Yesterday, Bob and I checked on the house:

• road was plowed, probably after the storm, but snow had drifted over it; and the town plow left a pile on the side of the road next to the bridge: just room to drive by and get up the hill with Bert, our Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  
• nice coating of snow, maybe 5-6 inches on the yard
  
• basement temp 46, kitchen thermometer reads 54 degrees
• some pink insulation down on floor of basement (a small rectangle near the cellar door); I stuffed it back up into the ceiling
• oil tank at >5/8
  
• watered plants with water I brought so I didn't have to turn on the water
• phone message about a CVS prescription ready in Bethesda... will let Anna Ruth know
• the door to the living room was wide open, I guess I didn't close it tightly last time, so the dining room was relatively warm! closed it tightly this time before we left
• shoveled the steps to back door and main entrance

When we got to the top of the hill to get onto 151, Bert died! We heard a loud CLUNK and then nothing. Had to call AAA and have it towed to the Middletown Toyota... down to one car again.