Snowy wet Moth

I am at the Mothhouse again, for the last time before Xmas.  The bus was about 20 minutes late from Kristiansand, because it was delayed by cars that had got stuck while it was on the way here from Lyngdal (west of here). The poor driver did not get to leave the bus, just take on the passengers and turn westward again.  Hopefully he has a steel bladder or prepared by not drinking for a while before going to work.

It snowed rather more than expected.  My Googlephone’s weather applet said “flurries”, but it was more like continual, dense snowfall.  Near Kristiansand it was still reasonably dry snow, I think, but coming down to the Mandal River valley it was very wet, melting on impact.  The weather station in Krossen, between here and the church, says 0 degrees Celsius, the melting point of snow. There was definitely a kind of sleigh-like feeling to the bus ride, as if friction was a kind of vague concept in the layer of wet snow that separated us from the road below us.

Evidently the snow plow does not go to this house.  I am not sure whether the neighbors have hired someone, but the road is plowed a little bit beyond their house. Then I had to wade through the snow to get here.  Luckily it did not reach much higher than a pair of boots. Then again I had shoes.  Note to self:  Get up early if it falls six feet of snow later in winter.

The water in the bathroom faucet was back, and it had not leaked out anywhere else either that I can see. I had left a little more heat on in the bathroom, but seriously, it wasn’t frozen last time either.  The shower was not frozen (but then it wasn’t last time either).  This time I used it, for the first time.  I am gradually making myself at home!  The wood stove is a great place to dry clothes (and towels), but I would not leave them there overnight.  Not necessary, though, things dry quickly.

The electric space heater was not running when I came this time, so the living room must have been a bit warmer.  The heat pump was of course running, as the temperature never gets up to even the lowest setting as long as the door is open to the rest of the ground floor. We’ll see about the open door policy when/if I move in.  Won’t be this year though.

The bus is scheduled to leave Mandal in two minutes. It should be here about 7-10 minutes later. On the other hand, given the weather, I am likely to be waiting for half an hour.  It is impossible to say though. It is the last bus, so better cold than sorry I guess.  I don’t have a duvet or sleeping bag here yet.  Otherwise it would have been tempting to stay overnight.  The place is really starting to feel like home, although when it does, I feel slightly different, as if I am a brother of myself or something.  This too will pass.

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