November 16, 2011



RJ's new floor



RJ's new stove



Moments after I posted on my blog Monday morning, the snow let up, the clouds receded, and the sun came out.  A beautiful day!  Especially because there was no wind.  That evening all we could hear was the occasional crackle of the fire and Jesse's snoring.  What a relief!


After morning chores, picking up after the wind storm, and lunch, we drove down the shortcut to see RJ.  A little sliding going down the two main steep parts, so decided not to try driving back up, but rather take the long way home (4 miles vs. 1/2 mile).  RJ's cabin was so toasty warm!  He is living not only his dream, but also our Dad's.  I'm sure Dad would have been happiest in his retirement (if not his whole life) in a cabin in the woods.  Don't know if he was born a century too late or if he simply couldn't let go of a previous life.


When we arrived back at Rose Camp, I started up the splitter and was going to finish the little bit of wood that still needed splitting.  I managed to get 1-1/2 wheel barrow loads before the splitter froze up.  Not sure what the problem is, but it will have to wait til Spring to be resolved.  It's on wheels, so we can just tow it down to the small engine repair shop.  Don't have many rounds left that need splitting, so RJ can do those by hand.  Couldn't use my new chain saw as it takes motor oil instead of bar oil.  For temperatures under 32, it needs #10 and we didn't have any. 

JB went Down There on Tuesday for a doctor's appointment and our major "stock-up-for-winter" shopping, which will also include the oil for the saw.  NOAA is predicting 3-4 inches of snow for Wenatchee beginning this morning, so we will get at least that.  Just wish I had that pile of wood cut and stacked on the porch.  Not only is it easily accessible for really bad weather, but it also acts as a shelter for the porch from the snow and wind.  At least we have the north and south ends done.  We use it last, when the fire wood in the shed is gone, or beginning the end of February.  What we do not use, we move to the wood shed.  I really don't mind that because it is a head start on next season's wood.

Spent last evening putting away all the supplies and updating our list.  Also did an inventory while we were at it to be sure we have everything we need, especially the necessities like chocolate, cocoa, chips, salsa. . .  Well, you get the idea.  But no #10 oil.  No store had any.  JB is going to call the company who makes the saw today and ask just where in the world we are supposed to find it.


There certainly are a lot of articles in the newspapers and magazines about the possible havoc in 2012.  It was my opinion that the predicted sun spots would cause most of the problems, especially since so much of our technology these days relies on satellites, but we read an article in which NASA was quoted as saying that, "if you are older than eleven, you have already lived through a similar episode."  Interesting.  Well, there was all that broohaha about computer and other electronic problems when the date switched to 2000.  Nothing happened.  It may be that all these dire predictions just succeed in selling newspapers and magazines.


And speaking of the Internet, JB discovered a site called Intelius.com.  If you thought you had any privacy left, just go there and type in your name and a city, or even just a state, in which you have lived in the past 15 years or so.  It costs a nominal fee to get an address, but I found a friend with whom  I had lost touch about 20 years ago by just typing in her name and state.  Cool, but scary, too.

Thought for the day: Be the kind of person that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says, " Oh Crap, She's up!"