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Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Look out Missouri!

Some of the Hofs and families will be descending upon Too and III this coming weekend. Himself and I can hardly wait to get there -- in fact, Himself will go down a day ahead to mow both places, as needed. I will have to work Friday but will take an extra day on Tuesday as The Fontanas are vacationing here from Illinois and 5 of our 6 beautiful grandbabes will be there too. Mrs. Frey, Son Hof and who knows who all will be in and out this weekend. We are looking forward to good times and good weather!

Labor Day is meant to be a day of celebration for the working man (and woman) but it seems to have become a symbol of the end of summer. I suppose because all the schools are starting, it is the end of summer for the children -- but it won't be me!

I will not be sad nor nostalgic as I will look forward to many good days in Mo this year. Happy Labor Day!

Sunday, August 19, 2007

A summer storm


The camera caught some of the rain drops, to my surprise!

Dog Days, II

We were up and at it fairly early today. Okay, I'll retract as I'm sure Himself will set the world straight, if I don't. I think I slept until 8:00 or so while Himself got up at 6 a.m. But, it didn't take me long to get started. So I worked on my garden and Himself held the porch down. I pulled garden fence posts and measured and straightened and rechecked for "square" and then Himself helped me reset two or three fence posts (pound in with a sledge hammer) as he told me I was a wimp. And I let him!

While I pulled and dug weeds out of the garden, Himself took breakfast duty even tho it was my turn so that by the time I was starving, there was bacon, eggs and toast and even fresh tomato! Bless his heart. Then, the day got so oppresive that we sat on the porch and watched while the sky closed in with thunderheads and the rumblings of thunder started off to the south. The clouds rolled through, the wind picked up and finally, while we waited, it just opened up and poured. Some lightening but more noise then anything -- and about 1/3 inch of rain but we enjoyed every drop of it.

If you are reading this backwards -- or from the middle out -- click Here to see video and hear the thunder!

III's Bounty

if you are reading this in 2008, click here to go back . . .



Dog Days

We arrived at III shortly after noon as we had to mow at Too this morning (it had rained Friday and the grass is wet). Saturday is on it's way to being a hot, humid dog day in MO. Himself has to mow both the clearing and the "top" so he is immediately on the mower and going at it. I jump in the Jeep and run to Bethany where I visit my favorite consignment shop and my unfavorite Wal-Mart. Upon my return, I find Himself at the cabin, waiting for me. Fortunately, for both of us, he has not waited long. He needs the Jeep and the jumper cables to get the mower started again. Darn mower, anyway. The mower starts and Himself goes off in the heat of the day to finish mowing the top. It is 90+ and humid with a heat index of 100, at least, and mowing is a hot, dirty job. I am not very ambitious but manage to set up my new sink resevoir, my new wash stand (a present from the children) and a few other odd jobs until the walkie talkie crackles and Himself is calling 911 for the Jeep and the battery cables again so off I go, at his beck and call! (I am not complaining! Here I come to save the day! Nancy is on her way!!)

Before going to town, I asked Himself if he needed a new battery for the mower. No. Okay.

Himself starts the mower again and off he goes, down the lane, headed back to the cabin. I am loaded with water containers so I take it easy and slow so as not to slosh but I soon catch up to him and the cantankerous mower. This time the belt has come off. Himself is busy, pushing, pulling, straining. At one point, I think he is about to push the mower over the edge of the ravine and let her roll! But the "otherside" sits in the Jeep with the air conditioner running, just pretty well entertained -- although I don't smile and I don't offer any comments or suggestions! Finally, the belt is on, the mower starts, and all is right with the world.

The rest of the day goes well, as long as one doesn't labor in the sun and drinks plenty of liquids. I pick tomatoes -- finally and eat them with barely a washing! We have supper and sit on the porch and wait for it to cool down. We have a long wait, this evening.

A tired, hot mower


Friday, August 10, 2007

BOI'S DEFENSE

OK, in defense of my actions pertaining to the outhouse dig, first of all it was hot and muggy. I wouldn't have minded helping except most of the time we discuss herself's projects before we (she) jumps in with both feet. As we hadn't gotten to III on a regular schedule this year, my first priority is to keep mowed what we have cleared. It usually takes 4-5 hours of steady mowing just to accomplish this and that's if there are no problems with the equipment, such as having to jump start equipment, fill flat tires, etc. And this does not include mowing the trails, which takes another up to 2 hours if all goes well, such as the belt coming off or getting stuck and having to be towed back by a maniac driving a 4-wheeler. Herself is not aware of the times the belt comes off the mower, and all the sticks, limbs, branches, etc that I have to stop and pick up. And unless it has just rained, I and the equipment are covered with dust and dirt and insects. So, yes, I , when I get done spending hours on the mowers, oh and I forgot, after I do all that mowing, I hook up the trail cutter, fill it with gas, check the oil, etc and go mow with that for an hour or two. So, when done, yeh, i'm ready for a shower and to get cooled off, and drink an ice cold beer. So while yes, my beautiful stubborn wife labored at the outhouse, and I do admire her for that, it wasn't that big a deal. She did her thing, I did mine. That's the way its supposed to be. Both jobs got done, we both survived, and most important of all, we're still talking.
Himself

Monday, August 06, 2007

Too's New Cornerstone


Etched in Stone, almost

Himself worked hard this weekend at Too. The old cabin had settled at the corners. She’s been droopy and needing a face lift for a few years. The porch has settled too, enough that the door won’t always open all the way and the porch has pulled away from the cabin.

This weekend was a preliminary “prep” weekend leading up to a bigger, better weekend this fall when it is cooler. We will pull the porch floor off, replace the porch columns, and pour concrete porch supports – and then put her all back together. If we are lucky. Or determined.

It was a bear of a weekend -- 90 degrees and humid. Just walking in the sun caused the sweat to pour from his brow so Himself worked in the shade, took advantage of the breeze and rested frequently. He got three of the supports done Saturday. Each support involved digging dry, packed Missouri dirt out from under the cabin (not to be mistaken nor compared with the impacted granite dust at III). There also would have been at least one cement block at each post, sometimes two -- which the cabin, plumbed and leveled, originally set on. They had settled and been sucked into the clay and had to be hacked out too.

My job this Saturday was to go to town for groceries, cement mix and, of course, the garage sales. After I returned, I was designated Tote and Fetcher (my Dad’s term) –the “go get this” “go do that” person but I am used to this role so I Toted and Fetched and helped however I could.


And at the cabin’s “corner stone”, Himself left a sweet surprise . . . the other side

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Lap of Luxury or is that "Seat of Luxury"?





















A while back, Himself received a battery-operated light bulb as a gift from Kristy and knew immediately where he would hang it. It looks realistic and almost fools the eye . . . and comes in right handy for those middle of the night runs.