And yes, the dog and pony show goes on, in spite of the cold. It’s only January and it was -17˚ F out today, I repeat -17˚ F. This is well below my comfort zone, with or without my Refrigirware suit. The horses are okay, the chickens and dogs less so. Ryder runs outside and pees and poops and runs back inside. Shadow’s priority is to stay close to her owners, just in case they collapse.

I remember the time Raudi got the stick in her butt, and I came off of her. Ryder ran home and Shadow stayed with me. She was then just a year old. The most important thing to Pete is that the dog be loyal, and Shadow fits the bill. She can be off in the distance, checking something out, but if she is called, she will run back to Pete or me.

Shadow and Tyra inspect the new hay

The dogs are inside outside dogs; when it’s cold, they are inside dogs. They are leading very good lives. There are dogs out there in this weather on chains. Okay. Sled dogs are said to lead good lives because they like to run and pull sleds long distances. I’m not sure they like the down time. And not all of them get to pull sleds.

The horses could fare better. I’d like for pasturage and a heated barn, with individual stalls that they could go in and out of. The horses in Fairbanks -40˚ F. No, not good.

I don’t have a basis of comparison for goats. I need to find a buck to breed to Sassy and Swampy.

Despite the cold, it was a good day in the former banquet room of the historic Eagle Hotel. I got there early enough to pass off books to Catherine who distributes them at the Palmer Senior Center. Then I played with Alicia’s little girl while Alicia cleaned books. She’s 14 months. I held her hands and walked her. It was a lot like walking a dog – she’s very strong and powerful and has a good sense of direction. We even walked backwards.

There were five volunteers total cleaning books today. They cleaned and stamped the eight boxes of books that came in yesterday; then they sorted the chapbooks. Then Cathy, the artist in residence, and I worked on my new journal – we took an older book and we put paper over the older pages. I had this insight: it was to make this the Bacon Family Journal. I am going to call it the Bacon Family and Friends Journal. The friends part, I can include other cartoons. This is going to take the form of a story.

I say, why not?

I pause. After Cathy left, Pete and I met with two new board members and talked about many things. I may not always agree about everything, but I am okay with letting others make decisions. What is most important is that that others show a high degree of investment in this project.

Done is done. And tomorrow will be another day.

Next: 9. 1/9/26: Warmer