Week of Oct.26 to Nov. 1

Monday, October 26, 2009
Boy am I behind. I haven’t been keeping up with my log, so I will reconstruct most of this week from other emails I sent and notes on my calendar.
The weather today was dark and overcast with the look of rain and by late afternoon the wind picked up to gusts in the 35 mph range and it started snowing before sunset.
My sister, Sharry, and I emailed back a forth and she, along with a lot of others, suggested some names for the kitten. One name she suggested sounded perfect for him, so his name is Rusty. Thanks Sharry.
For most of the day I called him by that name and he didn’t respond, so I became suspicious and decided to test his hearing. Prior to this, he had been so sick that he slept most of the time and it didn’t occur to me that along with his eye problem that his hearing may also be impaired. I started testing his hearing with sounds that I was sure would attract his attention. I waited until he was looking away from me and then made the sounds. He didn’t respond and didn’t even move his ears toward the sound. I made the noises progressively louder and noticed that if I clapped loudly, or whistled loudly, he was startled and would turn towards me.
My conclusion was that he was practically deaf, noticing only really loud noises. It didn’t bother me that he may be deaf and I just needed to adjust my approach to communicating with him. His “cold,” which is called Feline Viral Respiratory Disease (FVR), is getting better and by late afternoon, he was eating and more alert than yesterday, but still not acting like a playful kitten. All of the feline "colds" are called FVR, but there is FCV, which is Feline Calicivirus, a Feline Pneurnonitis (Chlamydia psittaci), Mycoplasmal infection, Feline infectious peritonitis and pleuritis, and FHV, Feline Herpesvirus, which can cause the same symptoms but the cat may NEVER get over. If he doesn’t get completely better, I’ll have him tested by my vet for the cause.
I spent the day cleaning and doing some wash, working on the computer, and watching television in front of a nice warm fire. Zack and I played several times and I enjoyed watching his interactions with Rusty.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009
The weather today is cold and blowing snow, with gusts to 20 mph and the high for the day barely getting above the freeze mark. My chipmunks have disappeared, except for one hearty soul that is taking a few peanuts back to his burrow. The birds all disappeared last week, so the animals are trying to tell me something. What do you suppose it is?
It snowed most of the day, so I played with Zack indoors, using the toys I strung up over the log-ceiling beam in the sunroom. He got plenty of exercise and I wore him out three times during the day.
Rusty is improving, as this is the third day he has been on the antibiotics. He his eating like a horse and drinking copious amounts of water. I have discovered that this kitten loves water, which is kind of unusual. I am using a regular cereal bowl for his water container and he moves it out from under Zack’s food and water platform and plays in it. He then dries off in the litter box, so he has the absorbent clay litter stuck in his front paws constantly. I started only putting small amounts of water in it so I could wash it out and replenish the water on a regular basis.
He took to the new bed that I bought especially for him, while he was so sick but now avoids it like the plague. It may have the odor of his nasal discharge and reminds him of being sick, so I will wash it and see if it helps.
Some of my observations about Rusty are; his ears look too big for his head, his cocked eye makes it look like he is looking at two different things at the same time, despite his eye damage, he seems to see out of it okay and even has depth perception as he can jump great distances with accuracy, he sneezes 7 times in a row, like I do, but he isn’t consistent, he loves water, and has one of the loudest purrs I’ve heard. He also isn’t the least bit afraid of Zack and even likes him.
I spent most of the day indoors, going for a short walk when the snow stopped momentarily, and working on the generator shed briefly. I just haven’t been overly eager to get the big generator back on line, as the little one not only works well, it uses far less gas for the same amount of running time.
A quiet evening in front of the fire, with a good dinner and some television ended my day.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009
It is overcast and cold this morning, with some brief periods of calm air and the sun trying to peek out. NWS is predicting snow and rain for the remainder of the week and into the weekend.
Rusty is starting to act more like an energized kitten and playing and exploring everything. I am trying to teach him the meaning of the word “No,” but between his hearing and stubbornness, he is a slow learner. He is, however, regaining some of his hearing and responded to more noises. I am beginning to think that the congestion from the cold may have been plugging up his Eustachian tubes, causing him to loose his hearing, and now that the antibiotics are helping, the tubes may be clearing and he is able to hear better. I hope that is the case, as it would be nice for him to respond to his name.
Zoey hasn’t exhibited any signs of coming down with the FVR and is behaving normally. She is getting braver and approaching Rusty without hissing or acting aggressive. She is slowly getting the idea that he isn’t going to go away, and therefore she wants to make sure he knows she is in charge.
I goofed around all afternoon and did some research online about the Copenhagen Treaty. By late afternoon, the winds picked up and it began to seriously snow. It was a wet snow and stuck to everything, including my satellites, so it knocked out my internet connection. I shut things down and showered, fixed and ate dinner, watched a prerecorded movie and went to bed.

Thursday, October 29, 2009
It is cold this morning, with the temperature at 10:00 being 14 degrees, with an overnight low of -1.8. The high for the day was in the late afternoon, when the sun came out briefly, and it reached 38 degrees. Most of the day stayed in the 20s.
Last nights snowstorm delivered about 8” of new snow and covered everything. The icicles on the edge of the roof look like the plastic ones we used to hang on our Christmas tree when I was a kid. I snapped a couple of photos and will include them.
I managed to clean the kitchen, including a thorough cleaning of the stove, and need to clean the refrigerator as a plastic storage dish cracked on the side and spilled sticky stuff all over the shelves. I’ll get to that later. I played with Zack, both indoors and out as the weather wasn’t too bad, but stayed cold all day.
A nice hot shower, some dinner and then television time rounded out the day.

Friday, October 30, 2009
It turned warm (34 degrees) last night and started raining, heavy at times. It is washing all of the snow away and making the ground a muddy mess. Zack tracks in mud and spreads it around faster than I can clean it. Once it dries, I can usually vacuum it up with out too much of a problem.
Mary and Guy are hosting a lunch on Sunday and invited me. Ray and Rae, maybe cowboy Harry, and myself are the guests. I accepted as Joe and Michele aren’t coming up this weekend, but will be up next weekend.
It rained most of the day and I played with Zack indoors rather than have him getting all wet and then tracking more mud into the cabin. I spent the afternoon cleaning the cabin and managed to clean the bathroom from top to bottom, and the sunroom, including a thorough dusting and vacuuming. I also washed all the pet blankets and the towels that I use for them.
Zoey is getting braver and even used Rusty’s potty box to let him know she owns this place. He is still sneezing and has discharge from both eyes and his nose. He seems to have several hours of feeling good and then he has a bout of sneezing and naps for a couple of hours. I know he feels miserable and hope he gets over this soon.

Saturday, October 31, 2009 - Happy Halloween
The wind picked up shortly before 11 O’clock and has been blowing strong all day. I have had gusts to 48.5, with it being fairly constant at around 20 mph. While working on the computer, that strong gust ripped a section of the new metal roofing off the wood shelter and blew it past the window. It also blew one of my porch light off and down into the creek, knocked over the free standing outdoor fire place, shredded the tarp on the side of the Argo garage, blew down the 16’ Little Giant ladder that I had leaning against the cabin, and knocked my weather station off the deck and into the creek, totally destroying it. I can’t, or I should say won’t, try to fix any of it while the wind is blowing as I just fight with it and the wind wins.
I did go down and collect all of the items blown into the creek and secured them so if it does snow, they won’t be lost until next summer. I tried to play with Zack outside, but even throwing the tennis ball was fruitless against the wind. We played inside until he was tired and then he napped while I finished this update.
It is 5:30 PM, and I will now build a fire as when the sun disappeared, it got cold, and then I’ll shower and have some dinner before settling down to watch some television for the evening.

Sunday, November 1, 2009
Without a weather station, all I can report is the current outside temperature, whether there is wind or not, and condition of the sky. I am looking into getting another weather station and will probably go with the same type so I don’t have to learn a whole bunch of new instructions to operate it.
The wind is still blowing, but not as strong as yesterday, at least not right now. As the day wears on, it may once again picked up to 30 or 40 mph. By 11 O’clock, the sky over me was completely clear and sunny, while it was snowing, with the wind blowing the snow horizontally from the south-southwest.
I will be getting ready and heading to Marysville for the afternoon lunch with Mary and Guy soon, so I’ll finish this upon my return.
I didn’t finish this last night as I was tending to Rusty and his cold, or whatever it is. He actually seems worse, so I’ll try to get a vet appointment for him tomorrow. Zack and I drove to Marysville, making the passage with only a little slipping and sliding on the muddy road. We arrived right on time, 1:00, as instructed. Another couple, Ray and his wife Rae, arrived a half hour later and we all visited for a while. Supper was hot pulled pork on fresh bakery rolls, with a homemade bean salad and potato salad, followed with desert of cheesecake with homemade berry syrup. It was all delicious and filling. After more visiting, I said my goodbyes and headed for home.
Zack and I got home around 5:30, and I built a fire and fed all the critters. Upon playing outside with Zack, I fooled around with the weather station and actually got it to send data to the inside display, so I can at least get the high and low temperatures, plus wind speeds. Having eaten so late, I didn’t eat again, so settled in to let Rusty cuddle in my lap while I watched television and then went to bed.

Week of Oct. 19 to Oct. 25, 2009

Monday, October 19, 2009
The weather is still unsettled and it is raining this morning. By 11 AM, the rain turned to sleet and then snow. It was still above freezing so very little stuck until later in the afternoon when it had built up so much that it covered everything in a new white coat.
I spent the day inside doing this and that, working on the computer, watching television, enjoying a nice fire to keep cozy. I rigged Zack’s toys over the log beam in the sunroom and played keep away with him until he gave up. This satisfied his need for exercise and I repeated the game later in the afternoon. He was happy to nap in front of the wood stove and enjoy the warmth of the fire.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009
It is overcast and cold this morning, with the low being 31 at 8 O’clock this morning. The forecast keeps changing so I don’t pay much attention to it and just go by what is happening outside the window.
After my usual morning, I changed into my work clothes and worked in the generator shed until 5:30, and then played with Zack before coming in to fix him and Zoey their dinner. I built a nice fire, showered, and then fixed my dinner, settling in front of the fire and television until bedtime.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009
It got down to 28 at 9 AM this morning, and is staying cold outside. I built a nice fire to take the chill off the sunroom and then went about my usual morning routine.
I received a disturbing email from three different sources, all about the Copenhagen Treaty, and spent time downloading and reading the treaty text. If you haven’t already been made aware of this world changing treaty, please read about it. It could be a big step towards One World Government and the New World Order. This Oblamea, not a typo because we can blame him for all of this, is going to ruin our country within the first year in office.
In the afternoon, I worked on putting a tarp up on the woodpile next to the cabin and I restacked the wood for optimum space, cleaned the entire area, burning the debris in the outside freestanding fireplace. I also cut more firewood and stacked it with the firewood on the deck.
More play time with Zack and then I put away the tools and we came in. I fed him and Zoey, built a fire, made a cup of tea and rested before my shower and dinner.

Thursday, October 22, 2009
It was clear, sunny, and still cold this morning but by 10:30 the rain clouds began to appear and it became dark and threatening. NWS is predicting a 70% chance of snow for tomorrow night and then again on Sunday evening. I don’t think this storm will amount to much and will probably be mixed with a lot of rain, as the temperatures haven’t been that cold during the day.
I need more hamburger and vegetables for Zack’s dinners, so we headed into town in the afternoon.
One of my stops was at Costco, and directly across the road is the Humane Society. I had inquired about kittens in the spring, and while they had some, none were ready for adoption. They require all animals to have a check up, shots, and to be fixed before they can be adopted.
I stopped in and they did have several kittens that were ready for adoption so I looked at the ones available. They have a “cat room” where all the cats and kittens are allowed to roam freely, share toys, beds, food and play with each other. When I first went in, one little Orange tiger kitten came to me and was rubbing against my leg. I picked him up and he purred so loud people in the next room could hear him. After I put him down to investigate other possibilities, he continued to follow me and rub against me while purring loudly.
After I had looked at all of the kittens, I inquired about the tabby and was told that he had been brought in by a person that found him on their door step. A car must have hit him because his hindquarters were paralyzed and he was dragging himself around. He was taken to the outside vet that cares for the Society’s animals, examined and treated. They kept him until he was able to walk and treated him for brain trauma and an eye infection. His right eye is cockeyed and weeps constantly. Once he was well enough to be considered for adoption, he was sent back to the Society and put up for adoption.
Upon being returned, he instantly caught a cold, which is the Feline Viral Respiratory disease. It is highly contagious and often affects all of the cats in the facility. They treat it with antibiotics but the kitten didn’t do well on the first type, so they tried another and he got better.
I made a decision that this was the kitten for us; Zoey, Zack and myself, so told them I wanted him. Due to his medical history and only being with them a short while, they insisted that I take him home on a two-week trial basis. If he didn’t do well or get along with my other pets, I could bring him back. If he did well, I could fill out the adoption papers and keep him.
I was assured that he was completely healthy and had been checked by their in-house vet, so there shouldn’t be a problem. They gave me a hard sided cat carrier to use, telling me to bring it back in two weeks if I was going to keep him.
While he was at the vets, which was almost a month, they had given him the name Herbie. Of course I was under no obligation to keep that name and due to the fact that he didn’t respond to it at all, I thought I’d come up with a different name for him. Some names just don’t fit the personality and I wanted to see what he reacted to when I got him home.
We ran the rest of the errands needed and then got home around 5 PM. After bringing the kitten in, setting up a new litter box, water and food, I let him explore the cabin. I unloading all the stuff from the truck, played with Zack and then fed him, Herbie, and Zoey. Zoey was NOT happy to see the kitten and hissed at him, staying her distance. She pretty much stayed upstairs, where her litter box and dry food is, while the kitten stayed downstairs. He ate heartily and then climbed into my lap and napped. After building a fire and showering, I fixed myself some dinner, snuggled with the kitten in front of the fire, and watched some television until bedtime.

Friday, October 23, 2009
It is cold this morning, with the low being 24 degrees shortly after midnight, and staying in the low 20s until sunrise. It is overcast and dark outside, with the feeling of a storm coming in.
I read my emails and got bad news. My Air Force buddy, the one I visited in Wisconsin this past September, died early this morning. His wife, Rita, asked for information about his time in the service and I put together all the information I knew and sent it to her. The funeral will be held on Tuesday, and due to time and distance, I told her I wouldn’t be coming, but would like to remember him as he was during our visit. She responded that she understood. His obituary and the funeral service information is posted at http://www.roseberrys.com/httpdocs/Obits/2009/October/Smith.htm
I had planned on driving up to Great Falls to pick up my generator as the shop owner, Greg, had emailed me yesterday that it was finished, tested, and ready to go. Because of the bad news, I didn’t leave as early as I had planned, but Zack and I did leave at 2:30. We drove the truck up, loaded the generator into the back and then stopped to visit with Joe and Michele at their store. We didn’t get home until it was almost dark and I parked the truck in the garage, as I haven’t finished the improvements to the shed for the generator yet. I will make the necessary changes and rewire the shed before attempting to reinstall the generator.
I played with Zack and fed everyone before showering and relaxing with some heated up leftovers. The kitten seems lethargic and isn’t looking too good. He is sneezing more than yesterday or this morning, so I need to keep a close eye on him.

Saturday, October 24, 2009
It wasn’t as cold last night as the previous nights, but the temperature isn’t warming up. It is staying in the high 30s to low 40s, with an overcast and wind.
The kitten is looking like he is at Death’s Door, not eating or moving and a heavy discharge from both nostrils with labored breathing. I read every vet book I have for cats and knowing that he had a case of Feline Viral Respiratory disease I read everything about it. It is common for cats to have a relapse and I had no doubt that the kitten was suffering from that. I did an online search for information about FVR and looked for home remedies that might ease his suffering. About the only thing that the research and books recommended was the Children’s Afrin nose drops. I didn’t have any type of nose drops but knew he needed something to ease his labored breathing.
I decided to take him to town to see my vet, as waiting would mean letting him suffer or taking him to an emergency vet on Sunday. We drove to town and I called my vet, only to find out they closed at noon. I called the Humane Society and spoke to the same woman that I talked with when I took the kitten. She told me to bring him in and the in-house vet could look at him and give me the necessary antibiotics. I could either leave him with them to treat, or take him back home if I felt comfortable treating him myself. I didn’t bother telling her I worked as a vet’s assistant while in college, or that I have tons of vet books and a fairly full first aid kit for my pets, but told her I would keep him.
We drove to town and their vet, a young woman, took his temperature and handed me a bottle of antibiotics, telling me to give him a quarter of a pill twice a day (she didn’t even bother to give him one right then) and half a baby aspirin. I questioned her on the aspirin as everything I have ever read says that aspirin is deadly to cats. She assured me that it was fine and did wonders for the sick cats there. I doubted her and won’t be giving him any, after all, aspirin is usually to help bring a fever down, which he had a slight temperature, and to ease aches and pains. Knowing that a slight fever wasn’t going to harm him but the alternative of killing him with aspirin wasn’t an option.
We left, heading for home, arriving at dusk. I made a fire, gave the kitten a quarter of the antibiotic and made him comfortable. I then played with Zack and fed him and Zoey. Zoey has already been exposed to the FVR, so keeping them separated at this point seemed useless. Zoey has been staying mostly upstairs, but has been playing with the catnip-laced toy that the kitten had played with. They have their own litter box, water and food, so all I can do is hope for the best.
The first day I brought the kitten home, Zoey was really pissed at me and stayed upstairs. She would sit on the steps towards the top and hiss every time she saw this stranger, but as time went on, she got closer and investigated him.
I showered and then had some dinner, sitting down with the kitten in my lap, wiping his nose and weeping eye with a wet cotton ball to clean the snot and fluids away, preventing them from forming a crust. I put a very small dab of Vicks on his nose and I think it helped his breathing somewhat. I had stopped at the store and looked for the children’s Afrin, but they evidently don’t make it any more. The druggist recommended that I use a saline solution, putting one drop in each nostril, so I did. There wasn’t anything else I could do, so when it came time for bed, I built up the fire and made sure he was comfortable, letting him sleep in the new bed I bought for him.

Sunday, October 25, 2009
The sky is dark and cold with a heavy overcast. Snow and rain is predicted for today, and the wind is picking up. NWS predicts 60% chance of snow and rain this afternoon, with it dropping to 30% through the week, until Thursday, when it goes to 40%.
I was happy to see that the kitten seemed to be rebounding and was eating, drinking and being more active. I gave him his morning pill and fed him some wet food.
I spent the day reading and researching items on the internet. It held off raining, or snowing, until late in the afternoon and then rained a little bit. Aside from playing with Zack and giving Zoey and the kitten attention, I did little else.
It is now late and I had a shower and some dinner, and then watched television until bedtime.

Week of Oct. 12 to Oct. 18, 2009

One last large icicle

The skunk that visited

A chipmunk that died praying

Monday, October 12, 2009
It was cold again last night with the low being -10.8 at 7:48 AM this morning. Helena was calling for a low of 7 degrees for last night, so I hope the predicted high in the 40s for Wednesday is true. It is clear this morning, but NWS is calling for more snow tonight and snow likely tomorrow and through Thursday night. They are showing a possible break on Friday, with the high being 44 degrees and partly sunny.
I have been having some trouble with my acid reflux and allergies, so didn’t feel like doing much of anything today. I was having trouble focusing my attention on anything for very much time, so did a little of this and that most of the day. I decided to do additional research on acid reflux, as what the doctors are doing isn’t working and the medication, while being probably the best for me, isn’t solving my belching. It is so bad that it makes me sick and I feel like I need to throw up all the time.
I found a web site on using apple cider vinegar (ACV) to solve the problem and spent most of the afternoon reading about the benefits of taking a couple of table spoons of it on a daily basis. A few years ago I had purchased a book on using vinegar for health and dug it out to reread. It seems that the natural ACV has a long history of medicinal uses and is said to cure many aliments. Using apple cider vinegar with baking soda helps balance the body’s pH and can be beneficial. According to the site: Apple Cider Vinegar has anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral properties, primarily coming from the malic acid and acetic acid portion of the vinegar.
Most of what I managed to read and understand makes sense and at this point I am willing to try almost anything. My acid reflux problem has followed a long list of symptom, from a constant dry cough, to severe heartburn, to stomach pains, regurgitation, and now abnormal bouts of belching. The medication has helped the symptoms but not cured the problem, so I am going to try the apple cider vinegar and baking soda treatment, along with a spoon full of natural honey, and hope for the best.
ACV and honey is also supposed to help allergies and asthma, so it may help in more than just one area and seems like it can’t do any harm. Besides the acid reflux and allergies, I have no other problems and hope that this may be the natural wonder elixir I am searching for.
By 5 PM, it began snowing for the first time since yesterday evening, so I guess NWS is correct in their prediction. I shall shower and fix myself some dinner, already having fed Zack and Zoey, and then relax by the fire until time for bed.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009
It was overcast and in the teens this morning, but by 11:30, the sun peeked out from behind the clouds and began to raise the temperature. By noon, it was reaching the 40s and the snow began to melt. My hopes of the weather changing and becoming warm enough for the snow to melt were dashed when I checked NWS and discovered that they had changed the forecast and now expect a 70 percent chance of snow this afternoon and 90% tonight, with more snow through Thursday night. The 40+ degree weather they predicted for Helena has changed to 80% chance of snow into Friday, with the temperatures rising into the 60s on Friday afternoon.
After my disappointing trip to the RV on Sunday, I doubt that the ice in the tanks will melt enough to empty them until the temperature has stayed in the 50s or 60s for several days. My problem here is whether the winds will blow the still loose snow into deep drifts on the Divide. If it does, I may not be able to get into town as both vehicles are here at the cabin. None of the weather reports forecast far enough in advance to determine if I should move the Jeep to Marysville for the winter. Normally, I wouldn’t have to do that until late November, but this isn’t normally.
I spent the morning as usual and then played with Zack before deciding how I would spend the day.
Well, it is 6 PM now and I just played with and fed Zack. It is somewhat sunny and the temperature in the direct sun got into the mid 40s, but on the shady side of the cabin, it didn’t get higher than about 34 degrees. The sun helped melt some of the snow, but there is still plenty left, plus NWS says a 90% chance of snow this evening. They are also predicting winds, which will cause the road on the Divide to be impassible with deep drifts.
I spent the afternoon working on resetting the inverter/charger limits, as the batteries simply aren’t holding a charge for more than 24 hours. They should last me 36 to 45 or more hours, so I got out all of my manuals and the information about my new batteries, which I had downloaded from the web, and carefully reread everything. After reading it out loud, three times, so it would all make sense, I realized my error.
I had read that low temperatures don’t affect these Acid Glass Mat (AGM) batteries, at least until it is 40 below, but I didn’t understand that the charging of these batteries is affected by temperature. With the low and below zero temperatures I’ve had, the voltage needs to be increased to fully charge the bank. I won’t bore you with all the math and terminology here, but to put it in simply terms, I needed to decrease the amp input and increase the volt input, which I did.
Just prior to doing the adjustments, I had run the generator until the charger said the batteries were fully charged, so I had shut it down just prior to making the adjustments. What I found out when I took voltage readings of each battery was that I charged the bank to about 60% of a full charge. The inverter told me they were charged based upon the figures I had previously entered. Once I made the adjustment for the low temperatures and started the generator again; it began charging to the full capacity. The bad news it that at 40 degrees and lower, the bank will take 10 to 13 hours to be fully charged!
So, based upon this new information, I should be able to fully charge the battery bank and have it last me for at least 36 hours before it needs to be topped off again. I just hope that all of the under charging I have previously done hasn’t shortened the life of the batteries. The generator has only been running for two hours since I recalibrated it, so I will have to refuel the generator a couple of times before I am done, not to mention stopping and starting the generator for bedtime. I just hope that this truly solves my problem.
I will shower and then have some dinner and relax for the rest of the evening.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009
It is partly cloudy, with a breeze, but not threaten in overall appearance. I have decided to make the trip to town for my chiropractor appointment.
As I was doing my regular morning routine, not in a hurry to go to town as my appointment was for 2 PM, and my peripheral vision noted a large dark shape at the sliding door. I started to get up to let Zoey in when I realized she was asleep in the chair next to me. Zack was asleep in front of the fire and didn’t stir. I saw something I’ve never seen at the cabin, and hoped I never would. It was a large skunk! He sniffed around the door, woodpile, the peanut shells and debris in the area, and then disappeared around the corner into the woodpile along side the cabin.
Zack had been acting funny about going out, sniffing at the door and firewood and then turning around and wanting back in. He hadn’t barks, growled or acted scared, but his behavior wasn’t normal. I now suspect he picked up on the scent and didn’t like it. It dawned on me that if the skunk decided to pack his winter home under the woodpile, we would all be trouble. It then occurred to me that skunks are nocturnal and this one was out snooping around at noon on a now sunny day. My understanding is that it could be a sign of a rabid animal, so I wanted to make sure it didn’t stick around.
By now, my getting the pistol to insure my safety if I went out and it attack, stirred Zack, but he still didn’t want to get outside. I carefully stepped out and walked away from the cabin so I could view the woodpile and surrounding area. I saw no sign of it and walked all of the way around the cabin. There was still enough snow on the ground that I might have seen tracks, but didn’t. I imagine he could have been under the pile, but I couldn’t see all the way to the back. The underside of the cabin is sealed very well, with metal flashings shirting the entire foundation, so unless it dug under the skirt, I don’t believe it could gain access, but I’m not sure.
I couldn’t take the time for further investigation, so Zack and I headed for town, while Zoey was safely inside cabin. I still had the chains on the truck tires, so I wasn’t concerned about making it out, but NWS forecast 90% chance of snow this afternoon. We got to Marysville without too much of a problem, only sliding into ruts where the gumbo mud was. In Marysville, I removed the chains and we made it to my appointment at 1:45. After the adjustment, we stopped at Safeway, Whole Food, Ace Hardware, Target, and picked up my mail. We then stopped at the RV Park and I managed to open all the valves and drain the water heater, but I won’t know the damage until I try to use the water system the next time I use the motor home. It is supposed to be into the 60s by Friday, so I think most of the ice will melt and drain, at least I hope so.
I decided to take a chance that we could make it back without put the chains on, so up the mountain we went. It hadn’t rained or snowed since we left, so my tire tracks were still visible and we followed them home, arriving at 5:30. After unloading my goodies from the truck, starting a fire, and putting things away, I was disappointed to discover that my adjustments to the inverter/charger made no difference whatsoever and I had to start the generator to charge the batteries.
I will need to rethink the setup and try to figure out why the charger isn’t charging the battery bank to its fullest.
There was no sign of the skunk, so I am hoping it was just passing through looking for food. Zack don’t react when I let him out, so I hope it is gone for good.
I fed Zack and Zoey, but due to the lateness of the day and the fact that it was getting cold, plus a split on his paw, Zack got no playtime. I showered and fixed myself a grilled skinless chicken breast and due to drinking way too much V-8, had three sodas before going to bed.

Thursday, October 15, 2009
The sky was clear last night, but there are a number of clouds in the sky this morning, with the forecast being for possible rain. The high temperature yesterday really surprised me at 60.4 degrees. National Weather Service is predicting a high of only 48 tomorrow, but 61 on Saturday.
Yesterday, I purchased an electronic scale that not only tells you your weight, it gives you calories and BMI, so I spent some time reading the directions to set it up only to find out it was defective and I couldn’t even get it to turn on. I also bought the new water filter product called Zero Water, which gives you a TDS tester that tells you the amount of Total Dissolved Solids in the water, and the fewer the particles, the lower reading. I was amazed to find that my bottled drinking water had 233 dissolved solids, while my faucet water was 111, and the Brita filtered water had 044, whereas the Zero Water had 000.
I am totally impressed with this new filter system and can taste the difference in the water. Because I am on my annual health kick, I am watching what I eat and trying to keep my pH levels balanced, which includes drinking a lot of water, so the better the water, the better for me, or at least I think so.
The Zero Water system has a convenient pitcher, which allows you to either pour from the spout, or use the push button dispenser on the bottom. That way you can place it in the refrigerator and just get a glass of water when you want. I brought mine at Target for $34.99, but you can find them in other large stores like, Home Depot, Walgreens and Wal-Mart. After testing my bottled water I think that using the Zero Water is a good idea for pure drinking water. If you go to Amazon, you’ll see several different types of pitchers and systems.
I haven’t seen any sign of the skunk and even put out some apple to see if it would take the bait. Zack isn’t acting strange about going out and none of the chipmunks seem to be acting differently. I truly hope that it has moved on to other locations. Speaking of animals, Zack’s crack in his pad is healing and he seems to be back to normal. I have limited his playtime and he seems just as satisfied, so I’ll keep checking it and hope for the best. I am going to make him some snow boots to wear this winter, and hopefully limit the cracking in his pads.
The weather was kind of stormy, so I stayed in, cleaned the kitchen and picked up the mess I have been living with for the past several weeks. After returning from my trip, I sort of just left things where they laid and not done much cleaning. Michele had done an excellent job of cleaning and vacuuming before my return, so I started in good shape and have gone down hill since then.

Friday, October 16, 2009
The sun shining in my eyes awakened me and I looked forward to a sunny, warm day, but that changed when the clouds moved in and looked like it might rain. A quick check of NWS shows that they have altered their forecast and now show a partly sunning day with the high only reaching 48. It isn’t the mid to high 60s that they thought we would have, and after the surprising high of 60 degrees day before yesterday, I expected today to be nice.
I spent the morning doing some more research on diet and pH balance and found some interesting and surprising information. I was told by my chiropractor to check out a site that outlines diets and discovered a chart of alkaline and acid foods. I am going to try the apple cider vinegar idea, check my pH levels on a daily basis for a month, and record my findings. I will summarize those findings on my blog when I conclude the study.
I have done a lot more studying about diet, the use of vinegar, and acid reflux, along with playing with Zack a few times. I am not holding my breath, but NWS is predicting 59 degrees and mostly sunny for tomorrow, so I will plan on working in the generator shed, preparing for the return of my large generator. Meanwhile, I am still trying to figure out why the charge on the battery bank isn’t lasting longer.

Saturday, October 17, 2009
The weather looked like it was changing for the better and when the sun came out, it warmed up considerably. My high for today, in the direct sun, was 77.3 degrees, which is amazing when you consider it was only in the 40s yesterday. The weather service keeps changing their forecast, so it is hard to predict if this will last.
I had my usual morning routine and then went to work on the generator shed. I managed to make a big dent in the job of cleaning and organizing, but it will take a couple of more days before it is the way I want it. After it is thoroughly cleaned and everything is in its place, I will rebuild the generator platform and rewire the shed. I hope I can put up some blue board insulation and maybe even sheetrock the interior before more cold weather, and then I’ll be more comfortable when I need to use it during the winter.
Play periods with Zack, between working in the shed, and then one final playtime before feeding him and Zoey, finished the day. I showered and had a nice hot cup of green tea before thinking about dinner. I have been on a real kick of drinking V-8, apple juice, and hot tea for over a week now. My body is trying to tell me something and I am attempting to listen.
Dinner and television for the remainder of the evening, with bedtime coming at midnight, which is the time I’ve gone to bed almost every night this week.

Sunday, October 18, 2009
The wind picked up during the night and is blowing close to 12 mph, gusting to 15 at times. It is overcast, cool and looks like it might rain. National Weather Service is calling for 30% chance of rain or snow for this afternoon and evening, with a 70% chance of snow tomorrow. It is a big change from the warmth of yesterday, and that was short lived.
After my usual morning I went out to work some more on the shed, hoping to finish getting the tools all organized and in their proper place.
It is now 6 PM, and I have just come in from getting all the tools organized and starting to disassemble the table that the generator sits on. I have to lower it a few inches so the exhaust pipe doesn’t need an extension as it leaked and filled the shed with fumes.
I played with Zack until he was pooped and then fed him and am doing a second load of clothes while the first dries in the dryer. I just built a small fire, as it is getting a little chilly. I will finish this update and then post this weeks events before I shower and have my dinner.
I finished computing my pH level, as it requires two days worth of readings and then some math to come up with the average and my actual pH level. It came out to a reading of 5.91, which is more acidic than it should be, but not off the charts. The book says I am 5 to 10 times higher than I should be and I need to balance my system. I need to do some more reading to see just what I need to do, and I will adjust my diet to compensate for the high level.
I have continued my two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and rather enjoy the taste of it, when mixed with a glass of water. I am trying it in hot water, like a tea, right now and find it soothing to my throat. I made the mistake of taking a deep breath before having a sip and about choked on the fumes. The smell reminds me of dying Easter eggs. Mom always added some vinegar to the dye and the smell brings back pleasant memories.
Well, that’s it for this week. I hope the weather holds so I can finish my shed and retrieve the generator next week.

Week of Oct. 5 to Oct. 11, 2009

Monday, October 5, 2009
It is still snowing this morning and 27 degrees. A quick check of NWS tells me I should stay home today, instead of making the planned trip to town. NWS has a storm warning posted and predicts a possible 10” of snow this afternoon. I can last another couple of days on the gas available for the generator and my medications so will wait and see what the weather is like tomorrow or the next day.
The chipmunks and birds, Juncos and Pine Siskin, are out in full force, regardless of the weather. I have been trying to get a good photo of a chipmunk and Junco eating out of the bowl by my window at the same time. Every time I get set up, the Junco takes off, so I’ll just keep trying.
Zack alerted to something out on the mountainside, across the creek, and as I looked I saw a wolf making his way west about 200’ up the mountainside. I attempted to get a good picture, but he was moving fast and soon too far away. I have spent most of the day on the computer watching videos from my drawing instructor. So far, the storm hasn’t blocked my internet connection, for which I am thankful.
By 4:00, the snow stopped and the sun made a weak attempt to melt some of the snow. Zack got additional playtime and Zoey got a lot of lap time. She has had an upset stomach and throwing up for the past two days. I am sure it is hairballs and have given her Petromalt, which she loves. She hasn’t been active and wants to be in my lap all the time.
I received an email from the shop that is fixing the generator and he informed me that after replacing the oil tubes the engine still leaked (factory defeat from the get go) and Generac decided to send him a whole new engine rather than replacement parts. If they had simply taken my word for it and replaced the entire unit, they would have gotten away cheaper. Anyway, the engine hasn’t arrived yet, but as soon as it does, he will replace and test it, notifying me when I can pick it up. NWS is predicting more snow for the rest of the week, so I hope I will be able to get the pickup in to town and collect it, and then return without getting stuck.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009
The wind picked up to about 20 mph in the early morning hours and the outside temperature dropped to a low of 8.4 at 11:50 PM, last night. I managed to sleep through the night with my bedroom window open, but knew it was colder than usual. Zoey snuggled all night long, while Zack was happy to stay downstairs next to the propane stove in the living room.
The wind is kicking up all the loose snow and while the sky is mostly clear, it still appears to be a snowstorm outside. I need to get into town for supplies and gas for the generator, so will head out and hope for the best.
Zoey is back to her old self this morning, chasing things and running up and down the stairs. She hasn’t thrown up since Sunday, and I am allowing her to eat small amounts of canned food and watching to see how she copes with it. Cleaning her litter box shows me that things seem normal, so I just need to give the Petromalt on a regular basis so this doesn’t happen again.
Well, we got back from town with only some white-knuckle driving. The gumbo mud was more trouble than the snow and ice. Going out, I slid into a rut from water run off and got momentarily stuck. I managed to back out of it and then slid my way back onto the roadway. Going down my usual short cut, I followed several other tire tracks and while the snow was deep in spots, my down hill momentum managed to get us down the mountain.
Once in town, I ran my errands, purchasing the items needed, picked up the mail, stopped at Safeway for groceries, medication refills, and gas, then stopped at Costco to buy oil for vehicles and equipment, before heading home.
Coming home, I took the long way, which takes me up the county road to the Divide and then to my turn off. The snow was wind blown but passable, until we came to the cattle guard on top. The snowdrift was a couple of feet deep and I took a running start to get through it. After getting through the deepest part, we slid sideways and into a ditch. Once again, I managed to back up, rock the Jeep until I got out, and back onto the road. The next obstacle was at Windshield Hill, which is where I have gotten the truck, Jeep and Dozer stuck before. I decided to take the short cut over the hill instead of following the road, as it usually has much deeper snow due to the wind drift. I could see tire tracks going both directions, so followed the ones taking the shorter route.
When we got to the top, I could see that other vehicles had been stuck in the deep snow, so built up my speed and headed down. My down hill speed got us through the snow and onto the Divide road. The remainder of the trip was without incident but still a slow and careful drive.
I unloaded the gas and oil and then moved the Jeep to the cabin and took out the rest of the items. Some playtime with Zack brought us to sunset and after feeding him and Zoey, I built a fire and sat down to relax.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009
I awoke to more snow and probably an additional 6” sticking to everything. NWS is predicting snow for the remainder of the week and I am now beginning to think that winter is officially here, verses the usual snow then warm spell that October has traditionally brought us.
My wind yesterday reached over 31 mph, but in the afternoon, the temperature soared to 52 degrees. Last night wasn’t nearly as cold as yesterday, but because I hadn’t cleared the low temperature from my weather station, I have no idea how cold it got.
It is now 7:30 and it hasn’t stopped snowing, so the ground is covered to about a foot deep. I had to shovel a path to the generator shed so I wouldn’t have to put on boots just to go out and start the generator. I really don’t know if this will stop and melt or just keep going until next spring, but hope it clears up so I can get the other generator back to the cabin.
I spent time researching possible publishers for a friend of mine. Ken, who lives in Canada, takes really great photographs and is always hiking into backcountry areas. I think he needs to share his photos with the public and maybe make a little money on the side, so I am trying to talk him into publishing them. If you are interested in viewing his photos, go to his album on his My Space account at http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewAlbums&friendID=51318660
I will end today’s update and shower, then fix myself some dinner as Zack and Zoey have already had theirs.

Thursday, October 8, 2009
Ittt isss ccoold this morning. It was 6 degrees at 9:30 and the low was 1.5 at 8:55 AM. As the sun reaches the weather station, the outside temperature has climbed to 30 degrees at 10:30. The cold isn’t keeping the birds and chipmunks from having their breakfast, and they are here in numbers.
One reason it got so cold is that the sky is completely clear, allowing all the heat to rise. The sky is clear and bright with that Montana blue, so I am hoping the sun will bring the temperature up and melt some of the snow. After yesterdays snow, I have about a foot, maybe a little less. NWS is calling for 20% chance of snow today and 90% tonight, with 70% tomorrow. Other than a 20% chance on Saturday night, the weekend is looking clear.
I built a fire and then fed the critters before making my coffee and sitting down to enjoy the beauty of my view. I watched the first chipmunk of the day starting to hunt for the peanuts and thought he was smart to be early and have all of them to himself, but then realized he wasn’t too bright as he would find a peanut and hide it in another spot on the wood pile. He didn’t eat it; he simply moved it to a new spot . . . as if another chipmunk won’t find it.
A noisy Jay showed up to scare all the birds and chipmunks away, and then after hopping onto the table to get some seeds, he flew away when he saw me pick up my camera.
I spent the day doing this and that, working on the computer and watching some television. In the afternoon, after playing with and feeding Zack and Zoey, I made a big pot of my seafood chowder and boy was it good. I have enough left over to have a couple of more servings.

Friday, October 9, 2009
The morning low was 4.2 at 7:18 AM and there are snow flurries with a completely overcast sky. NWS is promising more of the same for the next couple of days. I knew I should have winterized the RV when I was in town. A quick check of Helena’s weather and I see that they are having the same cold weather as I am, but the lows aren’t quite as low.
If I have more freeze damage to the RV, I can only blame myself. I hope that it doesn’t do any damage, but won’t know until I get into town and check on it. The roads are deep enough with snow that if I did try to go into town, I’d surely have to put chains on before leaving the cabin. If the weather turns decent tomorrow or the next day, I’ll try to get to town and deal with it.
I spent the majority of the day reading the owner’s manual and using my new camera. This is like any other single lens reflex camera and has many settings and all the bells and whistles, so there is a lot more to remember than my simple point-and-shoot digital camera. It has been a long time since I have used my 35 mm camera, but this new digital camera is much the same.
In the afternoon, Zack alerted me to something outside and when I looked I saw what I thought was the wolf, but then realized it was smaller, so thought it was a coyote, but when it got into the clearing, I got some decent photos and realized that it was a Red Fox.
I opened the sliding door so I could step out and get a good picture and in doing so, Zack bolted out and went after the fox, barking loudly. I called him and he stopped short of it by about forty yards. It was frightened and let out a yip while tucking it’s tail between its legs and almost scooting down the snow covered hill in a submissive posture, and disappeared into the willow brushes by the creek. Zack followed the tracks for a short distance and then at my insistence, returned at a full run to the cabin. He had defended his domain and was satisfied the threat was over.
This is the first sighting of a fox that I’ve had since living here. I have seen what might be fox scat, but it is difficult to tell it from coyote scat, so I am never sure. I think I have seen more wildlife this fall than ever before, and enjoy being able to get better photos with the new camera.

Saturday, October 10, 2009
The sky is perfectly clear this morning, with that Montana blue that I have only seen here. I knew it got cold last night and I even closed my bedroom window when I went to bed. At 11 PM, it was 4.3 degrees, so I stoked the fire well before retiring. This morning, when I checked the max and minimum on the weather station, I discovered that at 6:24 AM, it was MINUS 14.2 degrees. For it to get this cold in early October is not normal, at least since I’ve been here, and I didn’t hear of any Canadian cold fronts moving in, which is usually when I get below zero readings, so was somewhat shocked.
I don’t even want to know how cold it got at the RV Park, as I can’t bare the thought of having to replace all the items I had to replace last time. The main reason I didn’t winterize it, was that Joe and Michele had talked about going up to Glacier National Park before snow closed the roads. I have been looking forward to doing that for some time now, but will probably have to wait until next summer or earlier next fall.
I have spent a great deal of time familiarizing myself with the camera and taking lots of photos. I have also spent a lot of time trying to identify a bird that is unfamiliar to me. I have four or five different species coming for seed and have been enjoying their antics and how they interact with each other, and the chipmunks that want to share the food. So far, I have Juncos, House sparrows, both male and female, an as yet identified type of sparrow, and a Steller’s Jay, all coming for the seed. The jay scares off everyone, but so far, the other birds are sharing and don’t even leave when a chipmunk shows up to eat.
Because I have scattered seed all over the table, just outside my window, I have an excellent view to watch their behavior. Even though it hasn’t gotten above 24 degrees in the sun, they all have been feeding all day long. I know that birds have the ability to slow, or shut down, the blood flow to their feet; but it still amazes me that they don’t freeze in this weather. I have observed them feeding while standing on one foot and then the other, and even flying to a chair back, which doesn’t have any snow, to relieve their feet.
One last play time with Zack before I feed him and Zoey, and then I’ll settle in for the night.

Sunday, October 11, 2009
The high temperature yesterday was only 31 degrees at 3 PM, and that was in the full sun. My other outdoor thermometers never got above 20 degrees. Luckily, there wasn’t any wind or it would have been really miserable outside.
My weather station recorded a low of -5.8, at 10:54 PM, last night. This morning is cold with snow flurries and completely overcast in all directions.
My concerns for the motor home over took my desire to stay home, so I put the chains on the truck and headed for town. I was very glad to have the chains on, as I would have never made it without them. The drifts on the Divide were deep and I could see where other travelers had gotten stuck. I managed to white-knuckle my way over the Divide and down into Marysville, but before getting down the road to where the pavement begins, I saw a car that had slid off the road and into the ditch. Remember, this is the first snow the new road has seen, so you could expect almost anything. The guardrail should prevent vehicles from going over the side and down the ravine, but the way they graded the road, you slide towards the mountain and into the deeply cut channel for the run off.
A woman and her three children had slid off and buried the front wheels in the snow. I was glad I was in the truck as I had the winch to help get them out. After turning around so I could connect my rear mounted wench to the back of their car, I pulled out enough cable and instructed the woman on what to do as far as steering goes. It was a Honda, with front wheel drive, so I didn’t want her to give it much gas, but at the same time, she was close to a steel marker and I didn’t want the car to slide into it.
I used the winch alone and managed to get her past the steel post and then I played out more cable and moved the truck up the road. As I did, she maneuvered it out of the ditch and back onto the road. She thanked me profusely and told me that she had let her newly licensed 16-year-old son drive, which probably wasn’t the best idea. I told her he needed to learn how to drive on ice and snow at some point and was just glad no one got hurt and there was no damage to the car.
They carefully drove down the hill and I turned the truck around and followed them. The paved part of the road was free of snow and ice, so I stopped and removed the chains. Zack and I drove to the motor home and I had planned on starting the engine and generator, leave them running and the water heater on while we ran to town for a few grocery items.
The generator refused to start and finally flooded, so I left the engine running with the coach heater on full and headed to Safeway. I had loaded the two empty propane tanks into the truck but then realized that it was Sunday and they would be closed. I bought the items I wanted and we headed back to the motor home.
I tried to start the generator again, but had no luck. I decided that I would just open all the drain valves and leave it that way, hoping for warmer weather. I first tried to remove the water filter under the kitchen sink, but because the water was still frozen, I couldn’t get it loose. I could see a split in the side, so I know it is a loss. Next, I tried to drain the fresh water holding tank but its valve was also frozen solid. My last endeavor was to remove the drain plug from the water heater, but I didn’t have the proper tools with me, so gave up on the whole thing and shut it up to suffer whatever fate it will.
Because I had done two loads of laundry and run the generator to charge the batteries this morning, we had gotten a late start for town, so it was now getting dark. I drove back to the exact spot where I had removed the chains and put them back on for the trip home. I followed my path back without deviating and while it was deep in some spots and slippery in others, having the chains got us to the cabin without incident.
By the time I unloaded the truck, it was 7:30 and dark enough that I needed lights in the truck to see what I was doing. A quick check of the temperature indicated it was already 5 degrees, so I parked the truck in the garage and then moved the Jeep, which had been parked in front of the cabin, to its parking place in the garage.
It was late and I was too cold to give Zack his playtime, but he didn’t complain when I told him we had to go in. I fed him and then showered before sitting down to watch television before bedtime.

Week of Sept. 28 to Oct.4, 2009

Monday, September 28, 2009
It is calm and sunny this morning, but I found it necessary to build a small fire to take the chill (54 degrees) off the sunroom, which is the last part of the cabin to get direct sunlight.
After my coffee and usual morning, I changed into my work clothes and went outside to tackle some of the jobs I’d like to finish before the snow flies.
I started to shore up the lean-to that I had thrown together last year, for storing my excess firewood, and while I planned on it being temporary, I decided to make it more permanent. I ended up deconstructing the roof and supports so I could make it sturdier to withstand the snow load. It took all afternoon and I managed to put it together and install a metal roof to keep the snow off the pile.
More play time for Zack, shower, dinner, some television and then bed.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009
It is a bit warmer this morning and I had my usual routine, checking the National Weather Service for the latest forecast, and then planning my day. They are still predicting rain tonight (40% before midnight) and then a 90% chance of snow after midnight, with continued snowstorms for the remainder of the week. All of the predicted highs are in the low 40s with nighttime lows in the low 30s.
For a moment there, I thought we would make it all of the way through September without any snow, as I have always had one or two good snowstorms before October. Last year I had a good storm on August 30 and again in September, so I expected at least one this month.
Scott Settle, who owns the cattle that free graze in my area, stopped by to visit and told me that he would be taking the cattle out this week or next. When I told him about the prediction of snow, he decided to open the gates at the cattle guards and let the cattle wander back to the Marysville area so he can drive them back to the ranch for the winter.
I spent the afternoon reestablishing my internet, as Hughes turned my service off, due to their inability to automatically charge my monthly auto pay for my account. This is due to my Citi card being terminated due to a hacker stealing account numbers from their system. I drove to the Divide for a cell phone signal and called Citi Bank to have them revalidate my card, then I called Hughes and had them put the charge through again. It cleared without a problem and they reestablished my connection.
I finished the day by cleaning out the lean-to next to the generator shed and moving the Argo back to its proper parking area. I also cleaned up the stuff that had blown into the creek bed and even some items that ended up on the other side of the creek, and into the trees, by the high winds of the past couple of days.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Before going to bed last night, it began to rain, just as NWS predicted, and I awoke to an inch or more of snow. It has been snowing, off and on, all morning and although NWS changed the forecast a little, it is supposed to snow most of today and then again on the weekend.
I have spent the day on the computer and watching television as it continues to snow. Zack still got his playtime, albeit in the cold snow, and seemed to enjoy the return of the white stuff.

Thursday, October 1, 2009
I received about an inch and a half of new snow and it was 32 degrees at 10 AM this morning, but I could see blue sky to the east. The sun has been breaking through the clouds every so often and by noon; the temperature was 41 degrees, causing snow to slide off my roof and onto the deck with loud thuds.
The sky is going from a brilliant bright white to a gray shadow, as the sun plays peek-a-boo from behind the clouds. NWS is predicting partly sunny for today and tomorrow, with snow likely on the weekend. I am using this time to catch up on some things inside that need my attention.

Friday, October 2, 2009
I woke to clear blue skies and lots of sunshine, but it was still 30 degrees outside at 10 AM this morning. NWS is still predicting more snow for the weekend and chances through next week. The highs are predicted to be in the low 40s, with lows in the 20s and 30s.
After my usual morning, I changed and went out to clean the generator shed so I can rewire it for the return of the generator.
Okay, as usual, I got distracted and never did go out to work. I got a message from Face Book and got involved in reading all of Kathy’s (legendsofamerica.com) updates on her latest trip, and then ended up answering a bunch of messages that I never check on Face Book. By the time I got done with all of that, played with Zack, fed him and Zoey, did all the dishes and built a fire, it was 6:30, so I just decided to relax and watch some television.
At one point in the afternoon, Zack alerted to something or someone outside and was serious about it. He barked and pawed at the sliding door to get out and when I looked, I could see nothing. I opened the door and he bolted out, running full speed towards the creek. That was when I saw a very scared bull moose take off running in the opposite direction. I called Zack and at first it appeared that he was going to ignore me and catch the moose, but then he stopped and returned to me.
I didn’t think he would challenge a moose, but I guess I was wrong about that. He goes after deer and elk because they run from him, but he seemed very intent on bagging a moose. I couldn’t get mad at him, but I want the wild life, at least the non-threatening ones, to come around and his barking keeps that from happening. I haven’t seen a single deer come into the yard this summer. Some of it may be because of the cattle grazing in the area, but it is also Zack’s urine odor and barking.

Saturday, October 3, 2009
It is overcast and cold this morning; with the early morning low of 19.3 degrees. By two O’clock, it was 46.9 degrees in the sun and snowing. I’ve never experienced snow at this temperature, but my weather station and eyes aren’t lying. I have had light snow flurries all day long, and now at 6:15 PM, it is 34 degrees and starting to snow again.
I needed to wash all my bedding due to having a smelly dog share his odor with my comforters. I washed the sheets and both comforters, plus my regular wash of clothes and towels. I needed to start and run the generator to keep the water pump running, along with the dryer and other electrical items. Zack and I played several times and then I gave him a bath so he won’t dirty the clean linens. This, along with working on the computer, has taken all day. I am now drying the last comforter that I use like a bedspread, and will shower and eat some dinner before relaxing in front of the television for the evening.

Sunday, October 4, 2009
It has been blowing snow all night long, and it is a corn snow, small dry crystals; it has covered the deck and ground, but isn’t sticking to the trees or even the roof, and the wind blows huge billows of it all around the cabin.
While reading my emails and enjoying my coffee in front of a warm fire, the power went out. I went to start the generator and realized that I didn’t have any gasoline and the tank was minutes away from being empty. It then dawned on me that there was gas left in the large tank for the big generator, which I still haven’t gotten back from the shop, so I siphoned it into a 5-gallon gas can and filled the small generator. Now I will have the taste of gas on my lips all day long. Yuck!
I didn’t think the chipmunks would be out on a day like today (blowing snow and 29 degrees), so I didn’t put out their usual fed of peanuts and sunflower seeds. By 10:30, two of them came to my window and sat there waiting for me to come feed them. Once I put out the morning feast, they called their families to come get the goodies.
Yesterday, one of the chipmunks got into the freshly filled bird feeder and kicked out all of the seed just he could get the sunflower seeds that is part of the mix. I have four or five different birds showing up today and finishing off what is left, so I guess I’ll need to refill it just for them. There is plenty on the deck and ground, but it is currently covered with snow.
I will spend the remainder of the day on the computer and puttering around the cabin, so I’ll prepare and send this weeks updates now.

Week of 9-21 to 9-27-09

Monday, September 21, 2009
After my usual morning, Zack and I went to town to have blood drawn for my regular panel, and to run a couple of errands. We stopped at the motor home to collect the food items and clean out the refrigerator. We then took it all home and put it away.
I spent the remainder of the day trying to reestablish my satellite internet connection. I have no idea why it is so difficult to get it to recognize and connect to the system after having just moved the modem.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009
I have a doctor appointment with the doctor that did my endoscopy, regarding my air swallowing, so I had my morning coffee and a light breakfast, got ready for town, played with Zack and then we left.
I drove straight to the doctor’s office and had a brief wait before being weighed and shown into a room. Dr. Lee, a young man of Chinese decent, came in and greeted me. I had only seen him briefly before my procedure, so we hadn’t really done much talking. I explained my concerns and in a nutshell, he told me I was obese and bordering on grossly obese. He has what I would consider poor bedside manners and poopooed any of my suggestions or opinions. He told me my BMI was 33 and that a BMI of 40 was grossly obese. He told me if I lost 60 pounds I probably wouldn’t have any of my current problems or complaints.
I admit that I put on some pounds this pass winter when I was traveling, and that I haven’t had the energy to burn calories (he said it was because I was obese), so agreed that I could stand to lose a few pounds. He told me to make an appointment to see him in a month and he would judge my progress . . . yea, like that’s going to happen. I can figure out how to weigh myself and determine my health and condition without him.
I stopped at Safeway and had a prescription refilled, got gas in the Jeep ($2.69 a gallon), and then headed for home. I have another appointment with my allergist tomorrow, so must go back to town again on Wednesday.
Home again, I worked on getting the computer online and then gave up for the night and watched television while having some dinner (a salad, if you are curious).

Wednesday, September 23, 2009
I spent the morning working on the computer and FINALLY got it to connect. I had almost 150 emails waiting for me and of course plenty of stuff to investigate and read. My appointment is for 2 PM, so I mustn’t dilly-dally.
We drove to town, bumping into Guy and Mary cutting firewood on the road to Peggy’s. A quick visit so I wouldn’t be late and then we were on our way again.
I had my appointment and it was agreed that unless I had problems or new symptoms, I didn’t need to see him again. We drove home, arriving at 4 PM, and I played with Zack, which is our usual routine, and then started wading through all of the emails. I stopped at 8 PM and had some dinner before showering and watching some television before bedtime.

Thursday, September 24, 2009
I settled in with my coffee and began the task of going through all my emails, which more were delivered since yesterday, and answer those that required a response. It took me until 4:30 to finish, and after a third play period with Zack, I decided to “zone out” in front of the TV with a drink.
Happy to have my internet access back, I could put it to the side and just relax. I showered, ate dinner, watched some television and then went to bed.

Friday, September 25, 2009
After coffee and watching the news on television, I planned on changing into my work clothes and cutting some more firewood, but was distracted. I needed to do several loads of wash and has trouble keeping the batteries charged up to finish. I had to run the generator until the batteries were charged enough to withstand the surge of the water pump coming on. I ended up charging, running the washer, having the generator stop charging, letting it rest and cool down, discharging the batteries, starting the generator, waiting for the batteries to charge and then finishing it all.
Michele had told me that she had to start the generator everyday to keep the power on and they didn’t watch any television or use anything but lights. This isn’t usual, so I investigated several possibilities, but found no reason for it. I disconnected the wind generator to see if that would make a difference and it didn’t seem too. I charged the batteries to the float level (28.6 Volts) and let the generator run for an hour longer.
By 10:30, the power went off and I had to start the generator. I will check the wiring again and make sure I don’t have something hooked up wrong, but for now, I’ll just finish watching my program, shut the generator off and go to bed.

Saturday, September 26, 2009
I awoke a couple of time in the early morning hours, smelling smoke, but it was faint, so I went back to sleep. I got up at my usual time and had my coffee while reading new emails and doing a little research.
Around 10 AM, I got an email from Dan, the Marysville Volunteer fire chief, who works as an emergency dispatcher in Helena, asking for individuals that hadn’t responded to the Mac Fire to let him know if we were available to stand by and help if the Marysville department was called. I emailed back, let him know I was available, and would stand by.
The battery in my fire department pager had died while I was on vacation and I didn’t think to check it until I heard from Dan. I put the radio on the charger and a new battery in the pager and emailed Dan to see what information he had. As several of you know, there was a fire that broke out on MacDonald Pass, about 9 miles from me, as the crow flies, and some of our fire fighters responded last night. Officially, Marysville wasn’t requested, but Dan thought the fire may move towards Marysville and wanted to know who was available and make a plan of action if it did.
I continued to stay in contact with Dan through emails and by 4 PM he informed me that the fire hadn’t grown from the 200 acres and was moving towards Helena, not Marysville. What a relief. I have had a plan of action for a possible fire since moving here, so made sure I had all my important papers and supplies ready if I needed to evacuate. Luckily I didn’t, but I am always mindful and ready for such an event.
A couple of bow hunters stopped by and asked if they could park their truck on my property, near the creek crossing, and I told them it was okay. We visited for a while and then they left. They are brothers from the Helena area and had already seen, and tracked a couple of cow elk on the mountain, but the wind gave their scent away and the cows took off. I hear game on the mountain side all of the time, but have no idea what it is without climbing the mountain and looking for clues.
Zack and I played some more and then I did some reading before stopping for the day. I’ll shower and fix myself some dinner before relaxing for the remainder of the evening.

Sunday, September 27, 2009
Sometime in the early morning hours, the wind died down and it is calm this morning. The apparent danger of a local fire (MacDonald Pass, Hwy 12) has passed and I am much relieved. The fire was less than 9 miles away, as the crow flies, and has burned over 300 acres, as of this morning. Its cause is still under investigation and while they have a good handle on it, it is not yet under control. Another fire broke out near this one and not much information is available, except that they are moving towards Helena and away from me. Note: for up-to-date fire information around the US, go to http://activefiremaps.fs.fed.us/.
I spent the morning giving and getting information about the fire and then did some research before planning on working outside for this afternoon. National Weather is predicting rain for Tuesday and snow showers for the remainder of the week. I still have a few items that need my attention before I am ready for winter, but none of them are vital to surviving the winter.
Zack and I played for a while and then a quick check of my emails before shutting down the modem showed another email from Mary in Marysville, reminding me of fire training today at 4 PM. I can’t get much done between now and then, so will try to handle a few chores before driving to Marysville and partake in the training. I haven’t been to a fire training in over a year, and am not qualified to do anything but drive the pumper truck, and would like to keep it that way as I don’t wish to fight fires if I don’t have to.
Well, I went to fire training and within the first 15 minutes Dan got a call for EMT assistance from Canyon Creek. He asked if anyone wanted to ride with him and Mary and I volunteered. We headed out, Code 3, to the address and I filled out a response form. A 67-year-old woman was dizzy and incoherent, according to her husband. She had been in a car accident a week ago and he felt that her condition was a result of that. Dan spoke to the woman, getting information, and started to take her blood pressure when the ambulance showed up. At that point, we let them assume responsibility. We assisted them in getting her onto the gurney and into the ambulance so they could transport her to the hospital. I finished the report and we headed back to the station.
The rest of the department had drained the tank of a new truck that Canyon Creek donated to us, and were filling the portable tank, which is a large canvass square on a folding pipe frame, to draft and fill the tank of both trucks. We all assisted and then put all of the equipment away, departing around 6:30.
Zack and I got home and played for a while, I fixed his, Zoey’s dinner, then my own, watching some television, and relaxing the remainder of the evening.

Note: When I last left off, it was Sunday and I wanted to send the update before the day was done. I now take up with the end of that day.

Monday, September 14, 2009
Sunday afternoon - Bruce and Rita pulled into the driveway as I was finishing the removal of bugs from eight different states, and I stopped to greet them. Bruce was looking tired, but in high spirits and we went into the house and visited while having a beer. He was tired enough to go to bed, so I finished washing the RV and then Rita and I had a pizza and visited until 9:30. She too was tired from the ordeal and I needed to feed Zack and then shower before retiring, so excused myself and went to the motor home for the night.
Monday morning - Shortly after rising, I fixed my coffee, let both Zack and Zoey out, and then went into the house. Bruce had been up since 7:00 and Rita got up shortly after. They were having coffee, so I sat in the living room and joined them. Rita had dug out some recent photos to share and Bruce explained as I went through them. Before we could finish, the visiting nurse and a social worker showed up to check on Bruce. They examined him and then talked about medications, dos, and don’ts for the week. Both were very pleasant and helpful to Bruce and Rita, leaving after about 45 minutes with instructions for them to call if they needed anything.
Bruce is really tired from all of the procedures and his stay in the hospital, so he naps for a couple of hours in the afternoon and then is ready for bed by 8:00. We did a lot of visiting, discussing our times in the Air Force and people we both remembered, along with other discussions about childhood and memories of the past. Rita and I visited after Bruce went to bed and then I excused myself and went out to shower and make the bed with clean linens. I did two loads of wash while Bruce was napping and Rita ran some errands, so needed to get the clean clothes put away before I went to bed.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009
I awoke to heavy rain this morning, but it didn’t last too long and is still warm. I fixed my coffee, checked my emails, and then went in to visit with Bruce while Rita went shopping for groceries.
When Rita returned, we all had some lunch and then I played with Zack before we too went shopping while Bruce napped and Rita put things away. I managed to spend over a hundred dollars buying a relatively small amount of groceries. The prices are higher by 20 to 30 cents or more for the same item back home, but then I expected that, without competition unless you drive 30 miles to a larger town.
We returned, put the groceries away, and then played for a while. I visited with Bruce and he felt like he needed to get up and move around, so we took a walk. He has a path cleared to the back of his property, wide enough for his truck to collect the firewood he has cut. The property is a thick forest of many varieties of trees, more deciduous than evergreen. Some of them are starting to change, so the feeling of fall is in the air, even though it is still in the high 70s and low 80s. Their property is long and narrow, so it goes back more than two or more football fields and is about as wide as one. There is 7 ½ acres and the clearing and house were already there when they bought it. Bruce had the house raised and a full basement dug for a new foundation. They have also completely replaced the exterior and fully insulated the house. New insulated windows had just been put in and were awaiting trim and paint. Bruce and his sons have done most of the work and he likes to keep busy, hoping to finish the house while he still can.
We didn’t make it to the very back of the property as Bruce became tired and needed to go back and get on his oxygen. As I understand it, the fluid wasn’t in his lungs, but chest cavity surrounding the lungs, collapsing them, and making it difficult for him to breathe. The doctors made a hole in the side of his chest, drained the fluid, put in some powder that was to help the lung adhere to the chest wall, and then sent him home. The hole is still healing and that is part the soreness and pain he is dealing with.
While Bruce napped, Rita and I had a chance to talk and get to know each other a lot better. She is a wonderful person and I doubt if she has a mean bone in her body. We have many of the same beliefs and discussed everything from current events to religion, and things inbetween.
After dinner, we watched slides that Bruce had taken while he was in the service, along with some of family and their wedding. Rita had to find a slide projector for the show and called many people and places. They are like antiques now and hard to find. When they are located, usually the bulb is burned out and replacements are almost nonexistent. She found one that usually isn’t given out on loan, but she told them of the circumstances and they let her borrow it. We didn’t have a screen, but a white wall would suffice. As an old teacher, I had working knowledge of slide projectors, so was put in charge of operating it. Before we could get started, the nurse that had been out the day before showed up with a projector and screen, plus the high school returned Rita’s call and had one she could use. We were now projector “poor” and had a screen. These were the carousel type and we now had an extra tray to load so we didn’t have to wait between trays.
It was a good thing we had two projectors because while the nurse had checked to make sure the bulb was good, she didn’t check to see if the projector actually worked, and it didn’t. It wouldn’t feed or turn the carousel, so each slide would have had to be put in and removed one at a time.
We watched the slide show and it brought back a lot of memories for the both of us. He had a couple of slides of us in our class A uniforms that made is feel really old. I really enjoyed seeing the wedding slides as I didn’t know Rita before they were married and the photos of Bruce’s mom and brothers and sisters triggered my memories of being in the house and treated like I was a family member.
After viewing all the slides, it was 10 O’clock and Bruce needed to sleep, so I excused myself and went out to shower and watch a DVD in the motor home, going to bed before midnight.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009
I had decided that it was time for me to head home, having had an excellent visit. I had planned on taking several days and take back roads home, but Bruce being in the hospital didn’t give us the time I had planned, and stayed a bit longer than I thought I would.
We visited more and then had lunch. The nurse mentioned that it would probably be better to have many small meals during the day, rather than the three usual meals. Bruce’s appetite has been off, so he doesn’t eat much at any meal. But today, he was eating more and feeling better. He lost about 40 pounds during this episode.
While he laid down for a nap, I played with Zack and then got the motor home ready for the road. I had to catch Zoey as she was really enjoying the freedom of roaming around outside and chasing squirrels and wild turkeys. She came out of the woods when I called her, but instinctively knew not to come all of the way to me, so went under a trailer and meowed at me. I coaxed her close with a turkey feather and then grabbed her. She didn’t complain as this is a little game she plays when she wants to control the situation. I put her in the motor home and then went to see if Bruce was awake yet.
He was napping in his chair and still asleep, but Rita woke him so we could say our goodbyes. Once he was fully awake, we went outside where Rita took some photos of us together with my new camera. I took a couple of photos of them and then we said goodbye, probably for the last time. It was all I could do to keep the floodgates closed, as I knew it would just make him feel bad.
During many of our visits we had discussed the prognosis and he has accepted the inevitable. He and Rita had thoroughly discussed the options, and other than being constantly sick from more chemo, which would only give him possibly another 10 to 12 months, he opted for being active and having a normal quality of life for the few months he has left. They had second and third opinions, but none of the doctors could promise any more than one to six months.
I admire Bruce’s strength and resolve as he is at peace with the decision and they have made all the necessary plans for the end. He doesn’t complain and gets no pity, which is the way he wants it. It’s harder on those of us that will continue on.
By two O’clock, we were on the road and I had charted a path that would take me to Superior/Duluth and across Minnesota, North Dakota, and Montana on US 2. Although there isn’t a lot of side trips or sight seeing, I had never been that far north and wanted to see what the land is like. After filling the tank near Bruce and Rita’s in Arkdale, I drove Hwy 21 to I-94 and went north. The terrain changed to more hills and rolling fields of corn and potatoes, and as an additional bonus, the trees are starting to show their fall colors. I hope to see more before I get into the flat plains of Dakota and eastern Montana.
We made it through Superior and Duluth, stopping along a railroad track to spend the night. I had driven 271 miles and it was now 7:30 PM. We had stopped to play at two different roadside rests and I played with Zack one last time before fixing my dinner and watching a tape. I rummaged through all the DVDs and VCR tapes that I had with me and found one of my mother’s and my trip back east during the summer of 2001. It was a tape made from the C size tapes I used in my Sony camcorder, so the entire trip wasn’t there. It ended with Fourth of July at Devil’s Tower in Wyoming and The Badlands. It brought back a lot of fond memories and I have promised myself to find and convert all of the tapes I have to DVD so I can enjoy and share them.
I went to bed around 10:30 and was only awakened three times by passing trains.

Thursday, September 17, 2009
I didn’t get up until 9:30, so had my coffee and a donut, wrote the above log and then studied the map to see how far I would get today. We didn’t depart until almost 11:30 and I will drive until dusk and then stop of the night.
We drove through Minnesota and the terrain changed from forests lining both sides of the road, to rolling farmland of crops. I caught a glimpse of lakes, but for the most part trees growing so thick that you couldn’t see beyond obscured them. I won’t see a change in the scene until I enter the northwest part of Montana where the mountains reach for the sky.
We drove into North Dakota, stopping in Rugby, ND, which also happens to be the geographical center of the North America, where we found an RV park for the night. We had driven for 8 ½ hours, covering 395 miles. I tried to get the dish to lock onto the satellite, but there were too many trees, so I’ll have to try again tomorrow at a different location. I was able to dump my holding tanks, which were approaching full, and fill my fresh water tank.
I listened to a book on tape while driving, and looked at the passing farms and small towns along the way. We stopped at a couple of roadside rests to play and for me to get a soda and use the bathroom, but otherwise drove the entire time. I am next to a gas station and will fill up in the morning, check out the monument for the center of North America, and then continue west across the plains and into Montana. I am keeping my cruise control set at 60 and 65, depending on traffic and the speed limit, but have hit quite a bit of roadwork that causes me to slow and or even stop for construction work.
I had some dinner, showered and then went to bed earlier than normal for me.

Friday, September 18, 2009
In the morning, I readied the motor home for travel and had some playtime with Zack before driving to the monument depicting the center of North America.
After taking some photos, I had a hearty breakfast at the café on the same corner as the monument, and then played with Zack one more time before driving west.
As we left North Dakota and entered the eastern plains of Montana, the terrain seemed to become more rolling, but still remained crops and farmland for as far as the eye could see. Driving the smaller, less traveled highways is less stressful than the Interstates, but heading due west causes a problem as the setting sun is directly in my eyes. The strain of trying to keep the sun from blinding you and still watching the on coming traffic takes a toll. I finally had to find a place to spend the night.
I found a pull off for a historical information sign that had a ton of space and was empty, so set up for the night. I showered and fix myself some dinner before retiring for the night.

Editors note: neither web site on the center of North America is correct on the monument location. It is currently in the parking lot of the Cornerstone Café, which is on the southeast corner of the intersection of US 2 and SD Hwy 3, and only flies the Canadian and American flag.

Saturday, September 19, 2009
After making my coffee and taking Zack out for potty and a short play period, we got on the road again. We were just east of Havre, MT, so were soon driving through town at a slow pace. Havre is a small town that has history and is known for its underground city. It is supposedly like the underground of Butte, which I wrote about a couple of years ago, but I have yet to tour it. It is also an Amtrak station for the train running east and west in the northern climes of the U.S., which is the closest passenger train station to Helena. I am amazed that Helena has a busy train terminal, but there isn’t a single passenger train servicing it.
We were soon out of Havre, driving south on Hwy 87 to Great Falls. We stopped at a roadside viewing area, read the posts, and took a few pictures before heading on. The country starts to change as we approach Great Falls and as soon as we drove through town and headed south on I-15, we left the rolling plains and were in the mountains. I drove straight to the Lincoln RV Park to store the motor home and unload the contents into the Jeep to take us home.
Zoey was perfectly happy to stay under the couch and continue sleeping, so I had to drag her out and put her in the car. She rode all the way home in my lap while occasional looking out the window to watch the landscape pass by. Zack could tell we were home and was getting anxious to run free.
We arrived at the cabin around 1:00 PM and Michele was there so we visited before I unloaded the Jeep. Joe came at about 6 PM and we all had grilled hamburgers for dinner. I showered and then we visited until about 10:30 before I had to go to bed and get some sleep. Constant driving for three days tends to take a toll on my rest, so I needed some extra sleep.

Sunday, September 20, 2009
Nothing like a good nights sleep in one’s own bed, not that the motor home bed isn’t comfortable, it’s just not the same.
I had managed to load everything into the Jeep and bring it home, except the food items and contents of the refrigerator, so I had inadvertently forgot to bring my coffee cone and filters home. I improvised and used my espresso maker to brew a cup of coffee.
Joe, Michele and I visited, played with Zack and generally took it easy all day long. Joe grilled some chicken breasts and we made sandwiches for our dinner. After watching a couple of television shows, they had to pack and make the trip back to town so they could begin their workweek.
Zack, Zoey and I were home and alone in the peace and quiet of our paradise once again. After watching a couple of television shows that I had prerecorded, I headed for bed and another good nights sleep.