October 19, 2015 Arts & Crafts & Rain

Soaked, but ready for Halloween!

Friday 10/16. Well, as soon as I wrote "zipping around the internet" on my posting yesterday, my computer thought, "I don't think so" and everything slowed down.  The new MiFi does work a lot better and faster, but first I have to get a good signal. . .

I loaded the wood cradle this morning and realized that I can't just throw the branches in.  Rather I have to place them according to their length and where they will be cut.  Certainly not rocket science, but there is a learning curve.  Then after lunch, I found the electric chain saw.  Reread all the directions and added the oil.  There is a learning curve for cutting the branches also, but I caught on pretty quickly and soon had the load all cut.  It turned out to be two big wheel barrow loads.  

I hadn't cleaned off the porch in preparation for the wood, so I had to do that before I could stack it.  I figure it takes about an hour to load the cradle, cut the wood, and then stack it.  I may be able to cut some time off that once I get into a groove.  It looks like that big pile of branches will fill the south end of the porch.

JB's foot is still causing him a lot of pain, so he is taking it easy.

Saturday 10/17. It was 52 and partly cloudy this morning.  Couldn't resist another trip down and back up the mountain, so I went to the annual Arts & Crafts Fair Down There.  I still had a few Christmas presents to get and was able to find the perfect gifts.  Not quite as fun as when JB is with me, but I did enjoy myself.  So many clever and beautiful items.

A light overcast had formed by the time I arrived back home after 1:00 pm, but it was quite warm.  Our high for the day was 62, but cooler, wet weather is on its way.

This evening Gridder and his youngest son drove up to visit and get the wire that had been pulled up from the well when the new pump was installed.  JB had told Gridder that he was welcome to it for a project that he had.  It turns out that their chickens are still laying eggs, they just had to find them.  They let their girls out of the pen every day and, instead of going back in to their nesting boxes, they are laying their eggs in the bushes.  Unfortunately their dogs love the eggs, so Gridder has to find them before the dogs do!

Sunday 10/18. It was 50 with a light rain when I got up at 8:00 this morning.  Definitely an inside day which we began with a breakfast of eggs, bacon and waffles that JB cooked.  He is able to wear his shoes and walk slowly, but almost normally again.

We moved slowly into the day, reading the last of the papers and mail that I brought up yesterday.  Then it was time for our daily chores and laundry, which I hung inside.

There is an exceptional article in the October 19 issue of Time magazine about the immigration/exodus from the middle east and Africa to Europe.  Makes me wish I could do something to help, but am just not sure what that would be.

The day just seemed to slip away, as these dark, wet days often do.  The rain fell steadily until about 2:30 pm, and then off and on after that.  When it wasn't raining, we were in the clouds.  I could finally get glimpses of the canyon and a little beyond after dinner.  Our high for the day was 58 and we received .37" of rain.

Monday 10/19. It is 46 and clear this morning.  Hopefully I can get some more wood cut in the cradle.

Thought for the day: We seem to think that we can substitute an irreplaceable and irretrievable beauty with something we have created.  Pope Francis