Living off grid in January

Happy January.
I say that because I am an optimist. I do not use an exclamation point because I am also a realist. LOL. January is a tough month on the ol' homestead. It was last year also. This year we are more comfortable than last though and I will explain what we have done to improve our situation.
During the spring and summer last year we worked hard on getting the barn done. We did not make it, but we did get a third of it under roof and with walls. Well, we got almost all of the walls, but just roof on a third. Plywood and paper anyway. No tin yet. However, that allowed us to put our rabbits into a warmer, more secure place. It also allowed us to breed them, so now we have 50 little rabbits running, er, hopping around.
I still have to clean off the tents, but now they are all separate and are a cover for the cows and Llamas. Don't know if they appreciate that or not since many times I find them standing out in the rain or snow anyway. But, the real danger is now gone there.
We still have frozen water lines. Argg. Unlike last year though, we have not missed any showers! We did moved to an every other day shower thing to conserve water, but the lines from the house to the water shed, for the most part, did not freeze. They did, but I put a propane heater out there. So, I added the cost of the heater - 200 bucks! and I also had to run the central heater to help heat under the house. as it froze up one morning (3 degrees out). I had disconnected the line from the spring and drained it, so it was good to go as soon as the weather warmed up and the spring thawed.
That worked in theory. In real life, it worked for December. January thaw came. We had gotten about 6 to 800 gallons of water from the neighbor. Warm temps prompted me to connect the spring. I did and it worked great. Then I got greedy. after a week or two, once it cooled back off. above freezing, but not much. 34 day time temps and 29 nite time. I should have disconnected and drained. Then the night before I planned on doing it, it got down to about 25. Fat lady sand. Line froze up. I disconnected and the spring is still running, but the line to the shed froze solid.
Judy thinks it will be like 2 weeks. The sun shows back up over the hill around the first of Feb. Then all we will need is a couple of nice days and not freezing nights and we will get it back. I do hope we can make it without hauling more water.
We watched LEs Stroud's movie last night. Called Off Grid. They decided to do what we have done and wanted to show that it can be done without being rich. Also they wanted to do it in a few months. HA. That is typical of we westerners. We think we can push a button and have things done. He even hired people to do all the work, well, most of it. After a year, they were barely in the house. I think it is a must see for anyone considering this lifestyle. There is a steep learning curve that many will not make. It does not really lessen once you are in. There is a ton of learning and a ton of stuff to do. We have chores every day. We have solar maintainence issues and we still have to get our pipes buried and there are days that I want to quit from frustration. There is no going back for us now though. We are happy. I have few regrets.
The snow is almost gone and with it the promise of spring soon coming. I look forward to getting the barn done, the greenhouse up, the water lines buried and the road more like a drive than a trail.
Good hunting.