In other days it did not matter much whether we were ready or not; but now our house, our cow, our poultry, and indeed ourselves, might have suffered,--there is no way of finding out exactly how much,--if we had not made all possible preparations for the coming of cold weather.
But there was a great deal yet to be thought of and planned out, although we were ready for winter.

The next thing to think of was spring.
We laid out the farm.

We decided where we would have wheat, corn, potatoes, and oats.

We would have a man by the day to sow and reap.

The intermediate processes I thought I could attend to myself.
Everything was talked over, ciphered over, and freely discussed by my wife and myself, except one matter, which I planned and worked out alone, doing most of the necessary calculations at the office, so as not to excite Euphemia's curiosity.
I had determined to buy a horse.