Boy has it been a month here in the great state of Texas.

Which I propose we rename to the great State of Ice.

Wow has it been cold here.

As many of you already know, our little flock (all three generations of us) spent a very scary week without power or safe water in the middle of this month.

It started with an initial arctic blast that rendered our un-insulated 1920s casa quite literally uninhabitable.

As we were fleeing to find someplace warm to stay, I discovered Bruce frozen solid in his hibernation box and rushed him to the veterinary ER, which by some miracle was open and running on generator power.

He had no heartbeat on arrival. We prayed. And prayed. And prayed. (And CRIED. A LOT.) By that evening, after a slow and careful warming-up process, his amazing veterinary team detected a heartbeat at last.

Miracle. Miracle, miracle, miracle.

Malti fared only slightly better, when a hot water bottle I had prepared for her overturned and caused everything in her indoor enclosure (including her) to ice over before I woke up and found her.

After I slowly and carefully revived her, I turned myself into her personal heater. She slept with me and often on top of me for the rest of the week.

Pearl was a trooper through all of this. Simply amazing. I have never seen him do better. He was so resilient and kept me strong and brave and patient as I struggled to care for the difficult and highly specialized needs of our two cold-blooded family members.

(On that topic, trust me when I say I will NEVER again be unprepared to meet their needs during any kind of power outage ever ever ever again. More on that topic soon.)

As of today, after a week without power, which meant no internet, which meant no work for the resident freelance rent-earner, I must admit I am also feeling especially grateful for our growing sweet circle of Patreon Patrons.

You are helping me (ahem) weather unexpected challenges and also do more of the creative work I adore, which is to create new multimedia content to share Pearl, Malti and Bruce's vital work as ambassador animals with the world.

Thank you.

And how are you? And your flock?

If you have a moment and feel moved to hit "reply," please let our flock know how your flock is doing and feeling. We truly do adore hearing from you and treasure your good company.