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Post by freebirde on Apr 23, 2022 18:39:43 GMT -6
Did we change writers in mid stream or did yo leave off a letter. Thanks for the update. Suspect he could not access his account and had to create a new one to post. After things are straightened out, the mods should be able to combine or fix it.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Apr 23, 2022 19:32:35 GMT -6
Chapter 18
They heard the truck pull up and the sound of machines coming up the drive while they were still eating breakfast. Mark and three men got out of the crew cab and began taking out equipment while heavy equipment came into view, an excavator was first in line, followed by a Cat D7 dozer.
"Morning Mark, getting an early start?"
"Yeah, I wanted to mark the water line before the equipment got to tearing up the ground."
Hank watched for a little bit as the men ran the pipe finder from the well head and followed the waterline, marking it with a cam of marking paint on a wand. Once the line was marked, the excavator came forward and began digging up the first stump. Hank went back in and finished his breakfast.
Diane took his plate out of the warming oven and sat it in front of Hank, then warmed up his coffee.
"I forgot to tell you last night." Diane said. "I found the inventory for the storage room. It was on the shelf next to the radio area. Pretty much standard long-term storage staples and supplements. I'll like to order more fruits and drink mixes."
"Go ahead, we've got the room." Hank said.
Hank helped clean up then went outside. They had removed the stumps and had them laid aside. The Cat was leveling and filling the stump holes.
"You got anywhere to put the stumps?" Mark asked.
Hank showed him a small ravine running off to the west side of the plateau and told him to dump them there to help fill it in. Hank went back and watched with interest as the men re-staked the foundation perimeter and begin digging the trench. He finally went over and started splitting wood. A while later, Mark came over.
"Why don't you get a wood splitter?"
"It's good exercise. Maybe later, I'll get one, but for now this gives me a chance to think and plan."
"As soon as the masons get started, the other crew will start on the shop. Would you like a shed roof on the side? We have plenty of roofing."
"Yeah, do that. I'm sure it will come in handy."
"Oh and Tony Baker with Mid-Missouri Solar will be coming out Thursday to survey a site for the solar panel rack."
"Sounds good. By the way, do you know of any fuel distributors out this way?" Hank asked.
Mark thought a minute. I think there is one down in Washburn that delivers to farmers."
"Okay, I'll check them out."
Hank split wood until lunch and went to the cabin.
"Cornbread is almost done and the beans are hot." Diane said.
"Good, I'm hungry. Say, the trick you did to the beans worked. No gas at all."
"Diane grinned. "Yea for me!"
Hank grinned and kissed her on the cheek. "I know you did it in self-defense."
"Of course I did. This cabin is too small. You'd have had to string your hammock outside, otherwise. I'd miss my bed warmer."
Hank split and stacked wood for the rest of the afternoon, taking a break now and again to get a drink water and watch the workers complete the foundation preps. Mark said they would pour the concrete the next day Normally, they would have to let the concrete sit for a week to let it cure to 50% of its strength, but they would put in additives to make it cure faster. They would start the first of the next week adding the rock and building the chimneys. It made Hank and Diane impatient, even though the work was going quickly, so they decided to get away the next day to get away from the distraction. Diane had noticed some if the things they could stock up on could be bought in bulk at the Sam's Club in Springfield. Hank checked around and found a used, enclosed cargo trailer and got it tagged. They left the next day right after breakfast and headed to Springfield.
Diane had her shopping list on her phone and the Sam's Club app so they just started on the first aisle and looked. Hank picked up a pack of work gloves for men and Diane got a pack of women's. When they came to the paper goods, Diane had Hank load on four big 30-roll packs of toilet paper, four of paper towels, two big packs of paper plates, two of paper cups and two of bowls. The flat cart was almost full so they checked out through the app and went out to load the goods in the trailer.
"How much more are you planning to get?" Hank asked.
"Well, I want to get some non-iodized salt and check out the spices. Also, the toothpaste they had stored isn't in the best of shape." "Okay." Hank said. She seemed to have a handle on everything.
They picked up cases of tuna, chicken and freeze-dried hashbrowns. In the spice area, they found the non-iodized salt and got two 25-lb bags, large containers of peppercorns, several big bags of Stevia and containers of garlic and onion powder. They got to the health and hygiene section and Diane got several packs of feminine pads, toothpaste, dental floss, multiple vitamins, aspirin, twin packs of alcohol, hydrogen peroxide and various sizes of Band-Aids.
"You expecting a medical emergency?" Hank asked.
"No, I checked the medical storage and a lot of stuff is no good." Diane replied.
She also got bottles of zinc, potassium, Vitamin D, magnesium, Quercetin and Elderberry capsules. Last but not least, Diane picked up a beard trimmer for Hank.
After they packed everything in the trailer, Hank asked if there was anywhere else she needed to go.
"Let's get some lunch, then I want to stop by Bed Bath and Beyond and get a quality pepper grinder."
When they got back home the foundation forms were in and the workers were laying and tying rebar. Hank backed the trailer up to the door of the cabin and began unloading everything. The things that would be going into the shelter storeroom we set against the wall in the sitting area. Diane removed a few cans from each case and placed them in the cabinets.
"I'm making spaghetti for supper." Diane said.
"You need some help?"
"No, but you could make some tea if you don't mind . Tea bags are in the cabinet next to the sink."
Hank add a couple of pieces of firewood to the firebox and set a kettle of water on the stove. While he was waiting for the water to boil, Hank parked the trailer at the end of the woodshed and unhooked it. After parking the truck, he was walking back to the cabin when Mark caught him.
"Hank, we'll be pouring in the morning. The trucks will be here at 9:00 so if you need to get out, best git before then. The trucks will have you blocked in after that."
"Okay Mark, thanks."
Hank went in and the water was beginning to boil so was looking for something to brew the tea in when Diane handed him a metal pitcher.
"Make it in this, then when it has brewed and cooled, pour it in the glass jug and set it in the cooler."
"Yes ma'am, as you wish. Mark say's they'll be pouring concrete at 9:00 in the morning. If we need to get out to go somewhere, we need to be gone by then."
"Well you wanted to find a fuel distributor and I want to check out the flea markets to find more cast iron cookware."
"You don't have enough?"
"Mostly, but I'm looking for the old stuff. Sometimes the sellers don't know what they have."
"Well, that should take up most of the day. Cassville has almost as many flea markets and second hand stores as it has people." Hank let the tea steep for six minutes and pulled the tea bags out. He set the pitcher aside to cool some more and picked up his tablet. He found the address for the fuel distributor and wrote it down.
"Diane, did you order the furniture?"
Diane came over to the table with her tablet and sat down beside him.
"Yes, I ordered the Barnloft Trestle Table; Abe Dining Chairs; a 3 Door Hutch; four Americana Beds, one King and three full with pull-out drawers; five Bedstands; five Chests; a Dresser; three Sleigh Bed Seats and a blanket chest. For the Family Room I ordered the four Card Room Club Chairs with ottomans and two Tanner sofas, a coffee table and four occasional tables. I'll need to find lamps. Do you think Mark can put in outlets for the lamps into the floors where I need them?"
"Just show him on the floorplan where you want them and he'll get them installed. He'll need to know the length of the sofas though. You know it sort of limits where you can move the couches in the future in case you get a furniture moving bug."
"I know that. And I don't get those cravings."
The tea had cooled enough to pour into the glass jug. Hank filled the jug, screwed on the lid and sat it down in the swirling water. He waited a minute to make sure the jug didn't crack from the contraction of the warm glass going into the cold water. Diane was stirring the spaghetti sauce and held up the spoon for him to taste.
"Hmmm, that is good."
"I made it all from the long term storage foods. Tomato powder, spices, freeze-dried ground beef, freeze-dried onion and garlic."
"Good. Where did you learn to do that?"
"Where was a box with a cookbook in it for using the storage foods."
"Well, we should start using the foods and rotate them too." Hanks said.
"Way ahead of you lover. I'm ordering supplemental cans of LTS foods tomorrow."
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Post by gipsy on Apr 23, 2022 20:55:17 GMT -6
Back on track.
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Post by udwe on Apr 23, 2022 21:33:53 GMT -6
Cool!
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ydderf2
Member
"I'm from the government and here to help" hahahaha
Posts: 321
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Post by ydderf2 on Apr 24, 2022 8:46:49 GMT -6
Thanks
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Post by imahic on Apr 24, 2022 15:03:57 GMT -6
Awesome! Thanks.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Apr 24, 2022 18:59:11 GMT -6
Chapter 19
Hank stopped splitting wood and watched the men working on the shop building.
"Hey Hank! David here says Diane looks just like Brittany Bristow." Mark grinned.
"Who is Brittany Bristow?"
"She's been in several of those Hallmark movies on TV."
"Well, I don't watch TV so I wouldn't know."
"I swear, she's the spittin' image of that girl!" David said.
"We'll be finished with this by tomorrow afternoon. If you want pegboard hung up we can do it but you'll need to go get it." Mark said.
"Yeah, I might just do that. I'll be at the Lowe's in Hollister in the morning when they open. I noticed you put in the pipe for the septic and water lines under the foundation."
"Yeah, it was easier to put them under the foundation wall. They are just short lengths. We'll add the rest later when the plumbers get started.
Hank watched as the men began assembling scaffolding and went back to splitting and stacking wood. He was almost finished with the seasoned wood and would start on the green wood and stack it for next year.
He went in for lunch and the cabin smell of fresh baked bread.
"You've been busy." Hank said, kissing Diane on the cheek.
"I made chicken salad. Do you want a sandwich made with fresh bread?"
"That would be nice."
Hank washed his hands and face at the sink and dried them off. Taking a glass out of the cupboard, he poured himself a glass of tea. "I need to go to the Lowe's in Hollister in the morning. I want to be there when they open at 7:30. Do you want to go?"
"Not that early! Anyway, I need to go to the laundromat in the morning. I can't wait until we have our own house. Is that solar guy still coming this afternoon?"
"As far as I know. He's supposed to be here at 1:00."
"They took the fire pit away." Diane said sadly.
"I'm sorry, yes they had to, but I have a place picked out for a new one and there's a guy selling handmade yard furniture down at Blue Eye Junction. We can go down and pick up whatever you want."
"Okay, I guess we have our own memories to make, but I want to keep Jarvis' chair."
"I will." Hank promised.
Tony Baker of Mid-Missouri Solar arrived promptly at 1:00. Mark and Hank were talking when Tony drove up.
"Hey Mark!"
"Hey Tony, I'd like you to meet Hank Tyson, the owner of the house."
"Good to meet you Hank." Tony said, shaking Hank's hand.
"This is a nice place to put a home. So, you want to go off-grid. Do, you want a grid-tied system?"
"Absolutely not! They want to charge me an arm and a leg to run power up here. It would take me years to come out ahead selling power back to them. I don't need the money or aggravation."
"Very well. Okay, well, I need a set of plans so I can figure out how much power you'll need."
Mark went to get Tony a set of plans while Tony and Hank walked around the immediate property to select a site to place the solar panel rack. Tony had an app on his tablet that showed the area and he zoomed in on the property.
"This area is perfect for what we need, however, we would need to remove these two trees there, and there." Tony said.
"That's fine." Hank said. "I've been thinking about a raised bed garden in this area too. I can clear it out for the panels as I go."
"There's two ways we can do this." Tony said. "We can go with a stationary mount, which is cheaper, or we can go with a solar tracking system, which is more efficient."
"How is that?"
"The panels actually track the sun throughout the day, giving you more kilowatt hours."
"Then let's do that." Hank said. "How about when it's cloudy? How much power will I be able to capture?"
"Well, obviously during cloudy days they won't produce as much power, and the problem is, I've seen it go for a couple of weeks before we see the sun sometimes in the winter. I recommend using a wind generator to augment the panels."
"Will it be running while the panels are charging the battery bank too?"
"It could, but we have a unique system available. The bank we are designing for you will have five days of power storage until it needs recharging. However, we have a wind generator and tower that will be perfect for this area. The generator tower is collapsible and only extends when it gets dark. A light sensor trips an electric motor that raises the tower. You see, when the sun goes down, the heat rises in the low areas, causing winds to come up the hollows and the ridges. That is when the generator is most effective. While the sun is down, the generator is recharging the battery bank. When the sun comes up, the generator collapses down and the solar panels take over. Even if you have no sun during the day, the wind generator takes care of the charging at night."
"What about when there's snow on the ground? Wouldn't the snow reflected the energy?"
"Yes, but look around you. The trees absorb the heat and you will still have that release. And also, there will be a small diesel generator that will come on if the banks happen, in very rare cases, not to be getting a charge from the other two sources."
"Well let's do this!"
"Do you have room set aside in the house for a battery bank and the inverters?"
"No, I didn't think of that."
"Well, we can put everything in a separate building next to the house. You'll just need to build the building."
"Well, since you're working with Mark, just tell him what size you need and he can build it."
"Well, he and I have done this before, so it's a piece of cake. I'll get this started on this right away. Is there anything else you need?"
"Yes, now that you mention it, I'd like a smaller system in that shop they are building over there." Hank said.
They walked over and took a look at the building.
"Sure, we can mount panels on the roof and it would handle most anything unless you're going to be running heavy power tools."
"No, maybe just handheld stuff. Nothing heavy duty."
"Okay, I'll add that to my list."
Tony got his plans, talked to Mark and Hank for a few more minutes then left.
"Are you going to have any problems with building another building for the solar equipment?" Hank asked.
"Not at all. That is always on my list of probabilities when we do a project like this. We already have the materials on hand. It will be stained and sealed the same as the other buildings. All I need is for you to pick the location."
Hank showed him where to put it and how he wanted to orient it in relation to the house. Mark took his notes and went to talk to the foreman.
Hank was back by 9:30 the next morning with the 4'x8' pegboard sheets and every variety of pegboard hanger Lowe's had. The crew was still placing the log siding on but three of the men were available to begin putting the pegboard on the walls.
"We'll be finished to today. I already have a trailer loaded with the materials for the battery house. They'll start on it tomorrow." Mark said.
"Mark, I meant to ask you, when they put in the piles for the shop, they trenched down and put in wire below ground. What was that for?"
"That's a technique we find the customers appreciate. You see, skunks, raccoons and other wild critters like to use the undersides of buildings to build their homes. It's a nuisance, especially if it's skunks. We put that in so they can't dig out under the building."
"Sounds good. Thanks."
For the next three weeks, the steady sound of generators charging batteries was a constant, along with the sounds of nail guns and vehicles coming and going. Hank found it was interesting to watch the masons building the façade of rock on the foundation and build the chimneys. Each mason had a helper who selected the next rock to be put in place. They almost always selected the very rock needed. The fuel tank arrived and was filled with 500 gallons of premium highway diesel fuel. Now, Diane wanted to trade in her S-10 in for a diesel powered vehicle and was searching the internet for a used vehicle.
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ydderf2
Member
"I'm from the government and here to help" hahahaha
Posts: 321
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Post by ydderf2 on Apr 24, 2022 19:21:36 GMT -6
Thanks
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Post by gipsy on Apr 24, 2022 19:56:53 GMT -6
Thanks for the update.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Apr 25, 2022 4:12:04 GMT -6
Chapter 20
Diane picked up anything that advertised vehicles for sale and was having no luck finding anything anywhere close by. Hank asked some of the workman to keep an eye out for something. The men liked Diane, especially her cooking. She was always cooking something and bringing it out when they took a break. They loved her sweet rolls she often made and their mouths would be watering when they were cooking, like today. One of the men mentioned a neighbor of his had a 1994 Jeep Cherokee XJ 4×4 with a Cummins 4BT Engine he had restored. He had gotten Lyme disease and couldn't drive anymore. He'd tried selling the vehicle but wanted more than people around the area could pay.
"You say it is restored?" Hank asked.
"All the way down to the lug nuts. Repainted in the original color, leather seats, everything. I wish I could afford it."
Hank got the information from the guy and went in to talk to Diane.
She was just pulling out the second pan of cinnamon rolls as he walked in.
"One of the masons says a neighbor has a restored 1994 Jeep Cherokee XJ 4×4 with a Cummins 4BT Engine for sale."
"Is it diesel?"
"Uh….the Cummins 4BT engine is diesel."
"Okay, can we go and look at it?"
"Whenever you want. Now this may be a stick shift."
"I can drive a manual. When are the guys taking a break? I need these rolls to cool down about ten minutes so I can ice them." "I'll go ask." Hank said, going out the door.
Hank went over to the mason foreman and asked when they were taking a break.
"Diane made rolls and they'll be ready in about fifteen minutes."
"All right, cinnamon rolls in fifteen minutes." The foreman shouted out.
Some of the men had just made up more mortar so those who needed more came over and helped them use it up so it wouldn't set up. Fifteen minutes later, Diane and Hank came out with two pans of cinnamon rolls, still warm and freshly iced. Hank went back in and came back with paper coffee cups and a large camp coffee pot with steaming coffee. The men lined up at the picnic table in their little break area and ate both pans before they went back to work.
"I guess they enjoyed them," Diane giggled. "When can we go look at the Jeep?"
"Whenever you want."
"Let me wash the dishes and let's go."
"I'll help you."
They went to the address Hank was given and knocked on the door. A middle aged woman answered.
"Yes, can I help you?"
"Yes ma'am. Harold Carter told us about a Jeep you might have for sale."
"Please, come on in. "I'm Martha Taylor. I'll take you in to my husband."
She led them into a cozy den where a man was sitting in a recliner.
"Joe, these people are here about the Jeep."
Joe slowly lowered the footrest on the recliner and sat up.
"Who might you be?"
"I'm sorry, I'm Hank Tyson and this is my wife Diane. Harold Carter, who I believe is a neighbor of yours, mentioned you might have a Jeep Cherokee for sale."
"Yep, I do. Martha, where's my cane?"
Martha brought over his cane and he slowly stood up.
"I'm not moving around too good these days. I got Lyme disease last year during hunting season and it has messed me up bad. Had to go on disability. Can't do much these days. Follow me on out to the shop."
Hank and Diane followed him out to the shop. Hank had to lift the garage door and there sat a beautiful red Jeep Cherokee.
"Oh My!" Diane said."
"Purty, ain't she?"
"She is at that." Hank said.
Joe took some keys off the shelf and handed them to Hank.
"Go ahead and pull her outside." Joe said.
Hank got in the Jeep, smelling the rich leather, inserted the key and watched for the light. When he started the engine, it started right up. Hank put it in gear and rolled it out into the sunshine. He shut it down and let Diane get in.
"So you restored this yourself?" Hank asked Joe.
"Yep, I bought this off a woman over in Shell Knob. It only had 74,000 miles on it when her son blew the engine. They rolled it in a barn and it set there for a few years. It was a standard model with a 4.0 liter, in-line six-cylinder engine and five speed manual transmission. I pulled the engine, dropped in a rebuilt 4BT, got the seats done and got 'er repainted. I can't drive no more and I need to sell it."
"How much are you asking?"
"$9,000."
Hank knew that was a little high but he'd done a beautiful job restoring it and a used 4BT 3.9L diesel engine wasn't cheap.
"Can we take it for a test drive?"
"Shore. Come on up to the house when you get back."
Hank got into the passenger seat and Diane started the engine. She pulled out onto the highway and shifted through the gears.
"How does it feel?"
"It feels good. No shaking, no rattling. I like it. The smell is like your soap."
"Get up some speed and see how it does, then check the brakes."
Diane put the Cherokee through its paces until Hank told her to pull over into an abandoned store. He got out, lifted his shirt and pulled off a money belt. Sitting in the seat, he pulled out a pack of $100 bills, still with its currency strap and extracted ten, folding them and putting them in his shirt pocket.
"How much is he asking? Diane asked.
"Nine thousand dollars."
They turned around and went back to Joe's place and parked behind Hank's truck. Hank knocked on the door again and heard Joe shout, "Come on in!"
Hank followed Diane in and sat down by Joe.
"We'll take it." Hank said, and began counting the bills out for Joe.
Joe called for Martha to bring him the title, which he signed and handed to Hank.
"I appreciate this Joe." Hank said.
"I appreciate you payin' in cash. Saves me a trip to the bank."
They said their good byes and walked out to the vehicle.
"We might as well go by the DMV and get the title registered and get plates. You go ahead and I'll follow you." Hank said.
A grinning Diane got into the Cherokee and headed to Cassville, followed by Hank.
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Post by gipsy on Apr 25, 2022 7:40:25 GMT -6
Thanks for the update.
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Post by udwe on Apr 25, 2022 16:14:01 GMT -6
Awesome!
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Post by ncsfsgm on Apr 25, 2022 18:38:51 GMT -6
Chapter 21
When they returned to Piney Creek the masons were all grinning.
"A PURTY JEEP FOR A PRETTY LADY!" One of the masons shouted.
"Wow! That's a nice looking Cherokee." Mark said.
"Excuse me Mark, I want to show Diane how to fuel it up." Hank said.
Hank walked to the fuel tank with Diane slowly following him in the Jeep. He directed her how to park at the tank and showed her how to fuel the vehicle. Of course, she knew how to fuel it, she just wasn't familiar with the pump system. Once she had topped the vehicle off she drove the Jeep back up and combat parked it next to Hank's truck, then walked over to where Mark and Hank were talking.
"They'll start off on the floor tomorrow and Tony's coming down to install the PV panels and equipment in the shop." "Great! I can't wait to watch the walls go up!" Diane said.
One of the masons walked up.
"Miss Diane, are you intending on selling your S10?"
"Yes I am."
"How much are you askin' for it?"
"I'll take $3800 for it."
The man rubbed his chin. "I can't pay that much for it. Would you take something in trade too?"
"What do you have?" Diane asked.
"I've got a wood splitter I paid $1400 for two years ago. My old lady made me put in propane heat and I don't have much use for it anymore."
Diane did the math in her head. "Okay, I'll take $2890 and the splitter and the truck is yours."
The man grinned and stuck out his hand for Dane to shake it. "You've got a deal!" I'll bring the splitter with me tomorrow. It's towable." "And I'll have the title ready for you." Diane said.
The mason went back to cleaning up the area where he had been working.
"Was that a good deal?" Hank asked.
"Yep." Diane replied. "The truck had 130,000 miles one it and that's the going price for the wood splitter even if we have to replace a couple of hoses. This will help you get the wood split faster. We're going to have a lot of work to do if we're going to put in the raised beds before Spring."
"Speaking of which, I need to go down to the True Value and get a chainsaw. I have to start cutting the trees to clear out for the PV racks. I'm going to go ahead and clear out the trees for the raised bed garden while I'm at it."
"Well, get me one too, maybe one with a 16" or 18" guide. I can help trimming and cutting up the tree." Diane said.
"Okay, I'll head out now."
Hank took off but stopped by the old garage and got two five gallon gas cans and put them in the back of the truck. Thirty minutes later he was pulling up in front of the hardware store. They had Husqvarna saws, a brand he like. He got one with a 26" bar, one with a 16" bar, spare blades, oil, bar and chain oil, two gallon mixing cans, safety helmets with ear and eye protection and safety chaps for him and Diane. Hand stopped by the Conoco and filled the five gallon cans with regular gas and headed home.
A truck was off-loading lumber for the floor and pallets of plywood. Hank maneuvered around the truck and parked next to Diane's Jeep. Diane came out to meet him.
"Perfect!" She said when she saw the safety equipment. "I was afraid you wouldn't remember."
"Well, if it was just me, I would have skipped it. I didn't want you to be hurt."
"Well, I don't want you to be hurt either so you make sure you wear it."
"Yes ma'am."
Diane helped him carry everything to the shop and put it away.
When they went into the cabin, he saw that Diane had the computer out and had been ordering LTS supplies. Her list was on the table so Hank read it.
Orange drink mixes powered white milk powdered chocolate milk Apple drink mix peach drink mix fruit punch tea bouillons Isotonic drink powders
"The Isotonic drink powders we'll need to keep rotated. They don't store as long." Diane said. "For fruits I ordered dried apple slices, apple dices and apple sauce. Freeze dried blackberries, dehydrated blueberries, peach dices, freeze dried pineapple chunks, and freeze dried strawberries. We can add more things as we go along. Also they had wheat down in the storage room but no way to grind it to make flour so I ordered a non-electric grain mill."
"Well, we will have power, for a while at least."
"I thought you might say that so I ordered a power kit to power the mill while we have power."
"What are these things?"
freeze dried salmon fillets freeze-dried shredded Monterey Jack Cheese freeze-dried shredded Parmesan Cheese freeze-dried corned beef freeze dried ground beef freeze-dried Top Round Beef Cubes
"They are some things I wanted to try. If we like them, we can order more for storage and use local meat as long as it's available."
"Good. No use storing things we don't like to eat." Hank said.
The tea kettle on the stove began to whistle. Diane went over and picked up the kettle and measured out water in a measuring cup and poured it into a pot. Picking up a spoon, she gave the contents a good stir, placed a lid on the pot and set a timer.
"What are you making?" Hank asked.
"I'm trying the freeze-dried lasagna from the LTS foods. Dinner will be ready in thirteen minutes."
"Okay." Hank said, getting up to wash his hands.
Diane sliced bread and laid it on the cookstove top to toast. Getting out the Tupperware container of garlic butter out of the cooler, she flipped the bread so it would toast evenly.
The timer dinged and Diane gave the pot another stir, tasted it, added a little oregano, re-covered the pot, and set the timer for another four minutes. When the toast was done, Hank generously spread the garlic butter on the bread and placed it on a plate. When the timer dinged again, Diane dished out the lasagna onto the plates and sat them on the table. Hank took a bite of the lasagna.
"You know, this is pretty good!" Hank said, taking another forkful and a bite of the garlic toast.
"Spices are the key. I want to make sure we have all the spices we'll ever use. They can take the blandest meal and make it taste good." Diane said.
"Well, make sure we keep the lasagna in stock. This is good!"
They finished their meal and together, cleaned up the few dishes and pans they had used. Diane went back to the computer to finish her orders and Hank sat in his chair and read stories from an Post-Apocalyptic web site.
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Post by gipsy on Apr 25, 2022 21:17:24 GMT -6
Thanks for the update.
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Post by udwe on Apr 25, 2022 22:06:14 GMT -6
Great story!
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sfsgm
New Member
Posts: 3
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Post by sfsgm on Apr 26, 2022 10:33:06 GMT -6
Chapter 22
Diane and Hank were just finishing breakfast when they heard the crews pull up and the generator start. Diane washed and Hank dried, soon finishing the cleanup. Diane got on her work clothes and they headed to the shop where she loaded up the equipment into the cargo box on the Gator while Hank mixed up the fuel and oil. They drove the short distance to the first tree and put on their safety gear. Hank filled the two saws with fuel and bar oil and cranked them both. They cleared a few small trees and brush from around the tree and Hank put his saw to the oak and soon had it laying on the ground. While Diane was trimming the limbs off that tree, Hank skipped a tree to get some distance from Diane and cut it down. They worked through the morning and had a pretty good area cleared out, except for the trimmed limbs. They would take care of that later. Hank got the timber jack out of the cargo box and jacked a log to begin cutting it into firewood size lengths.
"Wait!" Diane shouted.
Hank cut the saw off and looked at her.
"Malcom was supposed to bring the wood splitter with him. We could split the wood down here and use the trailer to haul it back up. It would be a lot easier to move around if it's not in such big pieces."
"That's a thought. Let's take a break and go see him. Do you have the truck title?"
"It's on the counter."
They put the saws and the jack back in the cargo box and drove up to the building site. They found Malcom and he'd brought the splitter. It looked in remarkable condition.
"I kept it out of the weather so she's in good shape. I fired it up yesterday when I got home and it started right up."
Malcom set the throttle, pulled the rope and it started right up. Shutting it down, Diane handed him the title and Malcom handed Diane the cash.
"This splitter comes at a good time." Diane said. "We're cutting some trees now."
"Well, the splitter will come in right handy," Malcom said.
Hank and Malcom hooked the splitter to the back of the Gator and Diane jumped in. They set the splitter next to the log Hank was going to cut up and Diane got the timber jack back out.
"If you can jack the log up, for me, I can be cutting the lengths while you do the splitting." Diane said.
"Deal." Said Hank, taking the jack and raising the log for cutting. Hank raised the splitter and started the Briggs and Stratton engine and as soon as Diane had cut the first length, Hank rolled it out of the way and readjusted the jack so she could cut two lengths before he had to move the jack. He rolled the chunk of wood under the splitter and it split the chunk into three pieces, which were a little big so he split those. He looked over at Diane and she was already moving the jack and easily lifted the log up and was cutting again. Hank continued splitting. When she had finished with that log, she cut some of the bigger limbs into firewood size pieces. She came back over and Hank stopped splitting.
"Im going to take the Gator up and get the trailer while you finish this tree. I can be loading wood while you are splitting. Hank nodded and continued splitting.
When they stopped for lunch, they drove the Gator back to the cabin. Diane noticed the masons were still there, even though their work was done. They were all standing in a tight group about twenty five feet from the house foundation, seemingly waiting for them. Hank drove up to the group and Diane got out. The group slowly parted, revealing a newly built fire pit built with the river rock.
"Oh My God!" Diane squealed. "Thank you guys! Thank you so much!"
"We wanted to thank you for all the sweet rolls and coffee you made for us."
The foreman had asked Hank if they could build the firepit as a surprise for Diane and Hank agreed. One added thing was an adjustable firepit grate with two hook arms that could be swiveled out of the way. You could cook on the grate, hang a Dutch oven or a coffee pot over the fire. Around the pit was a 12' circular bed of limestone gravel.
"Oh, I wish I had been able to make you guys rolls this morning, but we got kind of busy." Diane said.
"No need ma'am. We appreciate what you have done already."
"Well thank you so much. I've missed our firepit."
The masons left and Hank and Diane walked over to the foundation. The sill plates were down and they were putting the joists in. They watched for a couple of minutes then went into the cabin to make sandwiches for lunch.
"When can we have a fire in the pit?" Diane asked.
"It needs to sit a couple of days to let the mortar harden." Hank replied.
"Okay, can we just clear out the area for the solar panels then go down to Blue Eye Junction and get the chairs?"
"Sure. We can have that area cleared out easily in a day or two."
The finished the PV rack area just in time. Tony and his men came with trucks and a Ditch Witch to dig a trench for the power cables to the house. While two guys were digging the trench, two were digging the holes for the posts and three were assembling the rack and panels. Hank liked the single pole rack mount. It was high enough above the ground where he could get under it to clean weeds out. Hank went back up to the cabin to find Diane manhandling a 2 quart graniteware coffee pot onto the stove.
"Where in the world did you get that?" Hank asked.
"I found in the storage room, or rather, I read the inventory and went and got it, something you should do."
"Yeah, I guess I should take the time. Anyway, what are you doing?"
"I'm going to make a pot of coffee, you are going out to the fire pit and make a fire-it's been two days-I'm going to hang the coffee pot over the fire to keep it warm, lay out a tube of coffee cups, a jar of Cremora and a container of honey near the pit, then you'll hitch up the trailer and we are going down to Blue Eye Junction."
"I'll go build the fire and hitch up the trailer." Hank said.
When the coffee was ready, Hank had a good bed of coals started and added a couple of more sticks of wood to the fire. He carried the pot out to the firepit, adjusted one of the arms, and hung the pot up. Diane went over and told Mark and he immediately came over and poured a cup.
"Mark, we're headed over to Blue Eye Junction to pick up some chairs. We'll be back in a while."
"Okay. Thanks for the coffee."
When they got to the Junction, they guy had his wares displayed on a pull-off on the east side of the intersection. Diane was like a kid in a candy store. She picked out four chairs, four small side tables and a heavy-duty 8' picnic table. All were made of cedar. On the way home, Hank went on in to the True Value and got some epoxy sealer, a gallon of spar varnish, brushes and small buckets and a stain that Diane picked out that would match the house. When they pulled in at the house, Hank drove to the shop and they unloaded everything under the lean-to roof for Hank to put the finish on.
"When can we start using the furniture?"
"Let's give it a couple of days. Are you going to help me?"
"Sure, as long as you don't mind sandwiches for lunch."
"Let's do this then."
They let the stain dry for the recommended time, even staining Jarvis' chair along with them. They finished up with the epoxy sealer just as he sun started going down.
"We've been lucky the weather had been cool and dry." Diane said.
"Yeah, we're supposed to get a few more days of this."
"What about soup and grilled cheese for supper."
"Sounds good to me."
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Post by gipsy on Apr 26, 2022 11:03:28 GMT -6
Thanks for the update.
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ydderf2
Member
"I'm from the government and here to help" hahahaha
Posts: 321
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Post by ydderf2 on Apr 26, 2022 14:30:56 GMT -6
Thanks
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Post by udwe on Apr 26, 2022 16:27:25 GMT -6
Thank you!
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Post by ncsfsgm on Apr 27, 2022 5:48:58 GMT -6
Chapter 23
The next morning Diane began putting the spar varnish on the furniture while Hank continued cutting up logs. He cut them and left them where they lay and would come back later to split it. Diane came down with her safety gear on a while later and took over cutting the logs. Hank went and got the trailer and began splitting wood and tossing it in the trailer. By lunch, the logs they had cut were all cut to firewood length and all that was left to do was split, for now. They went back up to the cabin for lunch and saw the first load of logs and a crane had arrived. They quickly ate ham and cheese sandwiches then went back out to watch the first log laid in place. They watched with interest as the first course of logs were laid down, the dovetail notches fitting perfectly.
"We can't get anything done standing here with our hands in our pockets. Let's get the rest of the wood split. I need to go pick some 6" trees out to make the beds out of."
"How are you going to build them?"
"Did you see how the logs on the house are going together? I'll do them like that, make dovetails to hold them then screw the logs together, but I have a lot of work to do first."
"How many trees are you going to cut?"
"It depends .I'll need ten 6"x8' logs and ten 6"x5' logs for each bed, and we wanted six beds. Plus, I want to take the bark off the logs so they won't rot so quick."
"Well, let's get busy."
They finally got the wood up from the clearing and when the dumped the last trailer load of wood, Hand dropped the trailer and towed the splitter back up to the shed. They both began stacking the split green wood between two trees, making eight foot tall stacks. They finally took a break and walked up to the house to check out the construction. While Diane was talking to Mark, Hank went off to the side and called Heritage Tractor and another dump trailer. They said they had a trailer but it would take another week to get in another Gator like he had purchased before. Hank asked about a log dolly and they said they could order it and it would be a week also. Hank made the order, put a payment down and went over to Mark and Diane.
"….classic 'D' 8"x8" logs." Mark was explaining. "The outside of the log is rounded and the inside wall is flat."
"Mark, what's the best way to remove bark from a log?" Hank asked.
"A bark spud and a draw knife." They make chainsaw attachments but they leave rough spots on the logs. A spud or a draw knife will allow you to get between the bark and the log and strip the bark right off. You want them made of high quality steel too. We use Biber 9.5 inch drawknives. They have a slightly concave blade and don't need to be sharpened as often. They are hand-forged in Austria. We get them from Wisemen Trading and Supply down in Alabama. I believe they have a website. Now the spuds, we use the Timber Tuff spuds. You planning to strip some logs?"
"Yeah, we're going to build some raised beds for our garden and I want to use logs with the Half-dovetail notch like on the house."
"Do you know how to make a half-dovetail notch?"
"No, but I'll figure it out." Hank said.
"Well, let me save you a log or two and some frustration. Even we use a jig. I'll have one of the guys at the plant make you a jig. Are you using 8" logs?
"Yeah."
"Perfect. I'll have you one made and show you how to use it. The half dovetail is superior to the other notches because in the event any water makes it into the notch, the slope of the notch always directs the water straight away to the outside face of the log to keep the water from being trapped and causing the log to rot. I've seen garden beds made that way before. All you need to do is to staple landscape fabric on the inside of you bed to keep roots from getting to the wood. They will last for years."
"I appreciate it Mark."
"I'm going to run and get some groceries." Diane.
"Need some help?" Hank asked.
"No, I've got it."
"What is that log they are putting up now?" Hank asked.
"They are starting on the second floor. Those notches, spaced 16' on center, are for the floor joists."
"Will the joists show?"
"No, the plan calls for bead board on the ceilings."
"Well, I'll get out of your hair. I've got a little more wood to split." Hank said.
Diane made her delicious meatloaf that evening.
"I wonder why Jarvis didn't have a wood stove in here." Diane commented.
"He didn't need it. The cookstove provided enough heat for a cabin this size. In our house, there is more floorspace than the single cookstove could handle easily. You'll see, it will be comfortable. I added an exhaust hood that we can turn the fan on and pull the heat outside in the summertime and in the winter and cooler days, will help warm the house."
"What do you have on for tomorrow?" Diane asked.
"I guess I could split more wood."
"I saw a flyer in the grocery store about an estate sale up in Jenkins. Can we go to that?"
"Sure. What time does it start?"
"At 9:00."
"Okay, we'll go then."
Actually, the estate sale was at a farm north of Jenkins along Flat Creek. It being in the middle of the week, there weren't many people there. Diane found lots of older cast iron cookware and things they could decorate their new home with. Hank bought a Savage Model 24 in good condition and an L.C. Smith SxS hammerless shotgun. Hank picked up a few garden tools in good condition including a couple of mattock hoes. They only spent about an hour there and went back home.
The second story of the house was going up quickly. Hank was guessing they were only a couple of courses from the top of the wall. Several workers were assembling the rafter log sections and had the purlins ready. They should have the roof on in a couple of days.
Hank saw Mark talking to one of the men and walked over.
"Mark, how are the electrical outlets handled?"
"Come over here and you can look through the door. The second course of logs have a channel routed out through them. The electricians have already routed out the box inserts and have the wire running through them now, as you can see. The channels for switches are drilled as they go. See the wires sticking out of the log next to the door?""
"Oh, okay."
Diane was sorting out the cast iron.
"Can you build a big fire in the firepit? I want to clean the old seasoning off of these and re-season them."
"Okay, I'll do it right now." Hank said.
Hank got a good fire going and when it was down to coals, helped Dian carry out the pots and pans to the pit. The laid them down on the coals then piled more wood on top. In a couple of hours they could pull them out to let them cool. Diane would then wash, then cover them in bacon grease and put them in the oven to season them. She would do this at least three times. They sat beside the firepit long after the workers had gone, enjoying the cool evening.
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Post by gipsy on Apr 27, 2022 5:59:30 GMT -6
Thanks for the update.
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Post by freebirde on Apr 27, 2022 6:45:25 GMT -6
The last I burnt the old seasoning off our cast iron and cleaned them, my wife thought I had bought new ones. As part of regular maintenance, you need to do this every ten to twenty years.
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Post by udwe on Apr 27, 2022 14:10:18 GMT -6
This is such a great story!
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ydderf2
Member
"I'm from the government and here to help" hahahaha
Posts: 321
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Post by ydderf2 on Apr 27, 2022 15:21:47 GMT -6
Thanks
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Post by ncsfsgm on Apr 27, 2022 22:57:37 GMT -6
Chapter 24
Hank surprised Diane when he took the trailer and picked up the second Gator, the trailer and the log dolly. They could haul twice as much wood now and haul the logs up to the top of the ridge to debark them. Even Diane worked at stripping the bark off the logs with the drawknife. Hank would get the most of the bark off with the bark spud and Diane would clean it up with the drawknife. Using the jig Mark brought him, the half-dovetail notches were easy to cut with the chainsaw. They built the first raised bed under the lean-to roof then disassembled it and stored it in the wood shed. Before they installed them in the garden area, the logs would be treated with epoxy sealer.
While they worked, the builders were steadily working on their home. The septic system was put in, the power system was in and being tested, plumbing in and tested. Hank was amazed at the sun tracker panel system. You could almost see the two large panels tracking the sun throughout the morning. Of course, he didn't have the time to stand there and watch, but if you only gave them an occasional glance, you could tell they had moved.
The last sheets of the "Evergreen" shade roofing were going on the porte-cochère and cabin. The wood cook stove and the Family Room stove arrived and were set in place and plumbed to the water system. They had to place a special mixing valve in the kitchen because he water coming out of the wood cook stove was hot enough to scald a hog. They had finished hooking up the low energy whole house fan that would keep air circulating throughout the house when the weather was warm and there was no breeze. It was probably not necessary because they seemed to never lack a breeze here. Each bedroom and the rec room upstairs also had low-watt air conditioners using DC inverter technology and a built-in dehumidifier they could use when needed. Double pane windows were installed and Diane was ready to move in right then, but there were still things that had to be done. It still looked like they could be in before Christmas.
The day came when the chinking began. Hank had watched a few YouTube videos on log cabin building and they were doing something he hadn't seen. Instead of filling in the areas between the logs with the plastic looking stuff he'd seen on the videos, they were mixing up something like mortar. He asked Mark about it.
"We use fine builders sand with pre-died concrete. A strip of foam insulation is placed in between the logs as they are laid down. That keeps air from infiltrating. The Chinking on the outside keeps water and air out. The way the logs are milled, we won't need chinking on the inside. We like our mixture because it has no petroleum based products and it's easier to clean up. I think it lasts longer than the chinking most builders use and will last longer too because it isn't bothered by UV rays.
When the late fall rains came, Diane loved it when she could walk from the cabin to the house under the porte-cochère over the crunching limestone driveway gravel. She did start parking her Jeep in the two car garage. When Mark told her she could start moving the furniture into selected rooms, she was beside herself. She called the dealers and started having the furniture shipped she was having them hold. She would go into the house and spend minutes at a time just staring around the room visualizing, then head off to a flea market to find accent pieces to put in each room. She was already running the cook stove through its break-in period, per the manual she religiously went by. Her Thanksgiving meal was going to be in her house, using <her stove! Finally, on November the 20th, when Mark turned the house over to them. Diane had tears in her eyes. Together, ALL of them together, had made her a beautiful home. She had everything just the way she wanted it, except one thing, which she kept silent about. Hank needed a dog.
They were completely moved in and Diane fixed their first meal in her kitchen, breaded pork chops, pan fried potatoes, turnip greens, cornbread and apple pie. They had real ice for their iced tea too!
During supper, both were quiet, enjoying the meal.
"We need to go to Columbia tomorrow." Diane stated.
"What? What for?"
"I can't tell you right now. It's a surprise."
"Do I need the trailer?" Hank asked.
"No, nothing like that."
"You realize it's almost a four hour drive up there?"
"We can leave early. I can fix breakfast while you feed the chickens and gather the eggs."
"As you wish."
They pulled into a farm on the outskirts of Columbia with a sign reading "Glenaholm Rhodesian Ridgebacks."
"What are you doing?" Hank asked.
"I'm getting you a dog My Love."
"I don't need a dog!"
"Yes you do. Trust me."
They pulled into the parking lot at the kennel and a lady came out to greet them.
"Hi, I'm Mary. You must be Diane."
"Yes, and this is my husband, Hank."
"It's good to meet you Hank."
"Likewise."
"Well, I guess you want to see the puppies. Please follow me."
They walked over to one of the kennel buildings and inside was a sort of play area. The puppies were playing with various toys, some were just laying around, ignoring what was going on around them. One of the puppies dropped the bone toy he was waving around and looked at Hank. The puppy picked the toy up and trotted over to Hank, tail wagging and dropped the toy down at Hank's feet. Hank squatted down, picked up the rubber bone and held it out. The puppy bit down on the toy and started playing tug-of-war.
"That's the one." Diane said.
"He seems to take to Hank, doesn't he." Mary took a scanning device off the wall and scanned the puppy's neck. "Billy, would you get a collar for this puppy and bring him to the office?" Mary said to one of the workers.
Mary led them to the office and pulled out a file.
"Here is the paperwork for the puppy. In the file is the microchip information, the AKC registration paperwork, Vaccination records and collar tag, U.S. breed standards, training recommendations and diet information. If you have any questions, our contact information is included also."
Diane handed Mary her credit card for Mary to run it.
"Is there a pet store nearby?" Diane asked.
"Yes, there is a PetSmart on North Stadium next to Columbia Mall. If you are picking up food, the recommended brand is listed in the file on the dietary information page."
The young man brought the puppy in, happily trotting on the end of the leash. The puppy saw Hank and danced over to him, tail wagging.
"Here we are. I hope you enjoy him. We haven't had any complaints so far."
"Thank you so much." Diane said. "I'm sure we will love him."
They went out to the Jeep and Hank picked the puppy up to put him in the back seat. The puppy licked his face when he picked him up. The puppy laid down on the seat like it was his. Hank and Diane got in the Jeep and Diane set the GPS with the address of the PetSmart. When they got there, the puppy walked with them on the leash like he'd been doing it all his life. Diane got a cart and they went to get bags of dog food and a bed for the puppy. Hank opted to get a full-size bed because the nearest PetSmart to them was Springfield. They picked up a few toys, rather the puppy pick the toys he was interested in, some dental chews for puppies, grooming and bath supplies , food and water bowls and a mat to place under the bowls. When they went to check out, there was a display of blank name tags you could print out in a nearby machine with the dog's name. Diane selected one. Hank paid for everything and they went to the machine.
"What are you going to call him?" Diane asked.
"Max." Hank said.
Diane printed out the tag with Hank's phone number and "MAX" on the tag and they carried everything to the Jeep.
When they got home, Hank laid the dog bed in the Family Room near the stove and Max tried it out. He lay there for a couple minutes then went around exploring the house. He came back and ran to the door and pawed at it, Hank let him out and walked out with him. Max went to different trees and marked them, then came prancing back and went to the door. Hank let him back in and Max headed back to his bed and proceeded to take a nap.
"Well, I guess we don't have to house break him." Hank said.
"Aren't you glad we got you a dog?" Diane grinned.
Hank looked over at the sleeping puppy.
"Yeah."
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