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Post by freebirde on Oct 23, 2021 12:50:35 GMT -6
Reduced electricity = reduced communication
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Post by fsr on Oct 23, 2021 14:47:20 GMT -6
And some other things to come.
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Post by papaof2 on Oct 23, 2021 15:08:28 GMT -6
And some other things to come. There is a multi-page list of things that "go away" if power is off long enough. Some of those things are immediately life-affecting - CPAP machines, dialysis - others take a little longer: refrigerated meds, medications made here (production stops so how much do you have on hand?) or still being made in another country but can't be imported unless planes are flying (Air Traffic Control and airports have generators but the fuel pipelines require electricity) or the electric cranes are working at the docks to unload ships. Loss of grid power or liquid fuel production/delivery can shut down this country - and most others - in a matter of days and have some people in panic in a few hours. "Whadda you mean? Facebook and Twitter can't be down until next Wednesday! How will I tell everyone what I'm doing?" Closer to home: "I can't miss the updates on the PAW fiction forum!"
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Post by iamnobody on Oct 23, 2021 15:20:13 GMT -6
Closer to home: "I can't miss the updates on the PAW fiction forum!"
Now that is scary! I can't miss any updates.
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Post by fsr on Oct 23, 2021 15:26:36 GMT -6
Chapter four Sheriff Bob Daley did not seem like the kind of man to put with Washington politicians and their cronies. He told us “I am checking all of the rural farms around here making sure that no one is bothering them.” “Who would be bothering us?” I dared ask. Sheriff Bob told us “Just trying to stay on top of things.” He left soon after that to check on some other farms.
Later that day I did find three nice horses that were broke to a plow. I paid for them in gold coin and not too many questions asked. My next job was to find a doctor for the farm. I knew Joanne was going to recommend Big Betty Jones, Betty was indeed a fine Doctor but her personality was different. Given the crunch we were under I told Joanne “Let’s see if she will come up here.” Joanne said “I know how to get her up here but you may not like it.”
I don’t know what Joanne told Betty but three days later she came barreling into the drive in a her International Harvester Cab Over Engine Tractor trailer. She was dressed in in an an outfit that so gaudy it could be seen from space. She announced as much as she asked “WHERE IS MY PATIENT?”
I told her “Calm down Betty no one is sick or injured yet.” I thought but I might be soon if I can’t calm her down. Thinking somewhat speedily I answered “The end of our society is in sight and we are riding it out here.” followed by “want in?”
She responded “Sure, glad I dragged the mobile clinic along.” Her mobile clinic is a marvel of engineering, she could perform a lot of procedures in that trailer. I told her “Park that rig and come see the house.” She stepped up to me and jumped in my arms ordering me to carry her.
I gave in and carried her up the porch and into the house. The triplets came out and asked :Who is she?” I introduced her to the girls “This is Miss Betty our new Doctor.” Janey asked “Why does she need to be carried, is she hurt?” Betty could always put me in awkward positions.
Betty informed us that she had ordered a large tank of fuel for the clinics generator in town and it would be delivered later today. Joanne and Sue could not cut me a break and demanded I carry of each them. How old is to old for these kinds of things?
I sat in my big recliner letting my back rest after carrying the women, I hope they had fun. My back sure didn’t. it was my turn now they got to deal with the new horses. I spent the night in that chair.
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Post by papaof2 on Oct 23, 2021 15:40:07 GMT -6
Closer to home: "I can't miss the updates on the PAW fiction forum!" Now that is scary! I can't miss any updates. There's a reason (other than being cheap frugal) to have a Tracfone cell phone - their service doens't die when the AT&T Uverse internet goes away during a local power outage, meaning that I have backup for internet access so I can still read the forum ;-)
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Post by iamnobody on Oct 23, 2021 16:05:44 GMT -6
There's a reason (other than being cheap frugal) to have a Tracfone cell phone - their service doens't die when the AT&T Uverse internet goes away during a local power outage, meaning that I have backup for internet access so I can still read the forum ;-) Where I live, there is no coverage for tracfones. No cell phone reception but overall that is a good thing, right?
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Post by papaof2 on Oct 23, 2021 17:13:28 GMT -6
Where I live, there is no coverage for tracfones. No cell phone reception but overall that is a good thing, right? No Tracfone service? Not a big deal. No one calls your cell about extending the warranty on your 14-year-old vehicle ;-) But all is not lost - atellite phones just add a 0 (or two) before the decimal for phone purchase and monthly service costs :-(
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Post by fsr on Oct 24, 2021 15:31:00 GMT -6
Chapter Five.
When I woke up the next morning I began checking on some things. Energy production for the house was not keeping up so I began the process of turning off and unplugging all unnecessary appliances. Coffee would be made in a stove top peculator and what we didn’t drink would go into one of my big thermos bottles to stay hot.
The gas water heater was the next victim of my household purge. Bath water was to be heated on the stove and poured into the tub. The barns did not use much electricity but I check them and they were producing well.
There was that thing I wanted to check by wood line. I took a shovel and began scrapping and prodding. I found an iron door, this thing looked like something from a 1920’s horror film. It was kind of cool.
I managed to get it open, now my back was hurting even more. Man this couple had a lot of canning jars and tattler lids and seals. There were three massive 41.5 quart pressure Canners. I search a little and find four home and solar food dehydrators.
I almost trip over some earthenware crocks. There is a small library on food preservation There is a lot more in what I am calling the root cellar. I wonder if he had a stash of firearms somewhere. I need to ask around about the old owners.
I exit the root cellar and close the door. As I start walking back to the house I hear grunting noises behind me. I turn around real slow and see a feral hog rooting in the dirt. He is probably looking for something to eat. I slowly make my way back to the barnyard.
The Bad news is the boar followed me. He was not interested in a peaceful coexistence, not an uncommon attitude in feral swine. If he wants violence I will give him violence. I continue moving slowly toward the house realizing I will not make it.
Just about to the door I hear Betty shout “Drop!” I drop and hear what sounds like a cannon going off. Looking at the hog he is now laying on the ground and not moving. Betty walks up carrying a beautiful double rifle. She pokes the hog and says “Big gun one billion, Feral hog nil.” I didn’t know she had such a weapon.
I ask her “Where did you get that beast of a rifle?” Betty told me “This was my fourteenth birthday present from Daddy, we went on safari in Africa the next year.” Betty is not a small girl by any stretch of the imagination. She is six foot six inches and as we say were I am from “built like a brick house.” I am glad she is here.
We get on the CB and someone hooks us up with a butcher who process mister pig for half of the meat. Fair enough since I believe money will soon be useless. He will even come and pick the hog up.
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Post by kaijafon on Oct 24, 2021 18:53:54 GMT -6
interesting story, thank you
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Post by udwe on Oct 24, 2021 20:01:24 GMT -6
Yep, really am liking this story!
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Post by ydderf on Oct 24, 2021 22:17:24 GMT -6
Thanks FSR
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Post by texican on Oct 25, 2021 1:06:50 GMT -6
A very big woman with a double barrel safari rifle. What more could a guy ask for.
Thanks fsr.
Texican....
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Post by fsr on Oct 25, 2021 8:53:48 GMT -6
Chapter six
I took my trusty wheelbarrow and lugged the canners up to the house for a good cleaning. On entering Joanne asked “Where did you ever find those things?” I told her “It seems the previous owners have a root cellar out back filled with all kinds of treasures.” I don’t think she believed me.
I wanted to explore the property some more but I was not going out unarmed. I strapped on my .44 Magnum revolver and slung my Mossberg 590A loaded with 000 buckshot and slugs in an alternating pattern. Any critter two legged or four that wants violence will get his or her fill.
I am almost to the door when Jill shows up and asks “Uncle Rufus, where are you going?” Wait hold on when did I get to be “uncle Rufus” and who made that decision. After thinking for a second I find I don’t really object to it. I tell her “I am going to check around the property want to come along?” Her response was not what I expected. “Sure let me grab my .22”
I don’t know what kind of .22 she had but I am betting it is something cute and girly. Boy was I ever wrong! She came down packing a Savage Arms A22 Semi-Automatic .22 Magnum Rifle and a small pack . I had to ask “Sweet heart did Mom and dad buy you that or Aunt Joanne?” She told me “Grampa gave me this just before he died.” I noticed she had a small knife on her belt and a one quart stainless steel military style canteen most likely a replica of the world war two canteen except this one has a wider mouth. I stopped asking questions.
We walk the perimeter of the around the house and barns taking notes on chores to be down and things to be fixed. We need to fix some of the barbed wire where the hog got in and expand it some so the animals have a little more grazing room, As we walk we take note of any wildlife and signs of wild life we see. We see an old windmill on our property and make a note to check it out on the way back.
We come to river that runs runs through our property it’s not huge but it larger than a creek. I look at the map and it is listed as a creek. Well what do I know? The previous owner had built a nice bench next to it We sat down and had a snack. Jill wondered if there were any fish in the creek. I told her “good question.”
We headed back and stopped at the windmill. According to the sales pitch I got it should be working. There is tool box next to the windmill and a woodchuck is trying to destroy it. I ask Jill “Think you can hit it?” She shoulders her rifle and squeezes the trigger the offending creature drops like a rock. Jill says “Yes! Dinner for tomorrow night.” I bet her grandfather taught that.
I look inside the box and it is full of tools as well as some grease. I lube up the gears and pull the lever. The well starts pumping water. Okay we now have another source of water. I close up the box and make a note to do some upgrades and repairs on it.
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Post by NCWEBNUT on Oct 25, 2021 12:02:04 GMT -6
This is shaping up to be an interesting story. Thanks for the efforts fsr
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Post by texican on Oct 25, 2021 15:12:04 GMT -6
Mossberg 590A loaded with 000 buckshotand slugs in an alternating pattern.
000 buckshot is $2 per round and sold in 5 round boxes and cases for $450 for 250 rounds ($1.80 per round) if you can find any cases.
Good load out.
Thanks fsr for the chapter.
Texican
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Post by bluefox2 on Oct 25, 2021 19:07:11 GMT -6
Mossberg 590A loaded with 000 buckshotand slugs in an alternating pattern.000 buckshot is $2 per round and sold in 5 round boxes and cases for $450 for 250 rounds ($1.80 per round) if you can find any cases. Good load out. Thanks fsr for the chapter. Texican Don't remember prices off hand but I am running 00 in my 12 and 000 in my 20. That is backed up with 4 and 5 shot in the grandson's 410 that sits in my safe.
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Post by udwe on Oct 25, 2021 21:25:30 GMT -6
Thanks!
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Post by ydderf on Oct 25, 2021 21:39:55 GMT -6
Me too, thanks
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Post by fsr on Oct 26, 2021 10:09:32 GMT -6
Chapter Seven.
We arrived back at the house with Jill holding up her trophy. Joanne asked her “Do you remember how to make brine?” She nodded her head in the affirmative and began cutting up the woodchuck. I didn’t know people actually ate them.
While Jill and Joanne were tending to the kill the butcher arrived. He introduced himself as Lennart Svensson. He and his two sons Elias and Hugo would take the hog and process it for half the meat as agreed on. We drove out top where the hog was hanging and loaded him in to the Svensson’s refrigerated trailer. I asked Lennart if he could tell me anything about the previous owner. He said “Sure, I knew them well enough, they were kind and generous but old Absalom , he was always worried the government would become like Europe and we would up in a dictatorship or worse.”
I learned a lot about Absalom from Lennart. He was a boy in Nazi Germany. He came to the US after the war and made a life and family for himself. Now he and his wife were gone and the children didn’t want the farm so they put it on the market. I now understand Why I found all of these things on the farm.
Now that the hog is gone it’s time for me to ask Joanne some questions. I start with “Can all the girls shoot like that?” I learned that they all could shoot and all had identical weapons. It seems Jill is the one most interested in hunting and outdoors stuff while her sisters can take it or leave it. Joanne also told me Grandpa was a shooter and when he passed Joanne got all of firearms and reloading stuff. She said she managed to bring it all with her. Jeez I have got a lot to learn about these girls.
They say no good deed ever goes unpunished. Joanne had me lug in her reloading equipment and supplies. I was astounded at what she had Instead of traditional presses she had enough sets of Lyman Ideal 310 tools with the tap in full length sizing die for all of her rifles. She did say she had hunted in Africa with her father. I lugged everything in and stored it next to my gear.
I went upstairs just as the Sheriff pulled. He opened his car door and fell on the ground. I call for Betty and Joanne and try to stop the bleeding. Betty is the first one out she tells me to get the stretcher and the black medical box. I run and bring the two items back she starts to work and gets the bleeding stopped. We move the Sheriff Bob to the clinic and Betty starts patching him up. She tells us Bob will recover but he will have a scar to remind him of what happened.
I go up to the house and make a pot of tea. The triplets come in from their chores and ask me “what happened Uncle Rufus?” I tell them the “Sheriff Bob got hurt and aunt Betty and Aunt Joanne are fixing him up.” This seems to work. I got on the radio and reported his condition to the Sheriff’s office. They said someone would be right out.
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Post by solo on Oct 26, 2021 12:44:32 GMT -6
They'd better be on guard... That someone who would be right out may have been the one who put the sheriff in that condition to begin with. When the Sheriff drove up and in that condition, the alert level should have skyrocketed. Surely he was followed, etc... Only more will connect the dots.
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Post by texican on Oct 26, 2021 12:44:42 GMT -6
fsr, Couldn't pass this one up. They say no good dead ever goes unpunished.The punishment is probably the reason they are dead. You probably meant deed, but spelling check would not catch this one. Another chapter would help to see why the sheriff was hurt. Will the doc and the sheriff become an item? Undoubtedly, the doc got a good look at the sheriff's equipment in the clinic. Texican....
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Post by fsr on Oct 26, 2021 13:27:44 GMT -6
fsr, Couldn't pass this one up. They say no good dead ever goes unpunished.The punishment is probably the reason they are dead. You probably meant deed, but spelling check would not catch this one. Another chapter would help to see why the sheriff was hurt. Will the doc and the sheriff become an item? Undoubtedly, the doc got a good look at the sheriff's equipment in the clinic. Texican.... I did mean deed but my mind does not always catch things before posting
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Post by fsr on Oct 26, 2021 13:29:37 GMT -6
Chapter eight.
The county sent Deputy Alexander “Duke” Ross out. I greeted him and showed him the Sheriff’s car. It was obvious that gun play was involved. I asked Duke if he had any suspects. He shocked me by saying “It might be a fringe group up in the northern part of the county but let’s wait until Bob is awake and see what he says.” I agreed that would be the best bet.
Duke had instructions to wait here until Bob woke up. We had a good talk about the state of the county and the people that lived here. Most are decent folk, some not so much. About everyone had a large pantry and some form of firearm because hunting and protecting livestock from predators was a fact of life. We began talking about the impending meteor strike and learned that most people around here thought it would hit us. I took this opportunity to tell Duke “I worked for the Government and told the president that the meteor would hit us.” Duke asked me “Where did that get you?” I said “Fired and told to keep my mouth shut or else.”
Betty came in and told us “Bob is awake now and wants to talk to both of you.” We walked out to the mobile clinic and Bob said “Hello boys seems like someone doesn’t like me.” I can’t imagine any honest citizen not liking Bob. Duke asked him “Who did this boss.” Bob said “Some clowns from the Home front group up on county road 15.” Duke asked “Do we have enough to get warrants?” I thought shooting a LEO should be enough but it seems I was wrong. Bob said “No, we write this up as an auto accident on a bad road.”
Duke asked “How are we going to right this up?” Bob said call it an accident and don’t mention I was shot.” That was how Duke wrote the incident up. Bob asked me “Are you willing to let me make you a deputy and watch this portion of the county.” I had to think a minute but said “Yes, we have the mobile clinic as long as fuel and supplies last but why?” Bob told us “I am certain that the asteroid will hit us and we will be on our own for a long time.”
I kept silent and listened to Bob “No one could not get in touch with anyone in Washington as of last week, this makes think we are being lied to by the powers that be.” This was all beginning to make a little more sense. I have no doubt the President is setting up the American people. Whatever is planned it won’t be good.
I come clean and tell Bob what I told Duke. The time for beating around the bush is over we need leadership to prepare people for what is coming. Both men agreed and told me I was wanted as part of that leadership. How did this happen?
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Post by udwe on Oct 26, 2021 16:40:01 GMT -6
Keep it up!
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