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Post by cavsgt on Jan 31, 2022 23:54:10 GMT -6
Sounds like we have a proof reader---udwe you are the winner. I would but I read in blocks not words so am worse than spell chack.
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Post by udwe on Feb 1, 2022 6:43:06 GMT -6
I worked for a teacher who taught typing and I was her best one, seems like the mistakes just pop out at me.
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Post by sniper69 on Feb 1, 2022 8:15:13 GMT -6
The occasional typo doesn't bother me. I'm just thankful for this great story and ncsfsgm sharing his writings with us.
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Post by iamnobody on Feb 1, 2022 13:59:11 GMT -6
He could be like me and type with 2 fingers on a keyboard where 1/2 of the letters are worn off.
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Post by udwe on Feb 1, 2022 14:21:46 GMT -6
That is how my hubbie types!
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Post by ncsfsgm on Feb 1, 2022 15:24:21 GMT -6
Well, I had no takers to be my proofreader so I will saddle this horse myself.
Here goes...CRINGE!
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Post by ncsfsgm on Feb 1, 2022 15:27:37 GMT -6
Chapter 211
"We need two good sized toms. We're feeding a dozen and a half people. Pick your stand and one click on the mic means clear to fire. However they come in, you take best bird on the left, I'll take the right."
"Got it Dad."
They got into position and were invisible in their ghillie suits. Thirty minutes later, they heard the sounds of hens approaching. About fifteen birds slowly moved into the clearing, four of them adult toms. When the toms started strutting, Gil clicked the mic button and they shot at virtually the same time, bagging two very nice toms. Gil stood up, pulling back the hood on the suit and walking out into the now vacant clearing. Billy stepped out, grinning.
"Let's go get these cleaned and into the cooler."
Tate arrived just as Ansley put the coffee on.
"Is your girlfriend coming in?"
"What?"
"Don told me. Don't worry, I'll give her a fair evaluation. Go switch around some oil cans or something. I don't need you in here fidgeting."
"Yes Ma'am."
Tate went out and checked the logbooks on the excavators. At ten minutes to eight he saw Glenda pull up. He fought to go in the Admin area and found things to do. At 0930, he was paged on the intercom loudspeaker in the bay and summoned to the office. Dread hovered around him as he made his way into the building. Standing there in the office were Don, Ansley and Glenda.
"Tate, I just wanted to introduce you to our new receptionist, Glenda James." Don said, grinning.
Tate looked at a grinning Glenda, who was almost bouncing on her toes.
"Now, we don't have much going on around here today. Why don't you take this young lady to a late breakfast."
Glenda moved over to Tate's side and said. "I like waffles."
They moved out to the parking lot, watched by Ansley and Don.
"She's going to be very good." Ansley said.
"Well, you've only got two weeks to train her." Don replied.
Reverend Jim insisted he and a couple of deacons ride along on the food box deliveries, so Gil drove his Power Wagon and pulled a trailer. Also, with each box was a nice fruit basket, the baskets provided by Glen. They were half the size of his regular harvest baskets. With Jarrod's help, he was done making them in plenty of time. The deliveries went off well, with the Reverend blessing each home before they left. Gil didn't even have to get out of the truck. When they returned to the church after the last delivery Reverend Jim pulled Gil to the side.
"Gil, you might not feel you did a lot tonight, but you've helped lift many spirits. God Bless You."
"Thank you Reverend. I like to see happy people."
"Are you going to have Thanksgiving dinner with me at my friends?" Tate asked.
"Wherever you want. Oh….I'm tired. Ansley has my mind going in overdrive. If I ever hear someone say a receptionist doesn't do much, I'll punch them in the nose. She does more than anyone I've ever known."
"Well, once you get in the groove, you should be able to handle everything just fine."
On Thanksgiving morning, all the Bluff View clan and friends converged on the household of the Conners. Temperature was a sunny fifty-eight degrees so the women shooed the men to the deck and told them not to get drunk. Tate brought Glenda and she was immediately pulled into the women's sphere and put to work. The men sat on the deck, like a ballplayer waiting on the bench to be put into the game, and often they were. The guys took it all in stride and Gil was liberal with the cold mead.
"Tate, did Glenda tell you she's the one who pointed me to the guy I got Beau from?" Jarrod said.
"She hasn't mentioned it." Tate replied.
"Well, I owe her a great debt of thanks. Beau is the best thing that's happened to me in a long time." Jarrod said.
"Yeah she's that kind of woman, always looking to help people out."
"But don't you dare touch her new hairdo!" Don chuckled. "What? Why?" Jarrod asked.
She was almost kidnapped until Tate stopped it. She was more pissed that her hairdo got messed up than almost being kidnapped."
"That was you Tate?" Glen asked.
"I reckon."
"Hey Glen, I'm going to be harvesting timber off that northern property to build a perimeter road. Well, it won't be quite a perimeter. It'll connect with the original drive three hundred yards north of Jarrod's camp. It may be as long as late next year before it's complete and the loggers will stack the logs along the road. We gradually get around to milling them. If you need any, grab what you need."
"What about the stumps?" Don asked.
"This is the same crew I used before. I kind of bought into the company and they now have two large stump grinders. They get everything, stump and roots, and will clean up the wood shreddings.
"Sounds good. When do they start?"
"They'll start next week and work when the weather is right. Billy and I need to go out on the Rokon and mark the boundaries."
"Gil, can you come lift the turkeys out of the pans so I can make the gravy?" Grace called.
"Duty calls."
It was another thirty minutes before dinner was ready. Everyone fit around the huge table as Gil poured the wine and raised his glass.
"Brad, would you translate?"
Brad nodded.
"An diesem Tag, On this day, Ich danke Gott für die Gabe, an der wir teilhaben werden. I offer thanks to God for the bounty we are about to partake. Um dies tun zu können, To be able to do so, Ich danke den Männern und Frauen in Uniform dieser Nation, die ihr ganzes Leben für die Verteidigung der Freiheit hier und im Ausland einsetzen. I offer my thanks to the men and women in uniform of this nation who offer their very lives in defending freedom both here and abroad. Möge Gott über Sie alle wachen. May God watch over you all."
Glenda looked around. "Who are these people?"
Everyone touched glasses and the feeding frenzy was on.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Feb 1, 2022 15:32:21 GMT -6
Chapter 212
After dinner, no one really wanted dessert yet, so several couples went out to take walks. Tate and Glenda walked down by the greenhouse and on toward the river.
"Is this an airport?" Glenda asked.
"Well, a private airport anyway." Tate said.
They walked up the runway to the hanger.
"Do you think they'd mind me looking in the hangar building?"
"I suppose not." Tate replied.
Tate opened the side entrance door and turned the light on.
""I've seen that plane before! A guy used ta fly up to our holler to pick up a case of whiskey once in a while from my uncle."
"You sure?"
"I'm positive. He'd land in my uncle's pasture and my uncle would deliver a case of whiskey to him with his tractor and trailer. A short time later the plane would take off again."
"Okay, let's get out of here."
They continued down to the river and onto the big sandbar, making a loop to come back on the road to the greenhouse.
"I'm thirsty. Let's go get some iced tea." Glenda said.
"So, how did you get along with the women?"
"They were all very nice and welcoming. I picked up a couple of tricks about cooking too. Grace is so confident, but warming. Mollie reminds me of my late Grandmother."
"So, you wouldn't mind coming back sometime?"
"No! I would love to!"
They got back to the deck and the ladies were all inside so Glenda headed there.
Don looked up at Tate. "Tate, I'm trying to talk Gil into leasing a log loader. He's got around 318,000 square feet to log. He could leave them out there until he's ready to run them through the mill and get them when they wanted. It would also give them the ability to sort the wood into species piles."
"Yeah, save them time and probably money. Even if you bought outright, you could keep them in good shape and sell the outfit when you are through timbering." Tate said.
Gil nodded. "I'll give it some thought."
Gil offered and Tate accepted two fingers of River Bank and took a seat.
"I swear I'd founder if I ate a meal like this more than once a year, but it gives me something to look forward to the next year." Glen said.
Brad chuckled. "What are you talking about Glen? You were eating like you had hollow legs!"
"I know, that dressing and gravy went down so good."
"You got anything planned Gil?"
"Nope, I just want to get started on the timber cutting. Maybe we can get in a couple of good weeks. Probably not; January and December will be getting wetter and we may not get into road building until March. I just have to deal with whatever the weather hands us."
Grace called out and asked for pie orders. Shortly after, they ladies paraded out with pie and coffee for the men. It hit the spot. The sweetness of the pie paired with the Colombian coffee put the cream on the top of the day.
Gil hauled the Rokon, with the sidecar and the single wheel trailer for the bike, to the northern section (as he had been calling it) to start marking timber. The night before, Gil had used a topo map to go over the route with Billy.
"Hey Dad, see the way this portion sticks out in the river? And the rest in back? This looks like Winnie-the-Pooh's head. We could start calling it 'Pooh Point."
Gil turned the map a bit and grinned. It did look like a bear.
"Well, I don't know if Glen would appreciate it if we named it that. Why don't we call it 'Bear Head Point'?"
"Okay!"
They unloaded the bike and its trailer and hooked it up. Taking the transit out of the truck, Gil padded it with a couple of large moving blankets, Billy put on his custom-made denim apron (made by Mollie) that held cans of marking paint. Day-Glo green for marking the cutting perimeter, but not to be cut, orange for harvest and stacking the logs, and red for special attention. Anything else would be turned into firewood. Gil added a couple of bush axes to the trailer and they headed to the start point. Gil set up the transit and shot his first azimuth, Billy marking the perimeter trees as he went. They went on the plan for a hundred meters then stopped, Gil writing the GPS coordinates in his notebook. They went back to their starting point, measured seventy feet to a parallel point and ran their perimeter from there. Soon, Beau showed up to greet them, followed by Jarrod.
"Good morning! Need some help?"
"I make it a point never to turn down good help!" Gil grinned.
Jarrod took up a bush axe and Billy grabbed the prism pole and the started to work. Beau patrolled for mountain lines and such. They worked for an hour, stopping for water and a rest break.
"You marking the whole thing today?" Jarrod asked
"No. I'm just doing a quarter of a mile. In this terrain, that's a good bit for the logging company to handle for now. Billy, why don't you bring the bike down here?"
"Okay Dad", running off with Beau on his heels."
Billy was soon back with the bike and trailer.
"That's a good bike to have around here. Where did you get it?"
"It's a Rokon. They're made by a company up in New Hampshire. I ordered the bike, sidecar and the trailer directly from them. It's great for getting around in the woods and isn't geared so high it tears the ground up. You can either store fuel or water in the front wheel."
"R-O-K-O-N? Jarrod asked.
"Yep."
"Mind it if I take it for a spin?"
"Wait until we finish. You'll get a better feel for the top speed without the trailer."
"I'm interested in getting one. If I ordered one, could I have it shipped to your place?"
"Absolutely!"
They finished that leg and switched over to the other side and completed it, bringing the two parallel legs even. Then the tedious part began. After a bit of cross-talking, and calling Glen was called on the radio and asked the dimensions of the ash he usually took for basket weaving.
"Where ya'll at?" Glen asked.
"Meet Billy at Jarrod's camp. He'll bring you to us."
"Billy, take the trailer down to the truck and unhitch it, then go pick up Glen. Don't throw him off."
Billy left and the two men found comfortable trees to lean against.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Feb 1, 2022 15:34:04 GMT -6
Chapter 213
Billy came back with Glen riding on the sidecar.
"What'd ya want Gil?"
"We're marking trees for harvest, I wanted to see what dimensions of ash you cut so we could mark them." Gil replied.
"well, I normally don't cut anything over eight inches because it is a lot of log pounding."
"What if we milled the bigger stuff down into billets? All you'd have to do is smooth them out."
"That would work."
"Okay guys, mark any ash you see with red paint."
"Billy?"
"I'll run down to the truck and get more." Billy said, hopping on the Rokon.
"Four of us doin' this'll make things go quicker." Glen said.
Billy came back with marking paint for Glen and Gil explained the system. They spread out and started marking trees.
When they finished and walking back down, Glen asked, "What all is the logging company doing?"
"Cut, debranch, sort, stack and remove logs and debris. They'll also take everything not marked and suitable, to cut into firewood, except the smaller branches. They'll chip those." Gil replied.
"How are they making anything? The mills aren't taking any logs." Glen asked.
"I'm paying them a little extra and they get to sell the chippings. People are still buying those. Hey Glen, Billy came up with a name for the land. The way the point of your land juts out into the river and this land backing it, makes it all look like a bear's head. So we've started calling it Bear Head Point."
Glen chuckled. "I reckon it's as good a name as any."
Jarrod got his ride on the Rokon and took Glen home. Billy helped load the trailer and they followed a couple of minutes later. When they arrived at Jarrod's camp, Jarrod was still riding around. When he returned, there was a big grin on his face.
"Yes sir! I'm going to buy one. I'll get on the internet this afternoon."
"These aren't street legal, just to let you know."
"Oh, I just want it for the woods." Jarrod replied. "Order it and I'll give you a call when it comes in." Gil grinned.
Gil and Billy loaded the Rokon and headed home.
Gil looked on the internet and called around about a log grappler. In the end, he just couldn't justify the cost of a single use piece of equipment. The price was a bit more palatable though for a 2013 Kenworth Logging Truck with a short logging trailer and log loading boom He could haul a load of logs over from Bear Head Point, let it sit and use the boom to off-load the logs as needed. Gil and Trace went up to Kingsport to check it out. After finding the truck in good shape, Gil bought it and Trace drove it home.
Gil paid Tate to go over the truck and hydraulics and get everything ship-shape. Tate, after a few days, had the log truck in excellent condition.
The men were delegated to go get Christmas trees, so they got the trailers hooked up and ready when suddenly the wives decided they had better go along to make sure the men didn't come back with any Charlie Brown trees. They insisted the husbands take them to lunch and then go tree shopping. The men habitually grumbled but had a good time anyway.
The loggers were really amazing to watch. It was like watching a kicked-over ant's nest. The log harvester would go to a tree, grapple, cut it, delimb it and cut the log into ten foot sections. Another log hauler would pick up the logs and place them into species specific stacks. The short logs were pulled out from there and run through a firewood processor. Once the limbs and brush were run through the mulcher, a huge stump grinder moved in and ground the stump away. Later a vacuum trailer came in and vacuumed up the chips and sawdust. It made Gil tired just watching them.
Gil returned home and continued working on the Christmas rescue boxes, as Debra liked to call them. They were painted and just needed to be assembled. Colt and Trace were coming up after lunch to help him do that and Debra and the ladies were beginning to go down each family list and made sure all the presents were accounted for and changes made and more presents wrapped.
Gil made sure the jigs were set up on the tables and made sure extra boxes of screws were available. They could put the boxes together, including the lid, in less than a minute and a half. The wood pieces were all pre-painted and drilled so it was dummy proof in their assembly. Two guys would be building the boxes and one guy would build the lids and add the hinges.
Gil went into the house to the buzz and hum of women working. Getting his water bottle out of the fridge, Gil ambled into the Great Room, where furniture had been moved back and folding tables set up. Scraps of wrapping paper were laying around as the women moved from pile to pile, checking and double checking each one against a checklist.
Grace looked over at him and smiled. "Hi! There's a pot of tomato soup simmering on the stove and grilled cheese sandwiches in the fridge ready to be toasted."
"I've got it. How are things going here?"
"I think we're almost finished with the presents. We'll start putting the non-perishable things together this afternoon. Have you started on the boxes?"
Trace and Colt are coming at 1:00 to help me. We'll get them done this afternoon."
"I was hoping we could get them this afternoon."
"Well, as soon as we get the first ten done, we'll take them to the garage and you can start packing the presents. You need to move your Jeep outside though."
"Okay, that's fine. You know, this is a hard job, but it makes me feel good."
"Yeah, I know what you mean."
Gil got a frying pan hot and melted a dab of butter in it. Laying the sandwich in the pan, he covered it with the bacon press. After thirty seconds, he scooped up the toasted side, added a little more butter and flipped the untoasted side down and replaced the press. He quickly got a soup mug out of the cabinet and checked the sandwich. Satisfied, he turned the heat off, Filling the mug up, he placed the sandwich on a small paper plate and got a soup spoon out of the drawer. Sitting down, he quickly ate his lunch. Cleaning up his mess and wiping out the cast iron pan with a paper towel, he poured coffee into a travel mug and headed back to the shop.
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Post by freebirde on Feb 1, 2022 15:40:20 GMT -6
He could be like me and type with 2 fingers on a keyboard where 1/2 of the letters are worn off.
I don't have part of that problem. I usually have to replace keyboards before that much wear because of spills. I have two or three spare keyboards right now, caught a very good sale.
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Post by cavsgt on Feb 1, 2022 16:57:21 GMT -6
Thank You !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just love this story Phill
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Post by CountryGuy on Feb 1, 2022 18:20:23 GMT -6
Well, I had no takers to be my proofreader so I will saddle this horse myself.
Here goes...CRINGE!
Hey... it's stories as written... not perfected and posted. I love the story and for those that get hung up on everything being spit shinned, I say they go spend their money and buy a professionally edited book if they want 'perfection'. I for one love the story, the rate at which you put out the installments and I can deal with a few hiccups here and there. I've yet gotten up the testicular fortitude to post any of the things I've written or started so I for one am in awe of folks like you that bang out these stories like you do.
GREAT JOB!! (I'm not even going t click spell check, it is what ever it is...)
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Post by gipsy on Feb 1, 2022 18:31:29 GMT -6
Thanks for the update.
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Post by freebirde on Feb 1, 2022 18:34:27 GMT -6
He is doing as well as some "a professionally edited book" I have bought.
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Post by udwe on Feb 1, 2022 20:25:32 GMT -6
I only found one-an s instead of an a.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Feb 2, 2022 9:52:59 GMT -6
Chapter 214
Trace, Colt and Brad arrived and Gil walked them through the assembly. The were quickly assembling the boxes and lids. Billy came out and he was consigned to move the finished boxes to the garage, and of course had to remind his mother to move her Jeep.
The ladies were soon filling the present boxes family by family, then started on the food boxes. Gil had gone ahead without request and made boxes for Christmas decorations. The guys had purchased a small artificial tree, already decorated with battery powered lights, two battery powered candles, garland, Christmas themed table cloth and napkins and little bowls filled with Christmas candies wrapped in cellophane for each box. While the women worked on the other boxes, the men built and filled theirs. When they began carrying the boxes into the garage Grace stood open-mouthed.
"What is this?"
"Well, last year we gave decorations too. You didn't mention it so I decided to go ahead anyway."
Grace knelt on the floor and started unpacking one of the boxes, taking out each item and lined them up. The other women came out and watched.
"Did we miss anything?" Gil asked.
"Girls. Take a look. I can't think right now."
Grace got up and hugged Gil and watched as the women went through the items.
"A wreath." Mollie said. "We can go down to Martha's nursery and get a small wreath and attach it to the top with floral wire. There are a few more things we can add."
"Perfect!" Grace said, clapping her hands. "Mollie, you and I can go down in the morning and get those."
"Well, everything is packed in the food boxes except for the cold stuff we'll load tomorrow evening." Mollie said. "I'm ready for some eggnog."
That brought chuckles and everyone went inside, Gil heading for the liquor cabinet to get the most important ingredient..
Beau watched as Jarrod practiced weaving a six inch basket. Jarrod stopped to add more wood to the fire and repositioned the plant hangers that held the Dietz lanterns to give him better light. Uncle Glen had showed Jarrod how to make the baskets for practice and Jarrod was getting pretty good at it. This basket would even have a lid with little a braided handle on to lift it up. Stopping to take a sip of beer, he finished the basket and began working on the lid.
"Tate, on Thanksgiving Day, when Gil gave that before-dinner speech, why did he give it in German?" Glenda asked.
"When Gil was in the military, his Special Forces unit was oriented to Western Europe. If they had ever gone to war with the Russians, those men would have melted in to the countryside and conducted guerrilla warfare against the invading forces. They trained not only militarily, but also culturally and having great linguistic abilities in the local languages and dialects was a plus. Gil went to German language school, advanced language school, and was in several immersion programs where you didn't speak English for months. The language is part of his history. Before every celebration, we always honor our service men and women and our fallen comrades. It's just part of who we are. Why do you ask?"
"I don't know. I guess it scared me for a second there, almost like a World War II movie with subtitles. When I looked around, everyone was so solemn…well I just wondered."
"Afraid you'd stumbled into a vile nest of neo-Nazis?" Tate said, tickling her.
Glenda giggled. "Yeah, sorta, but everyone lightened up."
"Well, you will never find a more patriotic, God-loving group on this planet. Each and everyone of those men would lay down their lives for the people of this country no matter their race or creed."
Glenda got up out of the seat and eyes glistening, looking down at Tate, began to slowly unbutton her blouse.
"Are you sure this is good idea?"
"Don't over think it. Just make sure the doors are locked and shut off the lights," Glenda said, turning for his sleeping area.
Tate took her advice.
The "Ninga Christmas Elves," as Grace called them, along with Billy, the stealth videographer, made their eve before Christmas Eve deliveries without being detected. Some of the deliveries were difficult and required all their skills, but they completed the mission. Billy got excellent footage as the teams stealthily moved to their objective. The women felt a thrill as they watched the surprised families discover the boxes. A little extra eggnog was consumed that night.
Christmas Eve day Jarrod filled the finished basket with the gifts he'd gotten Uncle Glen, Inside he put four pair of 35 Below socks, a Buck 113 Ranger Skinner Hunting Knife, and a pair of shooting gloves. Jarrod knew he could use all three and nothing would go without use, so he was pleased. Jarrod took a pack of smoked sausage out of the refrigerator, sliced it up and placed it in a Ziplock bag. Next, he sliced up a sweet onion and placed that a Ziplock. Out came the potatoes that he washed and sliced up and threw them into a bowl, sprinkling on salt and pepper. He added those to a Ziplock, grabbed his twelve inch cast iron frying pan and a half stick of butter. He piled everything into the frying pan and took it outside. Adding more wood to the firepit, Jarrod swung the cooking grate over the fire and placed the Ziplock bags next to his chair. Sitting the frying pan on the cooking grate, he tossed the butter in the pan, watching it melt. When the butter started bubbling, Jarrod tossed the potatoes in and started stirring and tossing the potatoes with a flat spurtle. Once the potatoes began browning, Jarrod emptied the bag of onions in and tossed and stirred. When the onions were limp, in went the smoked sausage. When the edges of the sausage started crisping, Jarrod swung the cooking grate off the fire . Pulling a pair of stainless steel chopsticks out of his shirt pocket, he tasted the concoction. Smacking his lips, he stepped inside and got a pinch of cayenne pepper and an eight of a teaspoon of Hickory Smoke powder and sprinkled them over the mix, giving it a good stir with the spurtle. Picking up an piece of potato he tasted it. Now THAT would make a man sleep warm at night.
Jarrod reached in a box under the RV and pulled out a Killian's Red and began to eat his meal.
"Helllo the camp!"
"Come on in Uncle Glen!"
"Man, I can smell that down the trail!" Glen said.
Jarrod opened the storage compartment on the RV, pulled out a stainless steel plate and a fork and handed them to Glen.
"I don't know how you eat with those metal chopsticks!"
"Eat up!"
Glen dished up the mix into his plate and started eating.
"Whoa! That's got a little kick!"
Jarrod laughed and reached for another Killian's. "This will make it go down better."
They ate silently, sipping their ale. Jarrod split what was left in the pan and pushed it into Glen's plate. When they had finished eating, Jarrod poured water into the pan and swung it back over the fire.
Jarrod got each another ale and reached down beside his chair, handing Glen the basket.
"Nice looking basket. Hey, there's something in it!"
"Merry Christmas, Uncle Glen."
Glen took the lid off the basket and pulled out the pair of gloves.
"Oh! I'll use these!"
Next to come out was the knife.
"I've been looking for one of these! Where did you find it?"
"Smokey Mountain Knife Works."
"Well thank you. I'll have a lot of use for this."
Glen reached into his inside parka pocket and pulled out a package.
"Merry Christmas Jarrod."
Inside was a Garmin GPSMAP 79s handheld GPS.
I figured if you were going to be running around the woods on that scooter, you should at least know where ya are and where ya been."
Reaching into another pocket, he pulled out a bottle of River Bank. Jarrod got two stainless mugs out of the storage compartment and Glen poured two fingers into them.
"Good to have you here, Jarrod." Glen said, raising his cup.
"I'm more than happy to be here, Uncle Glen," tapping his cup against Glen's.
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Post by ncsfsgm on Feb 2, 2022 9:54:15 GMT -6
Chapter 215
Christmas Day Glen, Jarrod, Debra, Tate and Glenda were all invited to Christmas dinner. It was misty as Glen and Jarrod crossed the river and parked the hovercraft in the garage. Glen and Jarrod loaded the baskets into the back of the Suburban and went up to the Conner house. As they entered through the porch door, Alan and Alana ran to Glen yelling, "Unc Glen! Santa came!"
Glen scooped the two up and twirled them around. "Well what did he bring you?"
They wiggled to be let down and took his hands and led him into the Great Room. Jarrod stood there, with Beau by his side, watching.
"Can Beau come in? Jarrod asked.
Grace smiled. "Of course! I think Beau may have a present under the tree. Can I get you something to drink?"
"Coffee is fine."
Jarrod entered and Billy brought Beau over to the tree and gave him a stocking-shaped bag of dog chews and other treats. Beau laid down with the stocking between his front paws, looking around.
Glen was busy with the twins, looking at their presents and grinning like a mule eating briars. Debra brought in Jarrod's coffee.
"Do you need cream or sugar, or both?"
"No, black is fine." Jarrod answered.
Tate and Glenda arrived and as usual, the women gathered in the kitchen.
"Hey Tate. You working hard are hardly working? Jarrod asked.
"Hardly working 'til after the first of the year. Don has let everyone off with pay until then."
"In this economy?"
"The company has been doing very well. He is definitely going to come out good this year."
"Okay men, wash up!" Grace called from the kitchen entrance.
When everyone was seated at the table, Gil looked around.
"You know, every day I give thanks for what I have. I basically fell into a situation completely different than what I had planned. I found a beautiful woman to share my life with, greatest kids in the world and the best friends anyone could ever expect and I'm humbled by them. On this day of celebration of the birth of Christ, I am almost overwhelmed with joy in having you here to celebrate with us. Thank you, my friends."
Gil gave the blessing and began carving up the perfect prime rib roast.
Jarrod sat sipping on a cup of Colombian coffee and staring into the fire in the fireplace when a slice of apple pie and a fork on a plate appeared by his side. Jarrod looked at the plate then up at the smiling face of Debra.
"Pie?"
Jarrod grinned and took the pie from her hand. Debra came around and sat by him on the couch.
"So, what have you been doing since you got here. I only see you at the occasional dinner or see you driving through." Debra asked.
"I guess some people would call it decompressing. Just relaxing and finding a new level in my life."
"You came from Alaska? I've only seen pictures but it seems beautiful."
"It is, but there's something there is trying to kill you every day. If it's not the weather its a bear, or a moose, a wolf or whatever the animal of the day. It will keep you on your toes."
"But you survived."
"Yeah, I survived."
"How was it in the winter time. Weren't you lonely?"
"I was alone, yeah, but not lonely. I could poke my nose out of the trapper's cabin I'd built and smell and feel the animals around. I could feel the squirrel searching for pine nuts, I could sense the wolverine roaming in the next valley….you get to the point you know what the animals are doing without seeing them. You have to know."
"It still seems like it would be lonely."
"I don't remember a time I was though, just one day I felt like I needed to return to the lower 48. I just packed up and left, although I gave a lot of things to my Indian friends, I did keep my guns."
"So, how are you coping here, in the wilds of eastern Tennessee?" Debra said, grinning
Jarrod grinned. It's a lot less tense and in ways, a lot more interesting in others."
"Oh? How so?" Debra asked, raising an eyebrow.
"The women here in Tennessee can be a lot more curious than a grizzly in Springtime in Alaska."
Debra stared at Jarrod.
"I don't know whether to take that as an insult or a compliment."
"Oh please! Take it as a compliment! A grizzly in Alaska will tear the heart right out of your chest. You Ma'am, can only sting me. I have nothing left to tear out."
Jarrod took his empty plate and cup, returned them to the kitchen and went to find Uncle Glen.
Glen was bringing in the baskets he and Jarrod had made.
"Glen! These are beautiful! How did you get this color?" Grace exclaimed.
"Boiled black walnut hulls. Gives them a nice green tint. I want to experiment with some blueberry tint too. Maybe dye every other splint."
"Glen, you should sell these!"
"Well, you do what you want with them. Maybe do something to make money for your church projects."
Grace looked at him thoughtfully. "Yes, maybe we can."
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Post by ncsfsgm on Feb 2, 2022 9:56:18 GMT -6
Chapter 216
After everyone left, Debra was helping Grace clean up.
"Jarrod seems strange."
Grace looked at Debra.
"I talked to Glen one time. Jarrod is carrying a lot of undeserved hurt and guilt. He was at a football game the night his parents were killed in a house fire. He just needs time with people to get over it. Obviously, being alone has not helped very much." Grace said.
Debra stared thoughtfully as she dried the dishes.
The gate buzzer sounded and Gil went over to the monitor, He pushed the release button and watched as Bill pulled through and the gate closed. Gil checked to make sure there was coffee in the coffee carafe and went to the door. He opened it as Bill came up the steps.
"Really Bill?" The day after Christmas? Don't you ever take any time off?"
Bill grinned. "Everyone else is off and paying no attention to where I'm at. I've got something for you," handing Gil an envelope.
Inside were Federal carry licenses for Tate, Glen and Jarrod.
"What's this?"
"It's all legal, at least as far as the government is concerned. It'll make it easier in case things get stiff."
"Come on in and have some coffee." Gil said.
Jarrod increased his pace about 300 meters from the gate, Beau keeping pace with him, tongue waving the wind. At the gate, Jarrod turned around and slowed into a walk for a minute, his mind swirling in thoughts. Who was Debra? What was her deal? He shook his head and picked up his run again. When he reached the camp, he walked around, cooling off, and filled Beau's outside water dish. Beau quit following Jarrod around and took a long drink, then laid down on his pad, watching Jarrod. Jarrod finally sat down in his recliner and took a deep drink from his Klean Kanteen.
"Well boy. That helped, but then again, it didn't."
Jarrod rested for a few minutes then went inside to take a shower.
"So, what brings you around these parts?" Gil asked as he poured the coffee.
"Checking up on some things. It's Winter and traveling can get difficult at times. As a matter of fact I need to get back up I-81. I think we're in for some bad weather in the next 72 hours. How's everything going? Need anything?"
"We're fine. Can't say the same about crime. Here, not so bad, but occasionally some droopy-pants wanna-be will stumble through and cause some concern."
"Be on the look-out for human trafficking. There are more young women and girls vanishing, then turning up drug addicted and well worn, if you know what I mean, months later and a few states away."
"We'll keep our eyes out."
"I've got some new radios for you. Longer range, auto-encryption, code changes each week, Leave them out so they can receive the signal and they'll update automatically. They come with a headset for VOX operations. You can use the antenna you have now on the ridge and you can set up one radio as a repeater and talk as far as Tractor Supply from here. I'll send you enough for the women too. I'll get them out by UPS this week."
"I appreciate it Bill. Things getting any better around the Beltway?"
"Not so you would notice They bring an incompetent fool, promote them above their incompetence then bring in another. It's never-ending. Well, I need to get on the road. You sure you don't need anything…ammo?"
"You never can have too much ammo." Gil grinned.
"Gotcha. Well, shoot it up and stay in practice."
Gil walked Bill out and watched him drive out of sight. Going back into the kitchen, he picked up the envelope and looked at the three laminated permits again. Where did they get the photos?
Gil got into the Gator and went down to the furnace. He removed the ashes and added more wood to it and reset the damper. Down at the greenhouse he had to do the same. He took the ashes out to the mulch piles and threw the ashes on the piles and ambled around checking things out. He wiped the PV screens at the charging stations of the accumulation of fine dirt with a cloth and checked out the root cellar. The temperature still maintained a constant fifty-eight degrees. He found nothing rotting so he closed it up. Gil rode down the silo and filled up buckets of the cracked grain mix and went to fill the wildlife feeders. He noticed an abundance of deer tracks near the spring pond. He'd have Billy check them out. They may have to cull them some. The mineral blocks we good so he rode around the perimeter of the fields and saw the sunflower heads were mostly eaten. The pheasant and grouse really liked them. Maybe he would plant double next year and harvest half to mix in with the wildlife feed. Something to think about.
Gil went back and put the buckets away and went over to the greenhouse. Mollie was diddling around, messing with this and that.
"Hi Gil! The radishes will be ready soon."
Gil pulled up one, washed it off at the spigot and took a bite and nodded. "Tasty."
Gil noticed one of the florescent bulbs was starting to flicker so he lowered the light and replaced it. Taking it over to the trash trailer, he tossed it in and checked the amount of trash. There wasn't very much. What they didn't recycle they burned in the furnaces, except for plastics. The liter sized water bottles were saved for different purposes and other plastics were taken to the landfill for shredding. Hawkins County Waste Management didn't bury plastics but shredded them and had a company came twice a year to haul the shredded plastic away to be used for other things.
Stopping by the equipment barn, he went down the line of equipment. They had cleaned all the plowing equipment after the fall plowing and everything was looking in shape. He'd had to weld a crack in the disc weight frame after the plowing. Grabbing a can of spot paint and a disposable brush, he painted over the weld. There. Good as new. Gil placed the paint back into the cabinet and threw the brush in the trash. Getting into the Gator, he drove to the house.
After getting a drink of water, he turned on the weather radio and listened for the bad weather Bill said was coming. Not hearing about it there, he turned on the TV and changed to the Weather Channel. He saw a frigid weather system coming out of the north west. The weather guy was warning about a stream of moisture out of the gulf merging with the frigid front bringing winter storm conditions to the southeast of the country, possibly around Friday evening. Well, a little snow won't hurt anything. Gil thought.
He didn't know how wrong he was, or how tragic it would be.
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Post by biggkidd on Feb 2, 2022 11:55:41 GMT -6
Gonna end up with tired fingers after a cliff like that!
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Post by bluefox2 on Feb 2, 2022 12:33:46 GMT -6
He do like to leave us hanging by our fingertips, don't he?
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Post by texican on Feb 2, 2022 12:51:24 GMT -6
He could be like me and type with 2 fingers on a keyboard where 1/2 of the letters are worn off.
Iam, You do such a great job using two fingers. Texican....
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Post by ydderf on Feb 2, 2022 13:09:39 GMT -6
Wow a huge cliff, hang on.
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Post by gipsy on Feb 2, 2022 13:28:52 GMT -6
Well he has me listening to Celtic/Irish music all day now. Gigs of it are available on YouTube.
Thanks for the update. Just wondering what you keep in a "toot" cellar?
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Post by texican on Feb 2, 2022 13:56:49 GMT -6
n, you keep us on our toes. Spurtles: Texican....
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Post by iamnobody on Feb 2, 2022 15:29:08 GMT -6
Just wondering what you keep in a "toot" cellar? That's something Bill brought him so its classified Top Secret..
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