Dec 162006
 

We had a big storm in the area this last Thursday night. We lost power and had expected it but we lost in because of a tree from our property falling on the lines. About 300,000 homes lost power in the area so we don’t think the power company will get to us at least until Sunday or Monday.

Downed power line.

I can’t complain too much though. I fired up the generator and have been able to run the TV, computers with internet, pellet stove and most importantly the coffee maker. At night i plug in the refrigerator and the fan in the bedroom. The real big pain is that we are on a well so there is no water. I got a couple of water jugs I filled but no showers. I have to go to work tomorrow too… oh well, I guess they will have to deal with it..

Fir on the power line

Fir on the power line

Oct 172006
 

At last we have finally started on our retaining wall project we have talked about for a few years. Last year I was able to get a great deal on some rock. I got it from a quarry just down the road. It was suppose to be “pit run” which is just the junk after they blast and take out all of the good stuff. I was getting it just for fill. When the first load arrived there was a lot of very good landscape quality rock included. I was only going to get one load but I had them bring two more. I wish I would have got a couple more but I didn’t have anywhere to store it.The rock before the start of the wall

In talking to the dump truck driver he said that they had just blasted and they had so much rock they couldn’t separate out the good from the junk… Our good fortune. I checked recently and to get anywhere near the same type of rock would cost me over $500 a load. The first section complete

Our intent it to make a larger parking area and a place to turn the 5th wheel around with out driving up into the grass field. I tend to get stuck up there if it is at all wet. Once done I should be able to back the 5th in between the greenhouse and the pole building and then just pull straight out. That is the plan anyway. We also want to make the driveway wider and increase the radius of a very sharp corner which is currently difficult to get around.

So far we have completed about 40 percent of the wall but it is the tallest section. I know we don’t have enough rock to finish it but we should get at least another 20 feet. I’m not sure if we will get much more done this year though as the rains are about here.

Rocky is the real talent behind the construction and has done all the actual building of the wall. I work the tractor and excavate and move the fill dirt and other material. I got most of the dirt from an area we wanted to flatten so we could use it for a volley ball court and for horse shoes. I must say that I am getting good at working the tractor and I did move a lot of dirt.

Click here to see all the Wall Pics.>>>>

Aug 112006
 

My partner and I live on about five acres in a rural part of the county. I say about five acres because the property was originally exactly five acres but somewhere in the past the County came in and decided that we didn’t own to the center of the road and they claimed the road was a “private county road”. We had a meeting with the County and they told us that yes, the County owned the road but No they would not improve it or keep it up. That was our responsibility, go figure.

It’s a gravel road and required quit a bit maintenance but between a few of us we seem to keep it up. There has been some talk in the neighborhood about trying to get the County to give the property back to us and we would then have a “private road” but we haven’t taken any action yet.

We have very good neighbors and most of them know we are a couple. They all accept us for who we are and we sometimes party with a couple of them. Our neighbors to the south of us are a Russian family and just great people.
A while back at the end of their Russian Easter observance we happened to just go over to chat for a few minutes. We ended up getting quite blitzed and stayed until way after midnight. They lit a fire and made food on their grill. Jeff (neighbor) brought out a bottle of true Russian vodka (the label was written in all Russian, no English) and we did several straight shots. When we finally went home, I had to almost carry my partner Rocky home. The next day he didn’t remember coming home. I had a weeee bit of a hangover.. I don’t get them very often. Continue reading »