A New Year Miracle 1/1/18 It was New Years eve. My wife and I were planning on going to her sisters house for dinner, and to party a bit to ring in the new year. It was getting very cold, and the temperature was dropping all day down into the single digits. The power was out due to the storm from the day before and the only electric we had, was from the generator. Molly looked at me and said maybe we should stay home. If that generator goes out and it gets any colder, we could lose some of the animals in the barn. Our home had coal and wood for heat, but the barn had just an old electric heater that was set to come on at forty degrees. I was just enough to keep it from freezing. Still, at floor level along the walls, a bowl of water would freeze solid when it was as cold as it is now. I too, was a little worried about them. You have been excited about this night for two months I said. You should go. You haven't seen your sister in almost a year. I'll stay here and take care of everything. You go and have a great time. Just promise me you will bring me a big plate of leftovers. After a minute Molly agreed. I saw the excitement flow back into her eyes and her whole being. I continued the chores while she got ready. Her sister lived about three hours away, and further up into the mountains. I filled the tank on the Suberu. It was all wheel drive and great for navigating the mountain roads in winter. Molly was a good driver and the roads had been cleared and sanded well. I 'm ready Molly said. You're all gassed up. Wear your seatbelt and drive safe. I want you to relax and have a great time. I'll see you next year I said with a smile. It's two pm now I said, I'll expect a call around five. You know I will she said. I gave Molly a big hug and a kiss. I watched as she drove down our long driveway toward the road. Ok back to work I thought. If I'm staying here, I still have chores to do. I filled the coal stove, brought in a few armloads of wood for that stove also. We use a coal stove in the basement, and a wood stove on the first floor. The coal burns twenty four seven all winter. We use the wood stove to regulate the temp in the main living area. After tending the stoves I went out to the barn to check the animals. The wind had picked up considerably and I thought about Molly. I do wish I had gone with her. We were so in love. Even after thirty two years together, we we were best friends. I puttered around the barn for quite a while, cleaning and tending to the animals. Feed, water, and the like. Everyone was doing fine. I headed back to the house. I was getting hungry, and it was dark now, and Molly should be calling me any time. I entered the house, and first thing was to light the lanterns. It was pitch black in there. Then, I put some cold ham and potatoes in the iron skillet and put it on the top of the wood stove. I put a few raw carrots in there two. I opened the flu and the small vent at the bottom to create a draft so the stove wood get good and hot. I refilled the coffee percolator with water and coffee and onto the stove it went. Thank god for the stoves. I went downstairs and got the water pot off the coal stove. We always keep it there to have some humidity in the house. The stoves tend to dry out the air something fierce. I took the water pot and filled the kitchen sink. I washed myself up good, and cleaned the few dishes from our lunch. As I sat down by the stove, my cell phone rang. Right on time I said as I answered. Molly laughed. I'm here safe and sound she said. Everyone says to tell you they love and miss you. I most of all she added. I love you too babe, have a good time. I will she said. Will you be alright she asked? I'll be fine I told her. I have dinner on the stove and everything is in good shape for the night. I'll see you tomorrow when you get home. Don't forget to call me when you leave. I won't said Molly. I love you. I love you to, give everyone my love and big hugs. I will she said. Ok babe. love you. I hung up and leaned toward the stove. The ham was just starting to sizzle. I could smell it and boy did it smell great. As I was eating, I could hear the coffee bubbling away. I used to tell the kids that the pop pop poppity pop sound is where they got the name popop. Most folks never heard a real percolator. I have used mine ever since I was a young man. I used to bring it on camping trips, now it sits atop the wood stove all winter long. Our main cookstove is electric. We used to have gas, but one winter the valve froze outside and wouldn't work. I switched over in the spring. It appears everything has it's flaws. The smell of coffee now filled the air around me. I finished eating, drank my coffee, and decided to hit the hay. I took the coffee pot off the stove and set it on the hearth. I grabbed the lantern and made my way upstairs and into the bedroom. No sooner than my boots dropped out of my hand and onto the floor, I heard the generator begin to spudder. Damn, I knew I forgot something. I forgot to gas up the generator. I'm glad it sputtered now, rather than when I was asleep and didn't hear it. After all, that was the whole reason I had to stay home alone, I laughed out loud. The animals. I put my boots back on and down the old creaking stairs I went. Put on my coat hat and gloves and opened the door. The temperature on the thermometer nailed to the porch said five below zero. And that is without the wind factor. I went to the shed and got a five gallon gas jug. I keep two filled so I don't have to hand pump it from the tank every time I need gas. I walked behind the barn to where the generator was. It stays outside under a lean to. The fumes would kill the animals and even people if it was inside. I filled the tank. It took the whole five gallons. I put the cap on and headed back to the shed. When I walked out from behind the barn, a wind gust caught me and nearly knocked me to the ground. The empty gas container flew out of my hand like someone pulled it. Man was it windy. I picked up the gas jug and put it in the shed. I walked back to the barn. The generator was running full clean and at full speed again. It would last all night now. I came to the front of the barn and opened the door. One last check on everyone. All was good. The animals were comfortable and set in for the night. I left the barn and closed the door. The latch was old and flimsy. I need to fix that one day I thought. With that I headed to the house. Sleep was looking really good now. I took about three steps and wham. I was knocked to the ground, and it felt like my leg was on fire. A huge gust of wind ripped a big limb off one of the big pines on the side of the barn. It was on my leg, and had me pinned to the ground in the snow. The limb had punctured my leg near the ankle and I was impaled. I was literally nailed to the ground. The pain was excruciating. There was however, very little blood. I could not move. I was stuck to the ground, on my back, in the worst pain I ever remember. I began to feel sick. I was nauseous. I was cold. Very cold. The wind was howling over my body and I all I felt was icy cold. I was gonna yell for help but to who, I was alone. My phone was on the arm of the chair where I ate by the warm stove. The tree limb was huge and to heavy for me to move. I tried over and over to lift it. It was big. Each time i tried i could feel it rip at my leg. I am gonna freeze to death I thought. I turned my head, threw up, and fell unconscious. Wendle wake up. Wake up Wendle. I could barely open my eyes. My leg was on fire again, the cold had gone. I was as warm as toast. My eyes opened more and it was bright, so bright. Where am I? Molly was kneeling next to me. She leaned close and kissed me. Help is coming she said. I began to feel some kind of weight on my entire body. What is going on I asked. You have been trapped under a tree limb since last night she said. I remember now I told her. I tried to sit up but could not the weight held me down, so too did the limb which had me pinned and impaled. My eyes now more clear and focussed, and fully awake, I saw our two oldest sheep laying on me. Why didn't you just get me blankets I said. I just got home said Molly. It is three in the afternoon. Dolly and Kendall were already laying on you when I got here. I called the ambulance right off and then woke you up. I looked toward the barn door. It was wide open. The flimsy latch was broken and there were two hoof print dents in the door. Sometime after I fell unconscious, our horse, Jacob, kicked open the door and the girls came out and laid on me. Our animals saved my life. I began to cry. Molly went into the barn and told me that Jacobs stall door was smashed to bits. He was still in the stall. The sheeps stall door was also shattered she said. Molly looked at me and began to cry too. With both hands I began to rub Dolly and Kendal. They pushed their heads back toward my hands and I just cried harder. The paramedics came and I was on my feet within a month. Molly and I decided that Dolly and Kendall would become pets. Jacob, well, he is like a son. They have seen me prepare for market many times, and yet, they still chose to return the love we have shown them during their stay with us. I guess there is a morel to our miracle. If you raise your stock humanely and with love, they don't mind their sacrifice. Better to have been loved, than never loved at all.