Oct 10, 2012

Rope gate to hopefully keep out any hunters

My brain is about as fuzzy as the air this morning.  Can barely see the canyon, let alone the mountains.  We overslept and RJ is coming up for breakfast.

It's been another busy two days.  Monday morning we drove MAX down to our property line on the road to build a rope gate in anticipation of hunting season (see photo above).  Well, actually JB drove MAX loaded with all the supplies while the dogs and I walked.  It's about a half mile but getting there is all down hill.  Prior to going, we had cut the posts to 5' long.  They will stand 4' tall with one foot into the ground.  Then JB drilled a hole in one for the rope to go into and be knotted.  Then a hole into the other pole in which to insert a rod to keep the rope loop from sliding down.  We dug the holes, poured the cement, and set the poles.  I rode with JB in MAX back up the road.

After lunch I cut four loads of wood and JB worked on re-doing the sled that he and Larry made a couple years ago.  Trying to make it smaller and lighter.

It was a great relaxing evening with nachos, "White Collar" and a fire.

No fire needed in the mornings lately, as the nights have only been in the high 40's.  And speaking of fires, the forest fire by us is up to 56,000 acres and 55% contained .  The uncontained 45% is probably within the fire lines as it doesn't sound like it is spreading any more.

I got started early yesterday splitting and decided to time it, which was rather disheartening as it only takes me ten minutes to split and ten minutes to stack if I don't have any large rounds to wrestle.  It's not so much the time it takes, but rather the energy.  Since the rounds are so large, JB rolls several of them over to the splitter and together we split them into quarters.  I split three loads before lunch and one right after, then we all walked down to the rope gate to check and cover the cement with dirt, and hang the rope.  It was a beautiful Fall day and a very enjoyable hike.  Then I split another three loads for a total of seven for the day.  JB caulked the west side of the shop where the roof meets the wall and has been leaking.

We have decided that another inverter is just not in the budget.  We are going to buy a top-loading washer and be done with it.  There are water-saving models available and I will order one next week.  About $650 including a 5-year warranty and tax.  It should pay for itself in propane saving in the first year.

All this smokey air causes an odd lighting in the evening.  If we were in Illinois, I'd be looking for tornadoes.

Thought for the day:  May your life someday be as awesome as you pretend it is on Facebook.