The view from the outhouse
Sunday January 17
Good morning to all from Silty Slough. Early to bed last night so nature called me and the boys at 5. It’s 30 degrees light snow, actually dark snow because it isn’t daylight yet, way to warm for this time of year. Normally it is on the minus side of zero now, but I don’t think there is a normal anything anymore. Snow is in the forecast for most of this week. Sunrise is at 10:04. Six hours and twenty two minutes for today. We have gained an hour and thirteen minutes since Dec 21st.
Back to the adventure… Wednesday I repaired the truck. I was dreading it because I didn’t want any more problems. It was a quick fix and soon Kari and I were on the way to the dump to unload the trash we hauled in from the cabin. $15 dollar minimum for 300 pounds, we only had 120. Next time I’m going to load up some dirt or ice and snow to dump just to feel like I’m getting my money’s worth. Back at home Kari and I loaded Clyde into the back into the pickup by sliding him up an extension ladder. I will write that it was her idea until she reads the View then I will delete it. Clyde weighs about 160 pounds. I took him to Palmer and he gained 462 pounds at the Fred Meyer propane pump and my wallet lost a little weight at the cashiers window, but I regained the lost weigh right down the street at Dairy Queen. Back home I decided to check on the boiler, everything looks good except for a wet spot on the drywall and a puddle on the floor below the whole house water filter. I was hoping one of the boys just hiked their leg but it was too high on the wall. They would have had to have stood on a 5 gallon bucket. They get really depressed when they have to come to town and usually let us know in their own subtle ways. I tried to write suttle, but spell checker wouldn’t let me. I have Google, so I know everything. Suttle is an often misspelling of subtle meaning cunning. I learned something already today, now I can go back to sleep.
Short story long, their was a tiny crack in the plastic canister. I could barely feel the water spray. At the cabin I would have drilled a hole in it and put in a screw with a rubber washer. But here it is off to Lowe’s, no they don’t sell just the canister like a real mom and pop hardware store would, so I bought a whole new filter for only $70. Lowe’s usually has just enough stuff to make a DIYer dangerous. I guess it was good it leaked because when I took it apart there was quite a bit of sediment from the last big earthquake two years ago. It says to change every 3 months, but I just wait until the water comes out of the shower head about the same volume as one of the boys hiking their leg. Filter repaired, another cats-ass-trophy narrowly averted. Spell check that. Fact check it too, you whiney little mamby-pamby Trump hating liberals. Sorry, trying to multitask and lost my train of thought. Train or trane? Hello Google.
I think everything is repaired, no just one more thing. The earthquakes must have shifted the house ever so slightly and the deadbolts on two doors won’t lock. A quick adjustment of the strike plates and we are back in Ft. Knox again. Who would want into Ft. Knox anyway? The country is broke. Wait til Joe and the Ho take it completely into bankruptcy and have the big liquidation sale. I’m going to fill the yard at the asylum with Civil War statues for pennies on the dollar. Kind of like bear bait, when the liberals come to take them down…well you know the drill.
Friday morning Costco run. Pretty painless. Got my left hearing aid repaired, but I don’t want to hear anything from the left anyway. Picked up Thorian at 11, he is going to the cabin with us tomorrow to work on his new 1978 snow machine. Get the ice cream home and in the freezer. Clyde needs to go to the landing to make room for all the supplies we are hauling tomorrow. We have just enough time to be back for dinner with the Gahans at 6. Clyde is standing up in the bed of the pickup but has his seatbelts on so I guess it is legal. 45 minute drive to the landing, back up square to the side of the sled,unfasten Clyde’s belts, and lay him down. Now the trick for a 68 year old man, a younger woman with two titanium knees, and a small boy to get Clyde gently onto the sled without hurting any of us. Clyde laid down head first so we have to spin him around in the pickup bed. Thank God for a little snow and ice in the bed, Clyde is fairly easy to turn around. Now roll Clyde on an angle and work him back on the tailgate. Now one more angle and he is hanging over the edge. He slides off as gently as 622 pounds can and stands up on the sled. In the past he has been hard to get along with and jumped onto the sled and right on off onto the ground. Then 622 pounds of gravity was working against us instead of for us. He was kind of like being a Democrat. He is smarter and easier to get along with now that he is older.
All that is left is to pump a hundred gallons of diesel from a tank in the truck bed to two barrels on the sled. I got this fuel using my Fred Meyer fuel points for a dollar off a gallon so it is worth the trouble. Everything done, back to Wasilla and the Trout House for dinner and a visit with friends. After dinner we packed up the totes for the trip up the river tomorrow.
Saturday weather is good, we are up at 7 to do the final packing. Cold food in the cooler. Everything loaded and we are on the road again. A quick stop at Wendy’s for breakfast. The guy at the drive through was a dog lover and asked if the boys would like a sausage patty. Sure. He said to be careful they just came off the fryer. I didn’t want the boys to get burned so I put the two patties on my sandwich. The boys watched me eat my sandwich and then started liking my face thanking daddy dog for looking out for them and protecting their little tongues from getting burned. Kind of like the Democrats act toward the government.
Just kidding..not about Democrats but what actually happened. Kari broke up the sausage on a plate and let it cool then hand fed it to them. Then they ate part of my sandwich and Kari wiped their mouths with a napkin. Democrats again.
On to the landing, warm up and fuel the machines. We loaded the totes, a hundred pound bottle of propane or pane as I call it, and a treadmill. I’m going to convert the treadmill from being motor powered to being a generator to get a government grant for being in the Silty Slough green energy program. BobbyRay Howard we need a name and acronym for the program. I was green in a previous life, some of the other guys were red. I liked most of the red guys, but some have turned blue. It ain’t easy being green and it is very expensive. With all the colors you may think I’m racist, but believe me there isn’t a racist bone in my body. I believe I’m Appalachian Mulengeon, part Cherokee, and some African blood, along with some Scotch and Irish, so it would hard for me to be racist. The way I figure it everything was destroyed in the flood so we are all descendants of Noah. Therefore there is only one race. I have a hard time with stupid people no matter what their color. I do think the stupid ones that are blue should sit in the back of the bus. Nothing to do with race or religion.
Everything is tied down, get suited up in our traveling clothes and we are ready. We have a convoy running together today. Roger and Myra, their neighbors, and the 3 of us.
It was a good easy run today. A stop at 5 miles to check the straps and security of the load. One other short break and two whistle stops to pick up a couple sled dog booties.
Steam coming from the boiler exhaust at the cabin was good sight when we came over the rise behind the root cellar. Totes are unloaded carried in and their contents put away. Clyde, the treadmill, and the fuel need to be unloaded tomorrow. Bonnie and Earl will want to go to town next trip to gain some weight. Time to sit a minute and check on the Kardashians. Now it’s time for the traditional cabin arrival day chili dogs, a Tiger Woods, and a nap.
Tomorrow is a big day. I don’t know just what but a really big big day. Stay tuned and check out siltyslough.wordpress.com
Stay safe and healthy my friends.
Thank you Lord for helping me repair things.
I’ll be in touch.
Blue skies!!!
The View from the Outhouse 