February 17, 2016 A Heartwarming Adventure

Saturday before the wind. . .

. . .Monday after the wind.

The slide after the bushes
were winched out.

MAX & the tree across
the road.

Monday 2/15. Neither of us got much sleep til after 4:30 am with all the wind and a pacing Dinga, so we overslept.  I didn't get on my way Down There til about 9:30 am.  There were lot of small branches scattered along the road, but just one tree down.  It was angled such that I was able to break off the branches and drive under it with no problem.  All was going well til I was almost in sight of Larry and Elsie's and the right track came off.  I managed to get it on to the seat next to me, but around the next corner I came upon three small slides that I could drive around, and two huge ones that completely covered the road in three to four feet of mud and bushes for about 30 feet.  Lovely.

I got out of MAX and walked down to Larry and Elsie's, catching them just as they were leaving for an appointment and shopping.  They had to go, but agreed to call JB when they had cell service and let him know I would be calling when I got to town a bit later than expected.  They also called Mr. Sixes who had spent the night with all his family at their cabin to let him know the situation.

I walked back up to move MAX out of the way (although no one was going to get up or down until some of that mud was cleared out).  I turned him around and was going back up when the chain came loose or off!  At that point I just took the cooler and box for groceries and the empty gas can down to my Jeep and drove into town.  I could only buy what would fit into the two containers, so I had to be choosy.  I also wanted to get my shopping done as quickly as possible so I could get back up, check out MAX's chain and start shoveling on the small slides.

Gridder was home when I drove back up.  Larry had told him about the slide, so Gridder was going to drive up with his family to check it out and see what he could do.  

When I got back up to MAX, I discovered that the chain had come off, so there was really nothing I could do but start shoveling.  Gridder and his family soon arrived, and he started winching the big bushes out of the slide.  When they were gone, he thought he might be able to just plow his way through with his Jeep.  About that time the Sixes family arrived, coming down from their cabin.  Gridder drove Mrs. Sixes and their children back down to Gridder's where their other car was parked, then came back up.  Meanwhile, Mrs. Gridder, Mr. Sixes and I were shoveling.  

Gridder did manage to plow through the mud and snow, very slowly.  Back and forth, back and forth.  We were trying to figure out how to get MAX's chain and track back on when Larry and Elsie arrived home.  To make this story as short as possible, the three guys managed to get MAX's chain on by winching MAX to turn the wheels.  Then they moved MAX in such a way so as to get two jacks under him.  With two of them holding MAX, and Larry and I working on the track, we actually got it back on without having to take the air out of the tires.  MAX doesn't seem so formidable in the face of three big, strong men. . .  It's amazing what you can get done with a lot of muscle and some beer.

Larry brought up my boxes of groceries in his 4X4.  Put them in Gridder's Jeep.  Then both Gridder in his Jeep and Mr. Sixes in his Jeep, with Larry and Gridder's family riding along, followed me up to my turn-off.  We loaded up MAX and I was off, and home by 4:30 with no other problems.  The rest of them drove up to the Sixes' cabin which is less than 1/4 mile up from our turn-off.  

Good neighbors, who have become such good friends, made for a great time.  I loved it, but I am really getting tired of having to ask for help so often this winter.  I swore I wasn't going back down til April or May, but I will house-sit overnight for Larry and Elsie the first weekend in March.  By then I should be able to drive Miss Kitty down the main road.

The sky remained mostly overcast for the day, with a few sun breaks.  Our high was 43, so it really wasn't too cold for all the goings on.  Needless to say, I slept soundly.

Tuesday 2/16. It was 39 with a light partial overcast this morning.  We read mail and magazines, and did not do much more than dishes, laundry and daily chores.  I had to wash my jacket and pants from yesterday as they were pretty muddy.  It seemed as though every bone and muscle in my body was aching today, so I just needed to rest and recuperate.

The sun managed to shine through the overcast most of the day, and our high was 48.  After all that wind Sunday night, the ground is showing under most of the trees.  It is bare in the grove.  Most of the bushes, stumps, rocks and logs have re-appeared, along with the bird bath.

Wednesday 2/17. It is 36 with a heavy overcast this morning.  Going to have to check out the refrigerator today, as it seems to be working too hard.

Thought for the day: Blood makes you relatives.  Loyalty makes you family.