The next morning I left the house early to run a few errands, it was 24°. I wore layers of warm clothing, handknits, and gloves. I returned home to find our house toasty warm with both fireplaces ablaze. The Man said the temperature inside the house had dropped to 56° overnight.
During the cold months the wood stove insert is in daily use. It heats the kitchen and the family room comfortably. The flat-topped surface is perfect for boiling water or simmering a nice pot of soup.
When it gets really cold the Big Stove gets lit. The heat generated from this large wood burning stove heats the other half of the downstairs and all of the rooms upstairs. It generates a lot of heat but also eats a lot of fuel. Luckily we don't have to fire it up too often.
With the cold dry air the evening sky was crystal clear. Perfect conditions to watch the rocket launch from Vandenberg AFB.
SpaceX was due to launch a Falcon 9 rocket thirty minutes after sunset. We watched and listened to the live Webcast on The Man's iPhone.
12/22/17 1727 (PST). Liftoff Falcon 9. On time launch (with a 1-second window).
