Week of Jan. 11 to Jan. 17

Monday, January 11, 2010

            It is in the teens this morning with a few scattered clouds as the sun is coming over the mountain. The sun doesn’t shine on the shed until 11:30, so that’s when I plan to go out and tackle the temporary repairs and get the right side wheel on.

            I worked on the Argo all day and just finished at 4:30 PM. I used 2x4s to make heavier temporary rub blocks and positioned them under the drive chains to take up the slack. I put the repaired wheel on the right side and managed to refasten the snow track. They never go on the same way twice, and just when I think I have found an easy way to do it, something else goes wrong. This time, after letting the air out of the front and rear tire so the track could be pulled together, the rear tire got pinched between the two ends of the track and I had to start over again.

            I put Slime in all of the tires, aired them up and took it for a test drive. The improved rub blocks seem to work okay, but I wouldn’t trust them for more than one trip down and back, which I’ll make tomorrow.

            I played with Zack one last time and then fed him and the cats. I am having my daily V-8 drink with apple cider vinegar and watching the fire come to life. It was a good day to work outside and if I had more days like yesterday and today, I’d get more done outside. The high temperature for today was 48 degrees but there was a slight breeze later in the day. I had been working in my T-shirt but as the sun ducked behind some clouds, I had to put my sweatshirt back on. All in all, it was comfortable for working outside.



Tuesday, January 12, 2010

            The morning started out mild with a clear sky and the sun cresting Greenhorn Mountain at 11:30. I spent the morning as usual and then got ready to head to town.

            Zack and I left at noon; heading for Marysville, hoping the temporary fixes on the drive chains hold.

            It is now tomorrow and I am just getting back to writing about the trip to town. We made it to Marysville without any issues and the temporary rub blocks held and worked as well as expected. A check of the UPS tracking site showed that my parts had been delivered at 6:37 last night. UPS policy is that if you pay for next day delivery, they promise to deliver the item no later than 7 PM the next day, but because you must pay extra for Saturday deliveries and my order went out Friday afternoon, the parts wouldn’t arrive until Monday. Under these circumstances, I won’t pay extra again as the parts probably would have arrived on Tuesday anyway.

            Zack and I headed to town in the Jeep, needing to run a couple of errands and pick up the house batteries. I also had an appointment, via telephone, with Social Security to sign up for Medicare, Part B. I collected my mail, stopped at Ace Hardware for a couple of items and then waited outside of the storage and transfer office for the Social Security phone appointment.

            The call came through at the exact time and I answered all of the questions so the person could electronically file my application. Why I couldn’t have done the same thing online, I don’t know, but in about 10 minutes, we were finished.

            I proceeded to the office and signed for the batteries and when the forklift operator brought them out to the Jeep, I was surprised to see that they were on a smaller pallet than my previous delivery of the same sized four batteries. The entire pallet fit in the back of the Jeep and after a quick stop at Costco to purchase their least expensive digital point and shoot camera, we headed for Marysville. My expensive new SLR camera has become totally unreliable and I have to send it in for repairs under warranty, so I wanted a simple camera to use until it is returned.

            Upon arriving back at the Argo, I had to determine how I would transfer the heavy batteries (158 lbs. each), and how many, into the Argo. My friend Guy had just returned from town and came to help me and we managed, with much effort, to slide the batteries, one by one, from the back of the Jeep into the back of the Argo. By placing a couple of 2x6 boards across the rear seats, we were able to get all four of them in. I wasn’t positive that the Argo would pull that much weight, plus Zack and myself up to the Divide, but wanted to try so I wouldn’t have to make an additional trip back to Marysville.

Batteries in the back of the Argo. You can see the fourth one on the floor under the ones on the boards.

            I loaded the remainder of items and the repair parts for the Argo and we took off for home. While the going was slow due to the weight, the Argo pulled us up to the crest of the Divide without a problem. My temporary rub blocks both broke on the way, but enough stayed in position to prevent damage to the chain from rubbing on the frame.

            The trip down the other side to the cabin was easier and we arrived home at dark. I unloaded the small items and left the batteries for unloading another time. Zack got in one last playtime before I fed the crew, built a fire and sat down to read my mail and relax before a shower and dinner.



Wednesday, January 13, 2010

            The day is clear and as the sun began warming things up, the snow on the roof began melting and dripping onto the deck. By noon, it was 45 degrees outside and calm.

            I had my morning coffee and routine, then changed into my work clothes and went out to figure exactly what I need to do to fit four more batteries into my system.

            The day didn’t go as I had planned, as it was one of those days when nothing seems to go right. I had laid awake the night before, imagining how I could arrange all eight batteries to fit in the existing battery box. I believed that by placing them on their ends all eight would fit, but it didn’t work out. Being AGM type batteries, they don’t have any water in them and can be positioned in any direction, so I figured that if all of them were on their ends, they would fit, but without removing two layers of insulation board, they were too tall for the enclosure.

            I ended up building a two-foot extension platform in front of the battery box and will temporarily put a cover of some type on it, until I can build a more permanent enclosure this summer. This means that they will be exposed to the elements, but these batteries can survive to forty below zero, so I don’t think it will affect them too much.

            I ran out of daylight before I could connect them to the current set, but will do that tomorrow. One last play period with Zack and then I fed all the critters, built a fire, had my V-8, showered and then ate some dinner before calling it a night.



Thursday, January 14, 2010

            So far, this New Year hasn’t been too kind to me. With the Argo problems and dealing with the batteries, I find myself facing difficulties I’d rather not have in my life. Although NWS was only predicting a 20% chance of snow today, the wind is blowing at a steady 7.4 with gusts to 20 mph and errant snowflakes passing by horizontally. This isn’t the type of weather I enjoy being outside in, so I may wait to see if the prediction of mostly sunny skies tomorrow is true.

            The weather didn’t improve, and in fact got worse with more snow and wind, staying right at freezing, so I worked on projects inside all afternoon. With clear calm skies tomorrow, and temperatures expected to be in the low 40s, I’ll finish connecting the new batteries and maybe have time to start working on the Argo.

            Although Zack is still considered a young dog, being 4 ½ years old in human years, he seems to be suffering from either arthritis or acute muscle fatigue. Playing in the deep snow, he over uses muscles he may not use on a daily basis, and this is causing him to be stiff in the evenings and into the next day. This morning he can barely walk to go outside for his usual morning call. I have checked his nails and feet, massaged his muscles and while he doesn’t complain, I know he must be in pain and sore, so I made him stay inside and take it easy today. Not playing at least once or twice is more painful to him than suffering through his stiffness, but I think he needs to rest and heal rather than play.

            The remainder of the day and evening went pretty much as usual and I hope the weather will cooperate tomorrow. Eew, I just checked Weather Underground and while it is for the Marysville area, a thousand feet lower than me, they are predicting partly cloudy and warmer, but they are also predicting winds of 15 to 25 mph and gusts to 50 mph. Not the type of weather I am hoping for.



Friday, January 15, 2010

            The sky is clear and it is 32 degrees this morning with winds around 5 mph. The wind died down last night and didn’t start again until around 10:30 this morning.

            Because the house batteries are on the east side of the cabin and the wind is coming from the southwest, I can work on connecting the new batteries with some protection from the weather.

            At 32 degrees and windy, the wind chill factor stayed around 28 degrees, which was bearable, except when I needed to remove my gloves to handle the nuts and bolts attaching the cables. I shut the inverter off, disconnected every cable, and removed all of them. Because I now have eight 12-volt batteries, I can connect them differently than I previously had, so I started from scratch.

            I had some difficulty getting four of cables connected as they were about a quarter of an inch to short. I had to bend one end and make sure the batteries were as close together as possible. I finally got all of the cables in place and tightened, then I tested to make sure they were producing 24-volts as a group, which they were, before I reconnected the cables to the inverter. I connected my wind generator and then temporarily covered the batteries to give them some protection from the weather.

This is the new set up with all eight batteries connected and functioning.

            All of this took longer than one would expect, but that’s pretty much par for the course around here. It was 4 PM by the time I finished and was satisfied with my results. I played with Zack and then fed him and the cats, started a fire and heated up some of my seafood chowder for dinner.



Saturday, January 16, 2010

            It is overcast and due to the warmer temperature of 35 degrees and rising, it looks like it might rain. NWS is still predicting 20% chance of snow for today and tonight, so we shall see.

            After my usual morning routine, I changed and went to work on the Argo. Without going into a lot of detail, I can say that this is no easy job. Just to remove one of the chains and give me access to install the new tension block takes a couple of hours. The manual says to jack up the Argo so the wheels can be rotated, but in order to rotate the wheels, I would have to remove the snow track, yet again. I tried to avoid that, was lucky enough to find that the retaining clip holding the rear chain together was accessible, so I removed the chain and installed one of the new tension devices and a new rub block.

            Attempting to put the chain back together is another story. After numerous attempts to gain the necessary slack that would allow me to pull and fasten the chain together, the day grew short (along with my temper) and began getting much colder, with snow starting to fall. I decided to give up for today and hope for better weather tomorrow to finish it.

            Playtime with Zack in the snow and then I fed him and the cats, stirred the fire and sat down to warm up before taking my shower and eating dinner.



Sunday, January 17, 2010

            The morning is looking much better as the sky is clear and the sun is coming up over the mountain. With the low of 11 degrees at 4:30 this morning, it has warmed to 40 degrees by 11 AM.

            I had my coffee and a bite to eat and then went to work on the Argo.

            Back online at 6 PM, after having worked on the Argo all afternoon. The weather cooperated and I worked in my T-shirt until a few clouds blocked it around 4 PM. I have played with Zack and fed him and the cats and they are now napping in front of the fire.

            Work on the Argo isn’t finished and didn’t go as well as I had hoped. After jacking up the right side, I managed to reattach the rear chain and then remove the front chain and replace the tensioner and block, but I discovered the frame member that supports the tensioner had a broken weld on the inside, causing the tensioner to drop down at an angle. This is probably why both tensioners broke in the first place.

            No matter how I tried, I couldn’t raise it enough to get something under it. After working on it for some time, I finally realized that I might be able to get a logging wedge driven under it. This tensioner is directly under the driver’s seat and gas tank; so doing a proper repair at this time is not possible. This summer, I’ll haul the Argo to a shop in the back of the truck, and get the brace welded. For now, I hope this will work and last through this winter.

            I didn’t finish today as the spring clip that locks the chain pieces together broke. I took one off one of my old chains and worked for almost half an hour trying to get it to lock before I discovered that the front chains have a different size link by about 1/16th of an inch. I was running out of daylight and it was getting colder, so I put things away for today and came in.

            After stoking the fire, I used my Dremel tool to grind the spring clip and allow it to fit and it should hold, at least until I can get a new replacement clip. I might just be able to get the Argo in running order so I can keep my chiropractor

Jan. 2 to Jan. 10, 2010

Saturday, January 2, 2010

            It was windy with gusts to 15 mph and snowed much of the day, finally stopping around 3:30 and the sun actually showed its face. Zack loves to play in this type of weather (actually, all kinds of weather) and we played several times before he had dinner.

            I spent most of the day working on projects, sewing Zack’s disc, which turned out to be a dismal failure. I am sure it takes a special machine to sew right next to the surgical hose that forms the outer ring, because I kept breaking my thread and still couldn’t get right next to the edge. We took it out to test it and after about five throws, the edge of the new rip-stop material pulled out. From now on, I am just going to sew small patches of material over holes and hope to make them last longer.

          

Sunday, January 3, 2010

            This morning is one of the warmer ones with the low 23 degrees at 11:15 last night. Even with my bedroom window wide open, I had to throw off a quilt to keep from being too warm. I am outside enough in this cold weather that my blood has thickened and what would seem really cold to you in warmer climates, seems warm to me.

            The day was consumed with removing the Argo tracks and switching wheels, so I have good tires in the front and rear on each side to drive the snow tracks. The day warmed to 36 degree with full sunshine, so after checking with NWS and seeing that they predict 70% chance of snow for tomorrow and the next day, with the highs of the day in the teens, I decided today was probably a good day to work outside.

            I cleared the snow from the area just outside the Argo shed and backed it out. I removed the right track and then jacked up the front. I pulled the bad tire off the front and switched the second wheel to its place. I had to deflate that and the rear tire to reattach the snow track, which was more work and effort than I hoped for. The sun was racing to hide behind the mountain, so I hurried to remove the left track, removed the rear wheel with the bad tire and then took the second wheel off and put it in the rear. The reason I did that was that the third wheel was also flat and I didn’t want to take a chance that it wouldn’t hold air and recreate the problem.

            I managed to finish the left side in about half the time it took to do the right side and the sun had just disappeared when I finished and put the tools away. I switched out an empty propane tank with a fresh one and then played with Zack before feeding him and the cats, calling it a day. It started snowing shortly after dark.

 Notice the missing wheel

Monday, January 4, 2010

            It is still snowing this morning and NWS indicates that it will snow through Wednesday night and then clear, with the high temperatures being single digit.

            I spent most of the day cleaning up my hard drive, deleting old stuff and consolidating others and then worked on projects inside, playing numerous times with Zack outside. I had to re-shovel the path to the generator shed as the snow had filled it in with about 2’ of new stuff.

            The afternoon brought heavier snowfall and the temperature stayed right at 31 degrees all afternoon. I had all the fixings for my recipe of seafood chowder, so I prepared it for my dinner, with plenty leftover for the next few days.

            This being the beginning of a new year, I am surprised that I haven’t heard or received emails on New Years Resolutions. I have never made resolutions and while I have general goals for the year, I don’t make promises that I will only focus on those goals, that way I never get disappointed. Have you made resolutions in the past? How about this year? Let me know.



Tuesday, January 5, 2010

            Still snowing and now NWS has posted a storm warning with predictions of a possible 20” of snow in the next 24 to 48 hours. This is a wet snow, with the temperature at 33 degrees and a faint hint of the sun shining through the snowstorm.

            NWS is predicting the storm passing on Thursday, with high temperatures being only single digit, so the arctic front is passing through behind this storm.

            With as much snow as I am getting, and as wet as it is, I am concerned about the weight load on the roofs. I am not worried about the cabin, but the garage and Argo lean-to haven’t had this much weight on them since I built them. All I can do is hope they hold up.

            I spent the morning and part of the afternoon researching home made wind generator, watching videos on them being made. The rest of the day I worked inside on my projects and played outside with Zack, while Rusty and Zoey came out to watch. I had the sunroom so hot, I had to leave the sliding door open for almost a half an hour to cool down.

            The rest of the evening followed my usual routine and we all enjoyed a warm fire while the snow continued to fall.



Wednesday, January 6, 2010

            Before 8 PM last night, the outside temperature dropped below zero and stayed there. I awoke this morning to a clearing sky and bright sun. With all of the new snow and now the sunshine is causing me to go snow blind. It was still below zero at 10 AM, and has slowly been climbing into the teens, with a noon temperature of 18 degrees.

            I spent the morning shoveling my path to the shed so I could service and start the generator. I also took lots of photos to show the snow loaded trees and landscape. I then worked on projects and enjoyed my amazing view in all directions. It is truly a winter wonderland scene.

            By two O’clock, the sky was completely clear and the air calm, inviting me outside to take advantage of the perfect photo opportunity. Zack and I headed outside and I started the Argo to let it warm up. It was only 18 degrees, but with no wind and the sunshine, it felt warm to us.

            The Canadian company that makes the Argo, Ontario Drive & Gear, has a contest for photos of Argos to use in their yearly calendar, and I thought this would be a perfect opportunity for some great shots. I had wanted to get a good photo with the Argo sitting on top of the Divide, so after taking a few shots by the Christmas tree with all of its snow, we headed for the Divide.

            Crossing the creek was a bit precarious as the snow builds a two-foot drop off into the water. Once across the creek, I thought if I could get up the hill I could get a great shot of the cabin from above. It was not to be as the Argo was pushing three feet of snow and the tracks couldn’t climb above it, so we continued on. While my previous tracks where completely covered with new snow, the piles on the sides from me plowing a couple of weeks ago were still visible, so we stayed within them and made our way to the spring with little trouble.

            Once we passed the spring, the area is more open and the snow was heavy, being 2 to 3 feet deep, or deeper, so the Argo was pushing the loose snow in front of it as the tracks propelled us forward, at least for a while. As we got to the steeper portions, the Argo once again was pushing a wall of snow in front of it and the tracks couldn’t gain any traction.

            After several attempts, I got out and shoveled the snow in front to see if I could climb above it. Several more tries and the Argo simply couldn’t overcome the deep loose snow. I ended up having to turn around and retrace my tracks to where the actual road turns to traverse the side of the mountain up to the Divide.

            As we made our way, the Argo was in its amphibious mode and was literally floating on top of snow, which was about 6 feet deep. When the tracks lost traction, I would have to turn more towards the downhill side to make additional forward progress. I ended up zigzagging up the slope until I was on the Divide, but several hundred yards further south than where my road joins the Divide road. I turned and keeping on the edge of the Divide road was able to make my way towards the road going down to Marysville.

            I stopped to take several photos and because the sun was low in the sky, I couldn’t get a shot of the Argo looking west, which is what I wanted, so settled for several shots looking east and south.

    I decided that it was early enough in the day, so we headed to Marysville to make sure there weren’t any surprises. We continued on and literal plowed through deep snow getting to the county road. Several snowmobilers had been up the county road and you would think that their tracks would provide a decent surface to drive on, but snowmobiles leave moguls that violently jar the Argo with no suspension. I stayed to the side of the road in the softer snow, and just before reaching the road that is plowed, I ran out of gas.

            I always carry a gallon of gas for such occasions and also have a gallon of gas substitute in my emergency box. I poured the gallon in and the Argo started immediately, allowing us to finish the trip to Mary and Guy’s.

            Mary and Guy were out walking the dogs and soon arrived back at the house. The sun was now on the other side of the Divide and the temperature dropped quickly towards zero. Guy offered me some gas and I refilled my gallon container and poured about another gallon into the Argo, not wanting to take all of Guy’s gas. He has a snowplow on his ATV and a snow blower, so needs gas for them.

            After a short cold visit, Zack and I headed back up the mountain for home. I come and go over open land between the plowed road and Mary and Guy’s house, so when I came to the road I had to climb up and over the mountain of snow that the snowplow leaves along side the road. The Argo made it up and then slid to the side, getting high centered on the mound of snow. I got the shovel and began digging it out when a young guy approached and asked if I wanted him to pull me off with his truck. It would certainly be faster, so I said yes. He had been trying to load his snowmobile into the back of his truck when he saw me, so I after he pulled the Argo off the mound, I asked if I could return the favor and help him.

            He couldn't get his snowmobile into the back of his truck, and he had no ramps. He was trying to back the truck into a snow bank and drive it in, so I helped him, slipping on his truck bed liner and whacking both shins bloody when I tried to climb in the bed of the truck. We finally got it in and then visited for a bit. His name is Vince and he is around his mid to late 20's. He works off shore jobs, meaning anything out in the ocean. He finished the crab season in Alaska, and is now working on a tug doing salvage around the world. Interesting guy.

            We headed on up the hill and I tried to go the short way up the power lines, but couldn't get up the steepest part. I backtracked and started taking the long way when the Argo started acting like it was running out of gas. The engine would only rev up a little and then bog down after we moved a few feet. We crawled up the road at about a half a mile an hour, pushing deep snow in front of us. The engine die twice, but starting right away each time. I thought maybe the fuel filter was clogged but after struggling all the way to the Divide and starting down the other side, it dawned on me that the gallon of gas I put in before getting to Guy and Mary’s must have been old and caused the problem. After it died again, I dumped in the fresh gallon Guy gave me and it started running normally, getting us home at dark. For a few moments, I thought Zack and I would have been hiking home.

            I will change the fuel filter and fill the tank with fresh gas before leaving for town tomorrow. Upon our arrival, the temperature had dropped to eleven below zero and the fire in the sunroom had trouble keeping the temperature up. I stoked the fire, adding more wood, but it just wasn’t putting out much heat. I played with Zack, even though it was now dark, and then fed all of the animals. I sat down with my V-8 juice and tried to warm up, but the sunroom was still at 54 degrees. Due to the temperature difference and the fact that the sunroom had been allowed to cool down, it took two hours for the room to become comfortable. By then the outside temperature had plummeted to -20 degrees.

            After warming up the room, all the animals napped in the warmth of the fire and I watch some television before going to bed at midnight.



Thursday, January 7, 2010

            I was -20 when I got up at 9 AM this morning. The air is calm and the sky clear, so as the sun peaks over Greenhorn Mountain, it should start to warm up. The lowest temperature was at 8:40 this morning; being 21.9 below zero, and yesterdays high was 20 degrees.

            This is the third arctic cold front to move through the area this winter and usually I only get one with temperatures below zero, so I hope this one passes quickly.

            I had my morning coffee and then got ready for our trip to town.

            I played with Zack to help calm him down a bit and then started the Argo to warm up, only it wouldn’t start. It was -11 degrees and the battery was growing weak. I set up and started the propane jet heater to warm the entire Argo shed and the insides of the Argo, then sprayed starter fluid down the carburetor and after a couple of more attempts, it finally started. I let the engine warm up while I loaded the two wheels and 3 empty 5-gallon gas cans. The trip to Marysville was unremarkable and we easily followed our tracks from yesterday, making it to the Divide and down to Marysville.

            It took us longer than usual to get to Helena as I had about 14” of snow and then ice on the Jeep.

Once in town, I hurried from place to place, hoping to get back home before dark. I dropped off the Argo wheels to have the tubes installed first, and then ran my errands and got gas and groceries before returning to pick up the wheels. I stopped to get my mail and took that opportunity to retrieve my phone messages.

            I had ordered four additional house batteries for the cabin and thought they would be delivered today, but a phone message informed me that the freight driver called me on Tuesday and because he couldn’t reach me, didn’t even bother to try and deliver them to Guy and Mary’s address in Marysville. These batteries are 130 pounds each and come on a pallet, so there wasn’t any way I could get them into the Jeep with three gas cans, two Argo wheels and all my groceries. I called them to see if I could have someone else pick them up, thinking my friend Joe might do it with his truck on Saturday. I was told that they are closed on the weekends, so that option was out. I guess I’ll need to make a couple of trips to town to haul them back to Marysville and haul them to the cabin in the Argo.

            After that, we immediately headed back to Marysville, arriving at about 5 PM. I transferred everything to the Argo and after a brief visit, headed for home. When I went over the pile of snow left by the snowplow, I broke the rear right drive chain tensioner and the thing began making one hell of a racket. I stopped to try and determine what exactly broke and if I could fix it, but I would have had to remove EVERYTHING from the Argo to remove the floorboard. My flashlight was weak on power so I decided to try and make it home at a crawl and hoped it would make it without doing a lot of damage.

            At a slower than walking pace, we made our way up to the Divide and down the other side. All of a sudden, the noise of the drive chains got very quiet. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop but it never did and we made it all of the way home. Looks like I'll be doing more work on the Argo before I can make any trips to town.

            After all of that, I was exhausted, so I unloaded everything from the Argo, put it away, played with Zack in the dark, built up the fire, fed the animals and sat down with my V-8 to read my mail. After resting for about an hour, a hot shower and dinner finished off the day.



Friday, January 8, 2010

            It isn’t quite as cold this morning, with the low being -17,2, but after the sun came up, it rose to a warm 17 degrees. It is partly cloudy, with a promise of sunshine and temperatures in the high 20s. Snow is predicted for the weekend, but the temperatures are expected to be above zero, so that arctic front is moving on, thank goodness.

            As the sun warmed things to the 20s, I donned my work clothes and headed out to shovel snow from around the wood splitter while playing with Zack. I split some more firewood and still have plenty left, plus my extra supply against the cabin. I then removed everything from the Argo and pulled the floor out. I was absolutely right about the chain tensioners breaking. Both of the right rear tensioners broke into two pieces and it was a combination of the chain hitting the broken pieces and dragging on the frames cross members that caused the noise.

One of the broken chain tensioners and the other is still lodged in the chain towards the top of this photo. This photo is taken from the rear looking forward.

            I immediately emailed the supplier to order new parts as if I wait, I won’t be able to order until Monday. I then cleaned out the broken pieces and thought about a fix. I rummaged around my Argo parts and found some rub blocks that I had ordered previously, measured and cut a 1x4” piece of wood to the correct dimensions, put a rub block on top and forced it under the chain. That took up the slack and should work for a few trips to town and back. I still need to make a second block for the forward chain, but that shouldn’t be a problem.

            Back in the house, I had replies to my emails about the parts and they are shipping them second day air today, so I shouldn’t have any problems installing the new parts, making the Argo reliable and hopefully I will be able to get my additional batteries up and installed.

            Playtime with Zack, built up the fire, fed all the gang and sat down to update this. It is now dark and I will take a nice hot shower and then have a bite to eat, settling in for the evening.



Saturday, January 9, 2010

            It was a mild night with the low being only around 18 degrees as I didn’t clear the night before, so I am not sure. It is overcast today with NWS saying 30% chance of snow this afternoon and tonight.

            After my usual morning, but before noon, I started a load of wash and began cleaning. I ended up doing five loads of wash, which included my two comforters, which constitutes a load by themselves. I cleaned and mopped the kitchen and bathroom, vacuumed everything but the upstairs, which I’ll do tomorrow, and put things in order.

            It is now 6 PM, and I am quitting for the day. The last load of wash just finished drying and I’ll make up my bed with fresh everything, and then shower and have some dinner. I fed the crew already and tired Zack out playing catch in the deep snow.

          

Sunday, January 10, 2010

            It is still overcast this morning and I only got a light dusting of snow overnight. The temperatures are in the high 20s and low 30s, so if the sun makes its appearance, as NWS says it will, it should get nice enough to do some work outside.

            I worked on building the front chain tension block and after installing it, backed the Argo out to put the wheels back on. I started with the left track and could not get anything to cooperate, but finally got the wheel on, refastened the track, with much trouble, and then added Slime to all the tires and aired them up. By the time I finished, it was getting dark and cold, so I decided I would leave the right side until after I went to Marysville for the chain tensioner parts. I needed to move the Argo so the Slime would circulate inside the tires, so I drove to the garage and both of my jury rigged blocks broke and became useless.

            I will now need to spend tomorrow making stronger blocks, using 2 x 4s instead of the 1” material I used. If I can complete the task early enough, I’ll try to get to Marysville to pick up the replacement parts, but if not, I’ll make the trip on Tuesday.

            I am suffering for my labors of today, so after playing with Zack, feeding the crew, building up the fire, I sat down to have my V-8 and finish writing this. The day turned out nice, with a high of 46 and no wind, so working outside wasn’t too bad, except for standing in the snow.

Winter Wonderland

This is my place yesterday afternoon. The sun made a valiant attempt to show itself through the falling snow.

This is my Christmas tree with lights.

Rusty and Zack taking a nap by the fire after both played outside in the snow.

This is my place this morning.

Happy New Years

Friday, January 1, 2010 - Happy New Years to Everyone

            Well, here we are starting a new year and I truly hope it is the best year ever for everyone. My weather on this first day of 2010 is bright and not as cold as past mornings. The low was 15 degrees and the snow stopped sometime early this morning, leaving me with about a foot of new snow on top of the other, giving me about three feet of snow around the cabin. This is more than I’ve had in the past, with more promised before winter warms to spring. Damn that global warming!

            Does anyone out there still really believe in the lies of global warming and that man is causing the problem? If you do, please educate yourself and see that the earth has always had cycles and this is just one of them.

            I worked on several projects, inbetween playing with Zack, cleaning up Rusty’s sawdust mess and letting Zoey stake out a mouse on the deck. Due to the limited room in my cabin, I chose to put the 40 lb. bag of sunflower seeds along with the 50 lb. bag of birdseed out on the deck. I knew that if the mice found it, they will chew a hole in the bags and help themselves, but once completely covered with snow and frozen, I thought they would be deterred. Well, the other morning, after the fresh snow covered the deck, I saw mice tracks leading to the bags and when I let Zoey out, she smelled the mouse and just froze in position, hoping to pounce on it.

            After a considerable amount of time, she got too cold to keep the vigilance and wanted back in. This morning, when the sun came out, it was actually            above freezing and warm, so she took up her watch for over an hour before wandering off in search of more interesting things to do.

            Zack managed to pack down the new snow and make a nice path out to the tree line, where I consistently throw the disc. He loves to get it in the powdery snow and pounces on it like it was prey. Once and a while, he will bury it deeper and then have to dig and search for it, but in general he just enjoys it.

            I got out the sewing machine in hopes of repairing or rebuilding one of Zack’s older discs that has several large holes in it. I purchased some rip-stop nylon material while I was in town the other day, and hope to keep the disc serviceable, as they are now $22.00 and rising. I ended up having to rip out all of the nylon stitching and try to cut a new piece of rip-stop material and insert it into the ring that supports the center. It is much more work than I thought it would be, so even if this turns out well, I think I’ll just sew patches over the holes and let it go at that.

            I also worked on an ongoing project, which is a walking staff. I have collected several good sized limbs along with some old dead trees that never got larger than about 2 1/2” in diameter, so I am using a draw knife to strip off the outer layer and then trimming and decorating them as nice sturdy hiking poles. It is a messy project, so it takes almost as much time to clean up as it did to do the trimming and carving.

            Along with all of the above, I also did two loads of wash, made the bed with clean linens and put all the clothes away. I will now shower and fix myself some dinner, having already fed the others. I am now starting off the New Year clean.

PS - I am having some camera problems and right now none of them are working, so I won’t be able to send photos until I resolve the issue.

Week of Dec. 28 to Dec. 31

Monday, December 28, 2009

            By midnight last night, the low of the night registered at -6.6 and actually started getting warming towards the morning hours.

            I worked around the cabin doing this and that, playing outside with Zack several times and giving Zoey and Rusty some attention, enjoying a fire and working on the computer.

            Not a very exciting or productive day, but the pressure of Christmas now behind me, I feel lazy and just want to relax, so I am.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

            It is overcast and snowing very lightly this morning with the overnight low being 7.5 above zero for a change. NWS is predicting 30% chance of snow for the day and evening, so I may see more this afternoon but right now it isn’t even enough to cover the bare spots on the deck.

            I researched home made wind generators online and found a design that I think will work better for my location. My wind is never consistent in direction so the wind generator has to constantly move to catch the wind, and thereby doesn’t achieve the 7 to 21 mph speed it needs to produce electricity. The design I researched is a bucket type, which will catch all of the moving air no matter which direction it is coming from. Now I just need to decide how large to make it and get the parts necessary.

            I spent part of the afternoon playing with Zack while I split and stacked more firewood. I managed to replenish my woodpile, which should last me at least another two weeks.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

            It is in the teens this morning with some errant snow flakes every now and then. The low was 1.5 at 8:12 this morning and climbing.

            I am preparing to make a trip to town today, and will leave soon, trying to break that problem of not getting home until after dark. It is just now 10 AM, so I’ll finish my coffee, change clothes and go.

            Finally, we actually made the trip to town, ran all the errands, had a treatment at the chiropractor, and got home before dark. The trip to Marysville in the Argo was uneventful, but before departing Guy and Mary’s for the return trip, Guy pointed out that my front right tire was actually coming off the rim. A closer inspection showed that this is the only one with a tube inside and the valve stem had been completely ripped off of the tube, so forget putting air in it.

            We aired up the rear left tire, but it is leaking so badly at the valve stem that it won’t hold air for long. I couldn’t find any tubes in town, so had Les Schwab order some that fit my tires. They should be in next week, so I’ll have to dismount the bad wheels and replace them with good wheels from the second or third position. The snow tracks should remain stretched between the other tires, and as long as the front and rear tires on both sides remain in good condition, travel should be possible.

            I played with Zack just as it was getting dark and then fed him and the cats, sat down with my V-8 and read my mail, which was all junk and bills. A warm fire, shower and dinner rounded out the evening.

            Shortly after dark, it began to snow seriously and hasn’t stopped when we retired at 12:30, so I’ll have new snow covering everything in the morning.

Thursday, December 31, 2009 - Now I have to get use to typing 2010

            By the time I got up, the snow had stopped, after dropping about 10”. The wind is mild but gusting to 10 mph, so it is blowing the snow from the heavily laden tree branches, causing a mini storm of its own.

            I kept forgetting that today is New Years Eve and the television programming is out the window. The bad thing about being in the Central or Mountain Time Zone is that unless you get local channels, which I don’t, you have to watch the New York feed and see New Years rang in two hours early, or watch the West Coast feed and stay up until 1:00 AM to see the festivities. I did neither and watched a marathon of the Three Stooges and then a movie, going to bed at 12:30 AM.

            This is the last entry for the year, so I’ll be starting my journal for 2010 tomorrow and posts this past weeks to my blog tonight.

           

Week of Dec. 21 to Dec. 27

Monday, December 21, 2009
It is partly sunny with the temperature remaining just above freezing and no wind. During the night, it snowed lightly, just covering the deck and other things with a powder. NWS is predicting a 50% chance of snow tonight with 80% chance tomorrow.
I had planned on going to town today, but needed to finish a few things first, like cleaning and repacking all of my emergency kit items that I carry in the Argo, and attaching boxes to my platform to hold the groceries.
By afternoon, I finished fixing the inside of the Argo so I have some secure storage for groceries and loose items. Due to the time of the day, I decided that I would attempt to make my trip to town tomorrow. During the course of going over the Argo for the trip, I discovered that two of the eight tires were flat and I was unable to get them to keep air, so will warm a can of Fix-A-Flat in the cabin over night and try to seal them tomorrow. The Argo is still drivable, but it could cause problems if the tires slip inside the snow tracks. One tire is in the very front on the right side, and the other is in the very back on the left side. Those are key drive positions, and I need them fixed.
After loading one empty propane tank and three empty 5-gallon gas cans in the Argo, I should now be ready to go first thing tomorrow.
Playtime with Zack, stirring the fire, feeding everyone and showering took me until after dark; so I sat down to relax before fixing myself some dinner.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009
It is overcast this morning and NWS is predicting snow, but so far it hasn’t materialized. It is close to 32 degrees and I even see some signs of the sun trying to shine through the clouds.
Before I could finish my coffee, the power went out, so I had to trudge outside and start the generator. Just as I got back inside and took off my coat and gloves, it quit. Back out I go to add oil, as I am sure that is the problem. I keep the oil in the cabin now to prevent it from being so thick from the cold temperatures.
It started right up and continued to run; so back to the cabin I go. I remove my garments and look at the power panel only to discover that the inverter isn’t reading the generator, so back out I go. The green light is on, as well as the Christmas tree lights, which are plugged directly into the generator, so I suspect the plug and cord as being the problem. I disconnect and check the wire nuts on the connection going to the inverter and found that the white wire was loose. Convinced that cured the problem, I start it back up and return to the house. I check the panel and it is charging, so I remove my outerwear and sit down to finish my coffee.
I have an outside light connected to the same wires as the cord to the wires going to the inverter, this way I can see at a glance if the generator is online. I check it frequently from my chair in the sunroom and when it abruptly went out, I had to go back out and check the generator. This time it was the connection at the plug into the generator, and I had to disassemble and reconnect the wires and then it worked without further problems. If it isn’t one thing, it’s another. Such is the plight of living off the grid and being self reliant for power.
Before noon, Zack had his play time and we were ready to go, so I pulled the Argo in front of the cabin, leaving it running to warm up the insides, and tried the Fix-A-Flat to seal and air up the two flat tires. I discovered that the rear left one has a split valve stem and there is nothing I can do about that without removing the track and then the wheel. I don’t have the equipment to disassemble a tire from the rim, and of course don’t have a replacement valve stem, so I decided to continue my trip and hope for the best. The right front tire accepted the fluid but never completely filled with air. The can says that after putting the foam in that the tire should be driven 4 to 8 miles to allow the foam to spread and increase the air pressure, so hoping for the best, off we went.
We had no trouble making it over the Divide and to the Jeep, but due to about 4” of frozen solid snow on the car, it took another 25 minutes. I had to break through the icy crust and then shovel the ice and snow off. Once that was done, I had to scrape each window so I would be able to see where I was going. Luckily, the time it took me to get the snow and ice off, the car defroster had helped with the ice removal on the windows.
It was now 1:45 and because Mary and Guy weren’t home, we headed straight for town. It seems like I can never get an early enough start so that I have time to leisurely run my errands and get home before dark, and today wasn’t going to be any different. Living like I do, I didn’t even think about the crowds out shopping, so the traffic and stores were all packed.
I stopped at the Humane Society and finalized the adoption of Rusty, so he is officially part of the family. The girls there were thrilled to hear he was doing well and had a good home.
My next stop was to get the propane tank filled and then on to Safeway for groceries and gas. Once that was completed, it was getting dark, so we hurried to pick up Zack’s meal supplements before getting my mail and heading for home.
Guy and Mary were still away, so I loaded all of the items into the Argo from the Jeep and almost died trying to load the full propane tank into the back, which now weighs 187 lbs. I never try to lift it, but push, shove, and manipulate it so it is leaning against the Argo and then push the bottom up until it balances itself and can be pushed into the back. It took me three attempts, which is two and half too many, but I finally got it in.
The Argo had been warming up the entire time and Zack was comfortable in the passengers seat. We started up the hill and had no problems, other than moving slowly due to the additional weight of the full propane tank and gas cans. By the time we got to the steepest part of the short cut up the power lines, the Argo couldn’t get enough traction and the wheels began to slip inside the snow tracks. After four attempts to get up the road, I had to back down and try the long way around that part.
I guess that due to the friction of the tires slipping, it heated them up and the snow and ice melted, causing the tires to continue slipping all of the time. Progress from this point on was tenuous, and we had to move in low gear at a walking pace.
I was very relieved when we reached the summit of the Divide and the remainder of the trip was basically down hill. We inched our way along, arriving home at 7 PM. I spent the next half hour unloading everything and then putting all of the groceries away, feeding the crew and building a fire. I was too tired to do much but sit in front of the fire and have my V-8 while reading my mail. It was 9:30 before I had the strength to fix myself some dinner. It dawned on me that I hadn’t had a single bit of food all day. I was in a hurry to leave this morning, so only had coffee, thinking I would grab a bite to eat in town, but I never felt hungry, so had nothing.
It started snowing by the time we had reached the Divide and was lightly snowing when I let Zack out before bedtime. NWS predicted a 70% chance of snow in the afternoon, so it was late, but I was glad as the lights reflecting off the snowflakes and the windshield wipers going make driving the Argo at night even more difficult.
My warm bed will feel good tonight.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Having stayed up until midnight, plus the wear and tear of yesterday, I slept until ten O’clock this morning, and felt that I needed the extra sleep. It is cold this morning, with the temperature at 11:00 being 1 degree and snowing heavily. I am sure glad I made the trip to town yesterday.
The snow is beautiful and I can enjoy sitting in front of my nice warm fire watching it coat my outside Christmas tree. The flakes are large and slowly floating to earth, just like one imagines a Christmas snow should be like. After today’s snow, it is supposed to be cold but mostly cloudy for the remainder of the week and the weekend. The high for today is supposed to be 8 degrees and it looks like it will achieve it.
I spent the day cleaning my kitchen so I could bake cookies and make peanut brittle, which I will give as gifts to my friends on Christmas day. I made a batch of peanut brittle and when it came time to put the baking soda in, which is at the very end, I couldn’t find it. Last week, I made a batch and left all of my ingredients out on the kitchen island and I guess I must of accidentally pushed it into the burnable trash, which is at the end of the island. I had no choice but to finish and hope that the missing soda wouldn’t ruin it.
After feeding the animals and stirring the fire, the peanut brittle had cooled enough that I sampled it and it tastes fine, so I’ll make another batch tomorrow and have enough to fill my Christmas containers for gifts. I am also going to bake chocolate chip cookies to give with the peanut brittle.
I don’t believe it got above 8 degrees all day and without any wind, it isn’t too hard to keep the cabin warm enough for all of us to be comfortable. I welcomed bedtime early, as I was still tired from the exercise I got from the trip to town.

Thursday, December 24, 2009
The wind picked up during the night and blew hard enough to charge the batteries fully. The battery bank registered 23.7 when I went to bed, and was at 24.1 when I got up this morning. It is cold again this morning, with the warmest of the day being 12.5 degrees at 11:30 last night.
I spent the day baking cookies and making more peanut brittle, all of which turned out well. I also attempted to fix the two flat tires on the Argo, without any luck. I don’t have time to remove the tracks and rotate the wheels, so I will hope that it will get us down to Marysville for Christmas dinner tomorrow and back again. Without any load to weigh it down, I should be able to make it home without a problem.
Several play periods with Zack and giving Rusty and Zoey some individual attention between baking the cookies, rounded out my day.

Friday, December 25, 2009 - Merry Christmas to One and All
The weather isn’t following NWS predictions and instead of clear and cold, it is overcast with light snow flurries. I am hoping that the tracks from my trip to town on Tuesday are still there and frozen over as it will provide a good base to travel on without sinking into the snow.
After spending Christmas morning with Zack, Zoey and Rusty, whom all got a visit from Santa, I prepared the spinach salad to take for the dinner and then got ready. After ironing a pair of slacks to wear, I played with Zack and then started the Argo to warm it up. I checked the tires again and found that the two bad ones were completely flat, plus an additional one was almost flat. I am not positive but I believe the cold weather is having something to do with it. I used another can of Fix-A-Flat and then aired up all three tires. The right front one held air and the rear left tire appeared to hold some air, but I couldn’t get it above 2 lbs. of pressure.
Zack and I headed to Mary and Guy’s in Marysville for the Christmas feast, making the trip without any problems.

Ray and Rae were already there, as was their dog, Oaklie, so Zack joined her on the deck along with Mary and Guy’s two dogs, while I enjoyed a glass of Cold Duck with the others.

Dinner was served at 4 PM and we all sat down to enjoy it.

When we finished, we had coffee and desert of apple pie and Christmas pudding. The Marysville fire chief, Dan, and his wife and two children stopped by and enjoyed some desert with us. Zack and I left around 6:30 and were home by 7 PM, without incident.
I built a fire, fed the animals and enjoyed some television before bedtime.

Saturday, December 26, 2009
The sky is clear and brilliant blue this morning, with the sun bouncing off the snow and making the day brighter than I’ve had for a while. NWS predicts the next few days clear, with a 20% chance of snow on Monday. The temperatures are still cold and the low was -6 at 8:00, and the highs are in the low 20s.
I spent today relaxing and aside from watching a couple of movies, I got out my sewing machine and set up. Although I purchased it some time ago, I haven’t used it, so needed to read the instructions, set up the bobbin and thread the needle. I have never used a sewing machine before, so this is a new learning experience. My machine has 28 different stitch patterns and for each pattern a different foot is needed. While several accessories are included with the machine, the foot necessary for darning, which is what I wanted to do, is an option. Not having experience, I am not sure if the type of mending I what to do, can be done with the accessories I currently have.
I tried my hand at practicing some different stitches on scraps of material and found it fairly easy to use. The machine does most the work for me, leaving me to keep the material straight and allowing it to feed through the foot. By the time I got the hang of it, it was getting dark and I need to play one last time with Zack and then feed him and the cats.
I managed to do two loads of wash while learning how to use the sewing machine, so folded the dry clothes and made the bed with clean sheets. I showered and then fixed myself a nice steak dinner with a spinach salad.

Sunday, December 27, 2009
The morning is cold, with -6.7 being the low at 8:20 AM, and the sky is clear with the bright rising sun coming over Greenhorn Mountain.
Before I finished my morning routine, I became involved in a couple of programs on the History Channel. One was the French Revolution and the other was on the conspiracy to kill Hitler called Valkyrie. I always find history educational and I am always surprised at how much it has changed. New discoveries have changed it since my days in schools and it make me wonder if most of what I was taught was just someone’s version of what they wanted us to believe.
I spent the day doing some house keeping and mending, getting more practice on the new sewing machine. I managed to sew up the ripped pockets on my sweatshirt, the crotch of a pair of pants and put a patch on the knee of my work pants. They may not look great, but at least they are now functional.
The day warmed up in the sun as the outside temperature registered 44 degrees, but the outside thermometers in the shade never climbed above 20 all day.

Week of Dec. 14 to Dec. 20

Monday, December 14, 2009

            The wind started around 9:30 last night and blew all night long, with gusts to 15 mph. That means the dry loose snow will be blown all over the place and large drifts will be on the road and the Divide. I never did put up the snow fence, as it was a low priority on my list of things to do, and now it probably wouldn’t make any difference.

            NWS is predicting snow for the next week and a half, with winds and temperatures in the high 20s to low 30s, so I shouldn’t have to deal with the sub-zero temperature of last week. The wind chill factors do come into play and temperatures become sub-zero when figured into the equation.

            I spent the entire day cleaning the cabin from top to bottom. It all started when I got up to find that Rusty had managed to pull Zack’s 3-gallon self-watering container from the stand. The kitchen floor was flooded, so I had to wash the rugs and mop the floor. When I had finished that; I continued cleaning, washing the bathroom rugs and vacuuming the entire cabin, including upstairs. The “natural” litter I have upstairs is nothing more than sawdust and it gets tracked all over the place, so I did a particularly good job of cleaning up stairs. I find the bits of sawdust in my bed and everywhere you-know-who with wet feet can get to.

            So far, I have tried three “natural” litters and haven’t been happy with any of them. One was a newspaper type compressed into small pellets, which neither cat liked. The other was pine sawdust pressed into pellets, which absorbed well but you can’t use a scoop to clean it out, so you must throw all of it out and start with fresh. This being a wood product, I was able to burn it in the stove, so it served two purposes. The scoopable form of this brand is just pine sawdust, which like I said, gets tracked everywhere. The last is called Swheat Scoop, which are finely ground wheat hulls. Both cats will use it, but it too gets tracked around.

            At least none of these litters will get rock hard like cement after being wet, so I will probably stick with the sawdust or the wheat hulls and see how it works out. At least the sawdust absorbs well, including odors, and smells like fresh cut wood.

            I carried out the burnable trash and some empty cardboard boxes and then mopped the remainder of the entry and dining room tile, along with the bathroom. After the rugs were all dry, I replaced them on the now clean floor, hoping they will last a few days with Rusty’s antics.

            Other than oiling the furniture, dusting all the knick-knacks and shelves, I managed to play outside with Zack several times and on the last occasion, he broke and split yet another nail, this time on the rear foot. I had to cut most of it off and doctor it before I fed him and the cats. I showered and fixed myself some dinner before calling it an evening.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

            It is overcast, but not snowing and the slight breeze is only occasional. It looks like a little patch of blue sky in the east, but it is quite dark beyond that.

            I worked inside, going out to shovel the path and start the generator, plus playing with Zack, and then worked on projects indoors.

            Zack and I played several times, and I spent time giving both Zoey and then Rusty some personal time in my lap. Just when I think Zoey has finally accepted Rusty and I watch them chase each other back and forth from one room to the next, she will turn on him and swat while hissing. Poor little guy isn’t sure what to do with mixed messages like that.

            The sun tried to make a showing in the late afternoon, and it got up to 33 degrees. I listened to the local radio station for a bit and they say that the upper winds have broken the arctic cold front and it will be moving out of the area, creating warmer temperature, which means around freezing.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

            It was snowing heavily this morning, adding more to my base. At least the wind is very mild, so it isn’t blowing all over the place. NWS is predicting snow through the week, into the weekend, and beyond.

            I had a chiropractor appointment for today, but cancelled it via email, as I didn’t feel like going through the trouble to get into town just for an adjustment. I will reschedule for the beginning of next week and that way I can pick up any necessary items and fill the gas cans while I am in town. I also need to pick up the fixings for a Christmas dinner salad and will need them to be fresh.

            I spent most of the day researching alternative power to increase my off the grid abilities.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

            It is snowing off and on, with gusty winds to 34 mph, so the roads will have big drifts when I go to town next week. The snow is still very dry and I can’t even compress it into a snowball. If it doesn’t warm up, this snow may all blow away with the wind.

            After my usual morning, I spent the entire afternoon working on the generator shed and have finished all of the new wiring and connection boxes, so I can put the foam insulation in the walls and cover them with the masonite sheets I bought.

            I came in at 5 PM; as it was too dark to see what I was doing and I still haven’t run a new wire from the cabin to the shed, so don’t have electricity unless I run the generator.

            One last play period for Zack and then I fed him and the cats, showered and fixed myself some dinner, ending the evening with some television.

Friday, December 18, 2009

            There is more blue sky than clouds showing, so I am hoping for a nice day. The wind is calm with only an occasional breeze. NWS is predicting more snowstorms coming in tonight and through next week, but temperatures are remaining in the teens and higher.

            I got out the Christmas decorations, put ornaments on the tree outside and then strung lights on it. The tree has grown a lot since we planted it and I had to get a ladder to put the top ornament and lights on. It looks nice and I have the lights on when the generator is running, so I can enjoy it, as it gets dark.

            I continued working on the shed and managed to get the insulation in the walls around the area where the large generator will be, and then cut openings in the Masonite for all of the outlets, boxes and breaker panel. I put up the panel on the back wall but still have the side to put up.

            While I was decorating the tree, Zack found a stick and had me throw it numerous times, so he got plenty of exercise today. One last play time and then dinner for all the critters and myself.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

            It is gloomy and overcast, with NWS promising snow showers by this afternoon. I plan on working in the shed again today, but have decided to restring the Christmas lights on the tree, as they didn’t look even when I watched them twinkle last night.

            It is 6 PM, and I have just quit for the day. After I restrung the lights, I decided to install the snowplow on the Argo and make sure the road up to the Divide was level and clear of any bad drifts. It took me longer than expected to install it, but I managed after a couple of tries. It is actually a two person job, so I have to balance it on something and then lift and attach one side at a time.

            I had given some thought about putting a large pipe in the creek at the crossing and then plowing snow over it so it will be easier to cross it in the Argo. The way the snow and ice pile up on the banks makes it about a three-foot drop into the creek and in the past, I’ve had trouble getting across.

            I had a piece of 14” well casing pile left over from when I installed my water system, so I placed that in the creek and then pushed snow over it from both sides. The running water washed a lot of it away, but enough has stayed that if more snow fills it in, it will be a nicer crossing.

            When that was finished, I plowed the road all of the way up to the Divide and didn’t finish and return until after dark. I feel good about the road and the work it took to get it plowed. I will be going to town on Monday or Tuesday, so I now know that the drifts are leveled and the path is clear.

            I just finished feeding the crew and building a fire and am typing this as I enjoy a glass of V-8 and watch the lights on the tree. I am glad I rearranged them, as they look so much better now.

            I am going to shower and then I’ll think about some dinner before relaxing in front of the fire and watching some television.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

            Before retiring last night, it was snowing lightly and when Zack went out, it was raining. It rained through out the night and I was awakened several times by the snow on the upper roof, falling onto the lower roof. This warming (35 degrees this morning), may change conditions but I won’t know if it is for the better or the worse until it happens. After plowing my road yesterday, the rain could cause it to become a slushy pit that will freeze when the temperature drops. Maybe it can be a bobsled run instead of a road.

            I had planned on working indoors today, trying to finish a couple of projects to mail when I am in town, but I also need to load at least one of my three empty propane tanks into the Argo to be filled, and prepare the Argo for the trip by removing the snow plow. For those of you that have followed my exploits, you may remember that two years ago, I almost flipped the Argo end for end when the plow broke loose and dug into the ground as I was going downhill at about 20 mile an hour.

            I removed the snowplow and worked on organizing the inside of the Argo, installing a board across the back seats and attached two boxes to it so I can carry the groceries home without them spilling all over the back. It was raining the entire time, so I worked in the Argo lean-to until it got too dark to see what I was doing. I’ll finish it tomorrow and load the trash and one propane tank in preparation for the trip to town.

            I came in and fed the crew and then showered and roasted a game hen for my dinner, which was delicious. Some television and then bedtime by eleven O’clock finished the day.