The view from the outhouse
Sunday January 31
Good morning from Silty Slough. Wow, I slept a long time. It was light out when I woke up about 9:30, 2 minutes after sunrise. Sunset is 5:28 for 7 hours 58 minutes, another good gain over yesterday. I didn’t look at the thermometer before I went outside with the boys but as soon as I stepped out in my t shirt and underwear I could tell it was below the goose egg mark. We didn’t tarry. I don’t understand why they have to go all the way out in front of the fuel tanks to poop where we fuel the snow machines. Guess it doesn’t matter, at these temps it is flash frozen. You just step on it instead of in it. Showing -8 here, -15 at Skwentna. I think I will wait a while before I go back outside.
Friday morning the cell tower was still down. I spent most of the morning worrying if the Kardashian’s were ok. About 11:30 the boys went nuts, Kari said someone is here. Good chance it is Roger. I went downstairs and outside in my slippers and long underwear. Our friends Tom and Charlie are here. Tom read about the trouble I was having with the little snow machine on the view. He decided to stop by and lend a hand. In no time they had the pull rope replaced and the clutch freed up. All I had to do was tell them which drawer in the tool box to find the tools they needed. I can’t wait for them to come back again. With that chore crossed off my list I figured it was time for a break and a bite to eat. Instead of unloading the freight sleds I obliged when Kari threatened to spank my arse in a couple games of Rummikub. I Googled it to check the spelling and also found the rules thoroughly explained. We have been doing some things wrong. I think Kari’s mom Shelley Hoyle taught us to play. The tower came back at about 4:30 so we are back in comm.
Saturday
It’s Kari’s birthday. We are going to the Phillips this evening to celebrate. The boys want to go for a run. The new snow from Thursday has firmed up a bit so I hooked up the groomer. I headed through the woods and down the ramp and made one pass on the river trail that Roger has marked along side the airstrip. I try to make the trail ultra smooth to keep traffic off the strip. So far everyone has stayed on the trail. If they want to ride on the strip there isn’t much I can say, after all it isn’t just my river.
I was going to groom more of the trail so I took the boys back to the cabin to leave them. When I went to the door to let them in Kari had it cracked open a bit, she was wrapped in a towel. Yea baby!! No luck she was upset. The electricity had tripped off a few minutes earlier. The on demand water heater needs electricity to light the propane so the water was immediately cold right in the middle of her shower. I went to the shed and moved the switch on the generator to manually start it. I’ll solve the glitch a bit later. For now I think I’ll just head down the trail with the groomer. I made the 4 mile round trip to Roger’s ramp. It seemed to help, it was sunny and my nose wasn’t cold, so I decided to head for Skwentna. About a mile out of the slough I spotted a musher a couple hundred yards off to the left of the marked trail on a ghost trail. Some travelers like to find their own way, sometimes it is shorter and smoother, most of the time not. I like to stay close to the marked trail. The musher joined up with the trail ahead of me and waived as I passed on his right. I made the turn around at the post office and headed for home. According to the mile marker that I ran over it is 5 1/2 miles one way. The first pass grooming helped and the second pass was helping more. Just as I came off the Skwentna River into a short slough connecting to the Yentna, I met a dog team coming up the trail. I pulled over and shut my machine off. I’m fumbling to get my heavy mittens off and get my phone out for a picture. Too late. Wait there is another team right behind. Missed them. Here comes a third one. Finally got a snapshot. I wouldn’t call it a photograph. On to the slough. I could see where their narrow sled tracks had been running on the newly groomed trail. I know they appreciate it.
I got home just in time to get a shower and be off to Roger and Myra’s to celebrate Karis birthday. I pulled the groomer since I was going anyway. Kari didn’t want to follow me at the 10 mph grooming speed so she shot around me kicking up snow in my face. We had an enjoyable evening with drinks, snacks, birthday cake, and Rummikub.
When we got suited up and ready to leave, I told Kari not to run off and leave me, she has the pea shooter and Bulwinkle may be on the trail.
I’ve spouted enough hot air to bring the temp up to 1 below. I think I’ll round up some bread, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise to have a sandwich bolognese. Then I need to unload the sleds, check the solar batteries, and maybe groom a little more. If I keep it up I may come to be known as the “Groom Ripper”
I told Kari if the guy with a similar name comes for me, just get rid of the body. Don’t say anything to anybody. Keep posting the view. If these arse hole Democrats can vote from the grave, I should be able to collect my full pension and social security for eternity. Oh, and keep casting my vote absentee.
The electricity just tripped off again, I hope Kari isn’t in the shower. I was just kidding about the mile marker.
From the asylum at Silty Slough, have a great day!!
Thank you Lord for good friends.
I’ll be in touch.
Blue skies!!
The View from the Outhouse 