondering. 

A path to the chickens, who spend the winter in
the greenhouse

Aggie's eye often needs steroids and she maybe 
losing sight in that eye. 

Before the path was cleared yet again 25/02

We therefore had to have help as we ran out of firewood and Ian didn't have the energy to fill up the alpaca's feeders with hay. Not much fun on wintry days. Fortunately people helped us out. Someone brought us wood and two more helped Ian with feeding the animals. The coughs took a long time to go, but at least we were well over the worse quite quickly. Ian took me to the train station a few days later and my boss picked me up at the Estonian border where the train from Latvia terminated. Another colleague joined him to make sure I was delivered safely to my friend. At least by then the icy patches of pavement had decreased substantially and besides, I was picked up and dropped off every day to save me from the risk of slipping on ice.

Our caravan used to go in the greenhouse, but it
just wasn't worth the risk in a collapsed greenhouse

As you can see, it got quite a way up the walls

25/02 Paths cleared

One of the nights I needed an early night but other than that I lasted quite well. I was surprised. I did take everything easy and one of the reasons for the trip was to get acquainted with a new member of staff who will be starting later in the year - so an opportunity for a nice natter really errrr I mean for some good discussions on workplace priorities and working for a university in Estonia. It was enjoyable anyway and I'm sure we will get along fine and that is what matters most. Most of the week one of my dear colleagues fussed around me to make sure I was well looked after. She zipped up my coat each time I went out and she cut up my food to make it more manageable. I never had to ask really, she just knew when I needed help. I was driven back down to Latvia and Ian was there at our rendezvous point to collect me and take me home.

Ian went to check on this caravan one day and
found the weight of snow was causing the roof to
bow. Fortunately it returned to normal once he 
cleared the snow off. Lesson learnt!

Although this caravan didn't buckle under the 
weight of snow, Ian caught the skylight while 
trying to brush it off. 

Finally enjoying the sunshine without the snow

We had reached the awkward time of the year as Ian was returning later and later to our winter home - the apartment in our village - the lingering winter this year made staying out on our land more difficult with me all strapped up. Finally the snow and more importantly the thick ice left and we decided to head out to our summer season living, It's still not been easy as the weather was still cold at first with days of snow, that thankfully didn't last long, but at least the days are much longer, so just easier to plan our eating times. Gradually Ian sorted out the electrics and the summer house is becoming more organised. We sleep in the caravan though because we still need to get a bed for the summer house. It's been warm enough in the caravan with the heater on and an electric blanket to warm the bed through and finally the days are beginning to lose their winter chill and the snow is confined to the forested areas mainly.

The last remaining snow in a shady field

The path from one of the girl's alpaca house to
the other one. They sleep in two groups each night
but mingle during the day. They are so used to it
now that they generally separate themselves each
evening before putting away time.

The icicles can get quite long and at some crazy
angles as the snow slides off the roof.

Chanel enjoying the sun

Bored or getting ready for a sunbathe?

Lolly isn't the only one who likes a roll in the snow 

More evidence!

As the snow slides off the roof it builds up - the sides
are around 2m high.

Paths need to be kept clear so that Ian can get to 
the animals

Karla looking sweet in the snow

Silla with her minimalist headwear. I think you need
something more than that to keep your head warm
in this weather. Good job you also have an alpaca
wool hat on too.

On tap sorbet

Norman enjoys the snow too

Sometimes water is good too

Are you sharing? Leave me some!

Mr. P starting to look quite grey

Getting to the hay can be a struggle at times

This was the first alpaca house to be built. It's
on it's way out now as the roof has collapsed.

Marvin is getting very fluffy now

Snow alpaca! It startled Ian one day, but it was
just a snow accululation on the gate.

Marvin is on the path really!

Brencis

Josefs wasn't well over the last month and we 
had to have the vet out to do an x-ray. The poor guy 
had an upper tooth root abscess. This was the second
animal with a tooth root abcess as Antonia had a 
lower jaw one too. Her's was more obvious and was 
caught sooner. Unfortunately for both it means a long 
course of antibiotics but at least both have shown a good
response to treatment.

We had a few rather chilly days and 
Mr. P with his silkier fleece struggled
a bit, so he ended up in a coat.