November 29, 2017 More Snow & A Trip Down There

A sample of the Christmas trees
I am making with pine cones.

Monday 11/27. I made a big pot of dog broth from the turkey carcass that Elsie sent home with me.  That and crafting were my projects for the day.  A few days ago I began reading Origins by Dan Brown.  It's good, but all his Langdon books have pretty much the same plot line.

The clouds cleared a bit and the sun shone most of the day.  There are still some large patches of snow around, but most of it is gone.  Our high for the day was 37 with an icy wind.

Tuesday 11/28. It was 31 and overcast this morning.  Snow began falling about 8:30 as I went out to bring in firewood before going Down There.  I was on my way before 9:00 to pick up packages and buy a few groceries.  Also found time to wander through Hobby Lobby again.  Christmas music playing, still 50% off Christmas decorations and crafting supplies - how nice!

The predicted storm moved in while I was Down there.  It was snowing all around on the hills, but raining in town.  Halfway up the paved canyon road I encountered the snow and there was more than an inch already at Larry and Elsie's.  Got all the packages and groceries moved into Miss Kitty, then about 1/2 mile up the road, my bladder decided it was full.  No way I was going to get out and make yellow snow.

I was home by 1:30 where we had received almost 2" of snow.  By the time the snow stopped falling around 4:00 pm, we had 2-1/2".  Our high for the day was 31.

Wednesday 11/29. It is 30 and breezy this morning with thin clouds hiding most of the sky.  I really have to get going on making our Christmas cards today.

Thought for the day: Sometimes I look in the mirror and think - Oh that can't be right!

November 27, 2017 Leftovers & Another Visit

One of the reasons we
live Up Here.

Friday 11/24. For a day that started out so bright and sunny, it ended up being rather dark and drab.  A thick overcast moved in and there was no snow left to brighten the landscape. The sun did manage to break through just before it set, turning the woods golden.  Our high for the day was 39.

We spent a quiet indoor day reading and checking out the Black Friday specials.  Got some great deals on TV series' DVDs, and of course the second Guardians of the Galaxy movie.

Yesterday at Larry and Elsie's, they gave us a show of 60 of the 720 videos they had taken off their game cam.  So much fun to watch!  They had many deer, mama bears and cubs, cougars, bobcats, skunks and one raccoon.

I cooked a turkey breast with all the trimmings for dinner, including gluten-free dressing that Elsie had made and sent home with us.  "Leftovers" - the second best part of Thanksgiving dinner.

Saturday 11/25. It was 32 and overcast this morning with fog in the Wenatchee River valley.  As the cloud cover began to thin, the valley fog grew, creeping up and into the canyons. By the time JB took the dogs on their morning walk, it had crept into Rose Camp and spent the rest of the day wafting in and out.  By 3:00 pm, snowflakes were drifting down and very quickly the ground turned white again.

It was another inside day with a nice, slow morning.  After lunch JB bakes scones and I worked on crafts.  Am using pine cones in most of my creations, and enjoying every minute of it.

Over the past few years I have been trying alternatives to cow's milk.  Up til this weekend, my favorite had been vanilla almond milk.  Last time Down There I bought some vanilla rice milk and now that is definitely my favorite.

As the dogs and I left on our afternoon walk, there was a deer on the south slope.  The dogs went after it in sort of a "Oh no, not another one" fashion and the deer didn't move very fast either.  Then they all stopped.  The dogs came back and we went on our walk while the deer just stood and watched us.  There have been so many deer Up Here in the past few weeks that the dogs have been running and sleeping a lot.

We ended up with a little more than 1/4" of snow and our high for the day was 34.

Sunday 11/26. It was 31 this morning and we were encased in fog.  The sun started teasing us with glimpses of blue sky.  We were invited down to the Gridder's for coffee, pie and wine beginning at noon.  By the time we left at 11:30, the fog was beginning to sink into the canyon.

We had such a wonderful visit with them and her parents, filling up on apple, pecan, strawberry-rhubarb and oreo cookie pies.  We waddled out to Miss Kitty to leave about 3:30 and were home by 4:00, bringing more pie with us.

By then the wind had cleared out all of the fog.  Our high for the day was 34.

Monday 11/27. It is 30 and mostly cloudy this morning with a wind gusting to 18 mph.  Won't be out too much in that icy wind, and tomorrow I plan to go Down There, mainly to pick up packages at the post office.

Thought for the day: A good conversation is like a mini skirt - short enough to be interesting, but long enough to cover the subject.

November 24, 2017 Sun, Baking & Thanksgiving

A Thanksgiving rainbow.

Wednesday 11/22. Dark clouds gathered in the west most of the day, but they split to the north and south so we received none of the rain that was predicted for today.  It was a beautiful day with valley fog and an unseasonable high of 54.

I moved my Jeep and Max a little so the tires weren't sitting on the same spot.  Also tried to get most of the ice off the tarp over the girls' run, but there is one huge and very heavy piece that I have to let melt a bit more.

I baked more peanut butter/chocolate chip cookies.  I seem to have quite a craving for them right now.  JB had baked two large loaves of pumpkin bread on Monday.

Thursday 11/23. Thanksgiving Day began with a temperature of 44, overcast skies and light rain.  All but a few small patches of snow vanished with last night's rain and wind.

JB saw a herd of six deer just wander up the drive and onto the east slope.  By the time I got up at 7:45, I got to see the last one just grazing in the woods.

The sky began to clear mid morning and there was a huge rainbow to the north and west.  What a delightful sight for a Thanksgiving Day.

I baked an apple coffee cake to take with us and a plate of JB's pumpkin bread.  We were on our way in Miss Kitty to Larry and Elsie's at 1:30 pm.  Still lots of snow and ice on the road for more than two miles down.  We enjoyed a delicious meal and relaxing afternoon with them and their family.  What better way to spend this special day.

I picked up the mail before we headed home under the starlit sky.  Our high for the day at Rose Camp had been 40, but it was in the low 50's at Larry and Elsie's.

Friday 11/24.  It is 32 with mostly clear skies and a breeze this morning.  Going to do some Black Friday shopping on line.

Thought for the day: Be the change you wish to see in the world.

November 22, 2017 Rain & Coyotes

Circles in the sky on Saturday.

Clouds on Sunday.

Monday 11/20. There were rain showers with intermittent downpours til just before noon.  Then suddenly there was blue sky and sunshine, and we were above the fog.  The wind soon picked up and cleared out all the canyons and valleys.  It was gusty for the rest of the day and our high was 40.

We designed and printed our sample Christmas card, then I did more crafting.  Finished a couple more gifts.  My crafting table was covered in glue gun threads, as usual.  In my opinion the glue gun ranks high on the list of most important inventions.

Tuesday 11/21. It was 32 and overcast this morning with a light rain.  About 5:00 am we woke up to the most eerie, horrific sound.  It was coyotes on the south ridge, but it sounded like some large critter was meeting a horrible death.  We have only heard it once before, several years ago, but I never want to hear it again.  Poor Jesse was shaking.  Neither of us got much sleep after that.  When we finally got up at 7:00 am, we got dressed and put the dogs on leashes, then walked up to the ridge (with a gun).  The snow was too hard for any new tracks and all we saw was one small spot of blood halfway up to the point.  I had expected a big, bloody carcass.

Back at the house, we got ready to go Down There for JB's doctor's appointment and a couple errands.  We were on our way in Miss Kitty by 9:30.  The bumpy ride down didn't do JB's back any good and he was in need of a Tylenol by the time we got to his Jeep at Larry & Elsie's. But it was a good visit with the doctor, and he is cleared for more activities.  He just has to take it easy for a few more weeks and listen to his body.

There are still some brilliant, Fall colors in town, but a late October wind storm blew away all the color in the canyon.  Rain fell all day and it was really a miserable, wet, Seattle day.  Our only consolation is that it is raining over there, too.

We arrived home about 3:00 pm, in the rain, and the dogs were so pleased to see us.  It had been a long day all around.  Our high for the day was 32.  Just a degree or two colder, and we would have had the snow which Mission Ridge was getting.

Wednesday 11/22. It is 44 and overcast this morning with rain in the forecast for the rest of the week.  We are going down to Larry and Elsie's for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow and so looking forward to it.  So very thankful for friends like them.

Thought for the day: Notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, "If this isn't nice, I don't know what is."  Kurt Vonnegut

November 20, 2017 An Elk (?), Circles In The Sky, Crafting & Rain

Sorry, but Google won't let me post any photos today.


Friday 11/17. We read the rest of the newspapers and magazines I brought up yesterday with our morning coffee.  One of the perks about going Down There.

JB took the dogs on the morning walk in the icy wind, but I declined.  Stayed inside and crafted most of the day.  However, I did take them on an afternoon walk, as I needed the exercise.

There have been a lot of deer around lately, and not just during the night.  We often see their white rears bouncing away as the dogs run after them.

The wind blew large clouds overhead during the day and our high was 36.

Saturday 11/18. It was 30 and mostly overcast this morning.  In the wee hours, I awoke to a musky, skunky smell.  Dinga was going nuts, but Jesse seemed to sleep through it.  Must have been an elk, or a very smelly herd of deer.

The cloud cover soon disappeared and we took our morning walk surrounded by sunshine and glittering snow.  On the south ridge we watched three military jets seemingly chasing each other and drawing huge circles in the sky, as opposed to the penis one pilot drew yesterday (check your newsfeed).

During the night, the deer cleaned the last of the leaves off my lilac bush, ate the iris leaves and all the rose hips off the bushes to the west of the propane tank.  I don't think there is anything left for them in the yard!

After lunch I drove the tractor from behind the house, down by the other vehicles.  Started the snow thrower and drove it around a bit.  I also gave the girls more pine shavings in their nesting boxes.  That's where most of them sleep on these cold nights.

The snow on three sides of the house is completely trampled by the deer, but not so much on the south side and that is where I found elk tracks.  The opposite side from our bedroom, but that must have been what we smelled early this morning.

Our high for the day was 36.

Sunday 11/19. It was 30 and partly cloudy this morning and remained so all day, with a lot of sun peeks.  Our high for the day was 38.

I worked most of the day on crafts.  Finished two Christmas gifts and started some more.  So much fun!

JB is anxious to see the doctor on Tuesday, hoping that he will allow him to bend and move around a bit more.

Monday 11/20. It is 32 this morning and the fog is drifting in and out.  Snow was supposed fall above 2500 feet during the night, but we got rain instead.  Doesn't look like any of the snow melted though.

Thought for the day: You call it a box of chocolates.  I call it a support group.

November 17, 2017 A Trip Down There

Dawn on the mountains
this morning.

Wednesday 11/15. We were on the southeastern edge of today's snowstorm, so during the morning we just got fits and starts.  During the afternoon three flurries moved through, each one about an hour apart and lasting about thirty minutes.  Nothing measurable stuck.

We did long-term storage food inventory today.  Somehow our records were way off on several items.

It was breezy with a high of 38.

Thursday 11/16. It was 32 and mostly clear this morning, and the wind was calm.  I left for Down There in Miss Kitty just before 9:00 am.  It was a beautiful but uneventful drive down to Larry and Elsie's, where I let the dogs out (theirs and their son's) as they had left early to drive west of the mountains to attend a memorial service for Elsie's stepmother.

It was a lovely day and I had to take my time in order not to be back too early for the dogs again.  So I had lots of time to look through the books at the Dollar Store; look for zippered turtlenecks at the thrift store (found a beautiful one); wander through Hobby Lobby for Christmas craft items (they were having their 50% off all Christmas crafts and decos!).  Also got some grocery shopping done.

I let the dogs out again about 2:00 pm, put a fire in their downstairs stove, got everything transferred from the Jeep to Miss Kitty, and was home by 3:00 pm, where JB had a big pot of split pea and ham soup simmering on the stove.  Such a beautiful day to be out and about.  It was in the high 40's in town and our high for the day was 38.

Friday 11/17. It is 30 and mostly clear this morning, with the wind gusting to 18 mph, as it did all night.  I started using our fleece sheets a couple weeks ago.  They are so very soft and cozy to slide into at night, but very difficult to climb out of on a cold, winter morning.

Thought for the day: Women are angels.  When someone breaks our wings, we continue to fly on a broomstick.  We're flexible like that.

November 15, 2017 Blue Sky & Crafting

Snow slipping off the roof of
the wood shed.

Monday 11/13. Patches of blue sky began appearing this morning.  Such a welcome sight!  The snow was getting quite slushy, but not disappearing much.

Other than outside chores, I spent the day inside finally getting to do some crafting.  It's been a while and felt so good.

Our high for the day was 40.

Tuesday 11/14. It was 34 with blue skies this morning.  A small herd of deer wandered through our yard during the night.  They dug through the snow and feasted on what was left of my zinnias.  They also ate most of the rose hips off the nearby bushes.

After the dishes and laundry, I did a perfunctory vacuuming before the clouds moved in.  I have to wait for the sun to do that as the vacuum and generator don't seem to get along.

I spent more time in the loft crafting and JB made a pound cake.  That always fills the house with such an incredible aroma.  Makes it hard not to drool.

By noon a light overcast covered the sky and our high for the day was 42.  These two days have been fairly warm, but that is about to come to an end.

Wednesday 11/15. It is 30 and overcast this morning.  Looks like the forecast snow for last night is finally moving in from the west.

Thought for the day: May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.  Nelson Mandela

November 13, 2017 Fog & Snow, Fog & Snow

Sometimes winter Up Here
can be hard on the dogs.

Friday 11/10. As the sun rose this morning, so did the fog, creeping up from the canyons.  So very quiet Up Here with snow covering the ground and trees.  So still.  No birds, no occasional sounds of traffic drifting up from Down There.  You can hear your own thought as if they were spoken out loud.

I think water is coming up from the well by itself and into the cistern.  Haven't had to pump water into it for several days now.

More snow began falling just after 10:30 am and left another 1/2" before it stopped mid afternoon.  We were out in it filling up MAX's tires.  They only have to be 5 psi with the tracks on.  Then I drove MAX up and around the south ridge for practice.

Our high for the day was 36 and the snow is getting a little slushy.

Saturday 11/11. This Veteran's Day began with a temperature of 30 and we were still in the fog.  Snow fell off and on from a little after noon til about 2:00 pm.  It was either snowing or fogging all day long, but there was no measurable snow fall.

We put gas in MAX and SeaFoam in the gas.  Got JB's Jeep all straightened up and ready to be driven down to Larry and Elsie's tomorrow for the winter.  I think this is the earliest we have had to do that.

I worked on cleaning up my crafting area in the loft so I can get started on some Christmas projects, including this year's card.

I have to empty our compost can about once a week, and today when I took it out, there was a set of large rabbit tracks nearby in the snow.  I sure wish I could see the rabbit and not just the tracks.  (I'm sure I say that every year.)

It was a bit cooler today with a high of 31.

Sunday 11/12. It was 32 this morning and we were still fogged in.  The sun was teasing us by trying to break through, but never did.  And snow bombs were falling all around.

My project for the day was to drive JB's Jeep down to Larry and Elsie's, and pick up the mail while I was down there.  The drive down wasn't as bad as I had expected, but it did take me about 50 minutes to get down to the mailbox on the paved road.  Then I got the Jeep parked; had a short chat with Elsie; and Larry drove me back home in their Miss Kitty.  

Now, Larry's nickname is Papa Putt-Putt, for the way he drives so slowly on the mountain roads.  Well, Papa Putt-Putt was not driving today.  The tires on their Arctic Cat are a bit worn and he had not put the chains on yet.  So let me just say that the drive back up was my excitement for the week!  Perhaps the month.  I have no doubt that Miss Kitty with her new "Grim Reaper" tires will make it down and up just fine for a while yet.

There is still a little snow on the ground at Larry and Elsie's, but it all but disappears in the last mile down to the pavement.  

Our high for the day was 34.

Monday 11/13. It is 34 and overcast this morning with a breeze.  A breeze that has blown the fog away, down into the canyons and valleys.  Yes!  We can actually see the surrounding landscape.

Thought for the day: It's all good, and working out like it should.

November 10, 2017 More Snow!

Our winter wonderland.
(We are wondering why
it is winter so soon.)

Wednesday 11/8. I was on my way Down There by 8:30 am in JB's Jeep.  It took me 50 minutes to get to the pavement.  I had 14 stops on my list and didn't get back home til 4:05 pm.  The stores weren't so terribly busy, but the traffic looked like the day before Thanksgiving!  By the time I was on my way home, the Jeep was packed to the gills.

I almost didn't make it back up the main canyon road, as there had been a few vehicles already driving in the snow and it was packed down and slick.  Once I got onto our road, there was no problem, except for one part of our driveway.  By the sound of the forecast, that was probably my last trip up in the Jeep.

With me gone for so long, JB hadn't used his best judgement on what he could and could not do, so he was hurting.  He took some meds while I got the car unloaded and leftovers in the oven.  A glass of wine and a couple episodes of Major Crimes was all I could manage for the evening, so the none-refrigerated groceries did not get put away.

Our high for the was was 32 and by 7:30 pm snow was falling.

Thursday 11/9. We woke up to a temp of 30, snow still falling and five inches of new, wet snow on the ground.  I fed the animals.  Got dressed and trudged up to the panels to clean them off, then swept off the porch and brought in the fire wood, finishing the first row in the wood shed.

The snow began to let up before 10:00 am and by the time we all went on our morning walk, the fog had moved in.  Just after we returned to the house, snow began falling again.  And so the day went - snow, fog, snow, fog - until about 3:00 pm when the snow stopped for good after dropping another 1-1/4".  By 4:00 pm, we could see some blue sky and the fog had slipped down into the canyons and valleys.

After putting all the groceries away and eating lunch, I got the snow thrower out and started it.  JB was able to do most of the clearing of the snow, as basically one just pushes levers and follows it.  Dinga was ecstatic and wore herself out jumping up after the thrown snow.  I cleared the snow off all the vehicles, then finished up clearing a path to the north ridge with the snow thrower.

Our high for the day was a pleasant 34.

Friday 11/10. It is 30 and partly cloudy this morning with valley fog.

Thought for the day: Faith is a firm trust and conviction that sometimes if God doesn't give you what you think you want, it's not because you don't deserve it, but because you deserve better.  David A. R. White

November 8,2017 Deer & Elk & A Cougar, Oh My!

The mountains Saturday morning.

Monday 11/6. By 9:00 am we could see patches of blue sky.  The sun was shining & the valley fog had disappeared.

Other than normal winter chores and putting the handles on my new kitchen cabinet, I took the day off.  So did JB.  I started a new book and JB continued reading the one I gave him for his birthday, Origins by Dan Brown.

Clouds began moving back in and by 4:00 pm, the sky was overcast.  But as darkness settled in, the clouds moved on and the stars came out.  Our high for the day was 28.

Tuesday 11/7. This morning was 21 and overcast.  After morning chores, we all went for a walk.  There were elk and deer tracks on the south ridge and going up to the peak.  There were cougar tracks going down the drive from the south ridge.  Big cougar tracks.

After lunch I took the snow blower out of the shop and did some practicing with it.  Of course, this is Dinga's favorite "toy".  She jumps up trying to catch the snow, and by the time I was done, she was almost completely white!

It was a very dark day, during which I expected to see snow falling every time I looked or went outside, but I never did.  More snowfall is forecast for tomorrow.  Our high for the day was 24.

Wednesday 11/8. It is 22 and overcast this morning.  I plan to be on my way Down There by 8:30.

Thought for the day: Do not compare your growth with anyone else's.  The only person you are competing with is who you were yesterday.

November 6, 2017 MAX & Snow

The view out our front
door Sunday morning.

Time to leave the wood shed
gate open.

Our winterized porch.

Friday 11/3. By 8:30 am the snow had stopped falling and the fog moved in.  The ground was white, but really no measurable snowfall.  Soon the fog dissipated and the sun came out.

I baked peanut butter-chocolate chip cookies, as I planned to drive Miss Kitty down to check the mail and our Thank-You to Gridder is to drop off goodies for him whenever I drive down.

I had driven about a mile back up from getting the mail, when snow began falling again.  It was coming down pretty good, but again, now real measurable amount.  Our high for the day was 32.

Forgot to mention the birthday cards from JB's youngest brother who was here to help after his surgery.  There was a note on the cards that said, "Couldn't find a card for a 75th birthday, so hope these will do."  He sent one for a seven-year-old and one for a five-year-old!

Saturday 11/4. It was 24 and overcast this morning.  I woke up rarin' to go.  I moved chairs and other porch items to the north end and covered them with a tarp.  Then I brought in the fire wood.

We all went for a morning walk, after which I got the last wheel on MAX with some creative thinking, and took the middle wheel off each side in preparation for putting the tracks on tomorrow when Larry and Elsie come up to help.

After lunch, we finished up the supply inventory.  Not too much else to buy for the winter.

The new (and last print) issue of Backwoods Home is great, as always.  There is an interesting article on chicken treats that suggests coring an apple and filling the middle with peanut butter.  I tried that today.  At first the girls weren't too impressed with the peanut butter, but when I checked back a couple hours later, there was no sign of the apples.  Must have been a hit.

Our high for the day was 32, and we saw some blue sky in the afternoon.

Sunday 11/5. It was 20 and snowing this morning, with 2-1/2" already on the ground.  Of course this is Dinga's favorite weather and she was going wild.  After feeding the dogs and girls, I threw on some clothes and went out to sweep off the porch.  Then Dinga and I hiked up to clean off the solar panels (there was just a little bit of snow on the top), and brought fire wood in.

By 9:00 am most of the snow had stopped falling and it was just on and off from then til around 2:00 pm when it stopped altogether.  By 4:00 pm we were ensconced in the fog, then it slid down into the canyons and valleys by 5:00 pm.  Most long-term weather forecasts are similar to last year, meaning that the snow has started and won't stop until Spring.  At least I feel more prepared this year.

This is the worst day of Daylight Savings Time.  The dogs and girls simply do not understand that I didn't forget to feed them - it simply isn't time yet.  And when the clock says 8:00 pm, I am ready for bed.

Larry and Elsie arrived at 11:30 am.  Larry immediately took all the tires off, tightened the nuts on the extenders, then put the tires back on & tightened them.  With the shop vacuum, we sucked the air out of the tires and wrestled the tracks on with Larry's brute force.  Put the middle tires back on, and we were done!

Then it was inside to warm up and play marbles.  The guys won the first game and the ladies the second.  Actually "won" doesn't quite define the games.  Each one was pretty much a route, but so much fun!

Our high for the day was only 27.

Monday 11/6. It is 22 this morning with valley fog, and trying very hard to snow

Thought for the day: Coffee in hand, big girls panties pulled up, sparkle in my eye and a smile on my face.  Yep, I'm ready for the day. . . bring it on!

November 3, 2017 Heaven Has Another Angel

Deer must have had a midnight
snack on the last of my
petunias.

Wednesday 11/1. We were out a little after 9:00 to work on MAX.  I was able to get the screw off the second lug, and the third lug seated.  The rain moved in before 10:00, much earlier than predicted, but we got the extender back on MAX and all ready to put on the wheel before it was just raining too much.  I covered everything back up and brought in the fire wood.

At 10:30 I lay down for what turned out to be a two-hour nap.  When I woke up, the sun was shining, but, no, I did not run right out to the the wheel on MAX.

We started watching The Closer at the beginning of the month and just finished the seventh season last night.  Jumped right in to Major Crimes tonight.

Randy called today.  He lives near Bonner's Ferry, ID, and they are supposed to receive two feet of snow by Friday, and it has already started falling.  We are due for some snow also, just not that much.

Thursday 11/2. It was 34 and mostly clear this morning with a wind gusting to 15 mph.  There was another huge cloud bank coming in from the southwest.

After morning chores, we got out to put the wheel on MAX, but it just wouldn't fit no matter what we did.  So I finished up Miss Kitty.  Had to take the wheel off and tighten the castle nut to 200 foot pounds with the torque wrench that Gridder had loaned us.  Got that done and everything closed up again just as small snow flakes began to fall.

That turned out to be just a short squall, the first of a few.  The one that moved through at 4:00 pm actually turned the ground white, but again, lasted only about fifteen minutes.  By 5:00 pm, we had lots of blue sky.

I received a phone call just before 4:00 pm from the daughter-in-law of my Mom's best friend, Pat, with whom I had stayed in touch.  In fact I just talked to her last week.  Monday was Pat's 93rd birthday, but on Tuesday she had pneumonia that filled her lungs up very quickly.  She was having such a hard time breathing that she said it was time to go, and took off the oxygen mask.  I have known her since I was in the ninth grade, and she was absolutely the most genuinely nice person I have ever known, and had a great sense of humor.  Heaven has another angel.  I am sure my Mother was there to greet her.

Friday 11/3. It is 26 and overcast this morning with a very light, fine snowfall.  It is also snowing in Seattle.

Thought for the day: Sometimes we must hurt in order to grow.  Sometimes we must fail in order to know.  Sometimes we must lose in order to gain.  Because sometimes lessons in life are best learned through pain.  Seen on Facebook.

November 1, 2017 Last Drainage Ditch, MAX & A Meltdown

Drainage ditch at the
hair-pin corner, before. . .

. . .and after digging.

Monday 10/30. After chores, including laundry (which I hung inside), I walked down to the hair-pin corner carrying the shovel and metal rake, intent on digging out the last of the drainage ditch.  The dogs dogs were so excited about an outing, and I was just glad to be done with it.  It took a little more time and energy than I thought it would, but I did get it done.

Back up at the house, I ate lunch and decided that I really needed to get started on changing MAX's tires so we could get the tracks on.  Didn't look forward to this project either, as I knew I had to do it all by myself.  The only really difficult part of it is jacking up MAX so I can slide large pieces of wood underneath him.  JB always uses the hi-lift jack.  I never have.

I drove MAX into place and gathered all the items we would need, including the small generator in the garden wagon.  JB was trying to advise me on how to hold and use the jack, but somehow the handle slipped and smacked in on the cheek.  It really didn't hurt that much, but I ran, crying "I can't do this all by myself!", into the house for an ice pack.  Didn't realize I was that tightly wound.  

I had never used one of the instant ice packs before, but it worked perfectly.  I sat holding it against my cheek and tried to relax.  Deep breaths.  Calming thoughts.  And the right way to do all this came to me.

Back outside, I correctly jacked up one end of MAX and slid a piece of wood length-wise under each side with my leg.  Then did the same with the other end.  Took the three wheels off one side and put the extenders on.  And that was it for the day.  Tuesday was supposed to be dry, although cooler, so I planned to finish then.

Our high today was 48 with lots of sunshine.

Tuesday 10/31. Halloween began with a temperature of 34 and clear skies.  What I really like about cold mornings is that I need to wait a while for the day to warm up a bit.  So I have time to relax with my coffee and sudoku.

My cheek was barely sore this morning, with just a slight bit of bruising.  And I felt like the crying was an outlet I needed.

I did my chores and after lunch we went out to finish up on MAX.  I took the tires off the other side and put the extenders on.  Then JB showed me where the impact wrench was and how to use it.  I started up the little generator and tightened the extenders.

I put the three smaller tires on one side and got two on the other side before discovering that three of the lugs on the last extender were partially stripped.  That meant that I had to pound them out and insert new ones.  Getting them out was not an issue, but putting the new ones in takes a lot more arm strength than I have.  However, my leg worked just fine.  Got the first one in but could not get the nut off that was used to screw in the lug.

I finally ended up taking the extender back off and putting it in the vise in the shop.  That worked for getting the nut off and starting to insert the second lug.  When I got to the place that I could no longer tighten it with my arms, I brought over a stool and stood on it.  I used my leg to tighten the nut, then decided that was it for the day.  Tomorrow is supposed to be dry in the morning, with precipitation moving in later in the day.  Hopefully I can get the last lug on and the last tire on MAX by noon.

This whole two-day process has been very frustrating for JB since he has only been able to help out verbally.

It was actually warmer today, reaching 58.  On these sunny, Fall days there is about a two-hour window in the early afternoon when we get the high temps and I had parked MAX right where the sun would be during that time.

Wednesday 11/1. JB's 75th birthday has begun with a temperature of 40 and huge, puffy clouds coming in from the west.  Hopefully we can get MAX all ready for the tracks today.  Will need help putting those on.

Thought for the day: If you're feeling low, don't despair.  The sun has a sinking spell every night, but it comes back up every morning.  Dolly Parton