|
Post by ncsfsgm on Feb 9, 2022 13:07:53 GMT -6
Chapter 236
As the last of the potato eyes were planted, Gil could see the new potato plants coming up in the first two rows they had planted. Everything was looking healthy. Even the watermelons were putting out runners. They finished staking the drip water lines in the potato rows and put up their tools. Gil went inside the greenhouse to get his water bottle and was listening to the conversations of the women as they gathered salad greens and root vegetables for their dinners that evening
"….and Betty and some of the other church women have been taking turns going over and making a couple of meals and taking them to their appointments."
"Well, I'm sure that's putting a strain on them. Have they organized or anything?"
"Mary, who's a retired nutrition nurse helps out, recommending meals for them to cook."
Gil took a drink out of the Kanteen and closed the spout.
"The People take care of their own," faintly echoed in Gil's head.
"What are you ladies talking about?" Gil asked
"We have four couples at church who can't drive, have some type of walking disability, and eat poorly because they just can't get around very well. They don't want to go into an assisted living facility because they would eventually lose their homes." Mollie said.
"Well, why don't we get together interested people and see what kinds of solutions you can come up with. Hold one of your coffee klatches down in the Hall and get organized. As far as the transportation, let me manage that."
Gil walked outside and made a call.
"Cal? Gil Conner. Hey, sorry to disturb you but I've misplaced Ryan's number and I wanted to get a couple of 15-pax vans converted if he had time."
"Well, he and John are out in California at a meeting for the next two days. Let me write down what you need and I'll personally hand it to his plant manager, Gil."
Gil gave him the information of what he wanted and they discussed why he needed them.
"No problem Gil. I'll take this down to Roger Mannis as soon as we hang up. Hey! Are you still making that whiskey?"
"I'll tell you what Cal. If Ryan will expedite this, I'll find some way to ship you and Ryan a ten gallon keg to each of you."
Cal laughed. "Deal! Let me get this down to Roger and get the ball rolling."
They hung up but Cal's call was to Miguel.
""Miguel, I need two 15-pax vans with complete makeup plus conversion and add a portable oxygen tank and one of those HeartStart FRx defibrillators in each van. The vans need to be handicap and wheelchair accessible. Oh, and add in the charging stations."
"I'm on it Boss." Manuel replied.
Later that week the ladies, and a few men, got together and met with Reverend Jim in the parsonage to discuss ways of helping the elderly in the congregation. After a lot of discussion, they had a meal plan, supervised by Mary, the nutrition nurse, the meals prepared in the Hall and taken to the shut-ins. Mollie would supervise a rotating roster to make sure they were visited every day, Shannon was organizing a driving roster to get the people to their doctor's appointments using the E-pickups, with a promise of better transportation in the future, and Helen Franks would organize cleaning teams to go and clean once a week at each house. It wasn't a burden on any one of the volunteer families. At present, there were only four couples who needed help.
Nine days later, Cal called Gil back and asked for a scenic picture of the church. Gil sent Billy down to take a few and message them to Cal. A week later, Miguel had the vans ready. Painted white with green stripes, a graphic adorning each side and front depicting the church from with the ridge as a background. Cal had a car hauler brought in to take the two vans to Rogersville, or rather Hawkins County airport. Cal was coordinating with the car hauler to meet him at the airport when he landed. Four days later, Gil gets a call from Cal telling him the vans are waiting at the airport. Puzzled on how Cal shipped them there, Gil grabbed Billy and Colt and they drove to the airport. When they got there, Cal was waiting in the parking lot with the two vans. Both were electric 2018 Chevy G1500 conversion passenger vans with all-wheel drive, wheelchair lift in the back and Manuel had applied his Mexican hydraulics to allow the van to squat almost completely on the ground for easy access and egress. On the sides and front were the graphics depicting the church and "Bluff View Christian Church" airbrushed under the graphic.
"WOW!" Gil said.
Cal handed Gil a folded piece of paper. "Here's your bill."
"You did both vans for this!"
"No that's the bill for just one. I thought it was a worthy cause."
"Thanks Cal. I could have paid for both."
"I know. You've got to let me feel good sometimes too. Hey, help me get the van charging units off the plane."
Gil drove his truck over to planeside and they loaded the boxes into the bed.
"Now." Cal said, "I want you to notice there's room in the plane to haul back two ten-gallon kegs of whiskey."
Gil grinned. "I'll see they are on there when you leave. Grab your bag and get in the truck."
Gil led the convoy back to the church and in no time they had the solar charging stations set up and the vans plugged in. Gil took Cal to the house and poured Cal three fingers of River Bank.
"I swear, this batch is better than what you gave me before!" Cal said.
"Well, what's in those kegs is just as good or better."
"How are things going around here Gil?"
"We're better than holding our own. You?"
"The same. Kids getting bigger and into more things."
"Yeah, I know what you mean."
"How's the politics around here?"
"Pretty much solid Republican. Anything else is whack-a-mole."
Cal laughed. "We have to shoot 'em from a distance out in Mesa County."
They had dinner and Cal cut himself off at 2100 because he wanted to take off at 0800. Gil led Cal to the guest cabin and told him breakfast would be at 0640.
|
|
|
Post by ncsfsgm on Feb 9, 2022 13:10:03 GMT -6
Chapter 237
Cal tapped on the deck door the next morning at 0620.
"Come on in Cal! Coffee and cups are on the table." Gil said, taking ham out of the frying pan. Grace was cooking eggs in another pan.
"Good Morning Cal!" Grace said.
"Morning Grace." Cal returned.
"You like your eggs sunny side up, don't you?"
"Yeah, that's fine. But just one."
Gil added coffee to the frying pan and scraped around, getting all the "good" off the bottom. Pouring the pan contents into a gravy boat he set it aside on the griddle top where it would stay warm. Grace cracked the oven door then opened the door fully and took out a pan of Angel Biscuits and the ceramic warming plate for the bread basket. Placing the plate in the basket, she transferred the biscuits to the basket and folded the cloth over them. Grace quickly made Cal's egg and placed it on a plate with a large slice of country ham and poured the red-eye gravy over the ham. Sitting the plate in front Cal, she and Gil sat down with their plates.
Grace looked up. "The biscuits."
Gil got up and retrieved the bread basket and set it on the table.
"Great Scott! I don't think I've had had red-eye gravy but a couple of times since I left North Carolina!" Cal said, sopping some of the gravy up with half a biscuit.
They only made small talk as they consumed their meal. After one more cup of coffee Gil said they needed to be going. They still had to load the whiskey.
Grace filled Cal's water bottle and handed it to him.
"I'm sure you'll want this after eating that ham and gravy." She grinned.
"Thanks for your hospitality Grace. You two need to come out some time to visit." Cal said.
"Maybe. We stay pretty busy around here." Grace replied.
"Well think about it. I'll send the jet."
Gil stopped by the Aging Cellar and Cal helped him carry out two kegs of whiskey and two wooden barrel spigots. They made it to the airport in plenty of time for Cal to do his walk-around. As the plane taxied to the runway, Cal and Gil waved to each other. Gil watched as the small jet took off and headed west.
Billy and Gil were flying the 172 northwest of Greenville, Billy practicing stalls.
"Let's fly to the bridge and see how the construction is going. It should be almost finished." Gil said.
Billy took up the heading and soon they had the river and bridge in sight.
"Watch for traffic. We're about fifty degrees from the 07 approach to Hawkins." Gil said.
"Roger."
They flew a lazy loop around the bridge at one thousand feet and headed down the river toward the end of the point.
"Can the 172 land at our airfield?"
"Only in the direst cases of emergency. Still you would overshoot. The best thing to do is land from the north, sink it as close to the end of the runway as you can, and flair like you're pulling up your pants in an outhouse on a freezing morning. You'll probably crack the landing gear but you won't go nose over and you won't end up in the drink."
"What about the sandbar?"
"Sand's too soft, you'd flip right over."
They returned to Hawkins and turned the plane in. On the way home they drove down to the bridge to look at it from ground level. The workers were pouring concrete for the approach lanes and were spraying grass seed and hay on the embankments. Lynelle Johnson, one Sheriff Tatum's finest, was sitting there next to the construction site.
"Good afternoon Lynelle. What's the word on the completion?"
"They're telling me two weeks. All the inspections have been done and passed. They're just cleaning up the little stuff and finishing the approach lanes.
"You doin' okay Lynelle?"
"Doin' fine Gil. Was that you in the 172?"
"Yeah. Letting Billy get a few more hours in before he starts pilot training in a couple of weeks."
"Thought so. I recognized Harry's plane. So you ready to make it happen Billy?"
"Yes Ma'am and looking forward to it."
"Well, I know you'll do just fine."
"Well, we need to get going Lynelle. We still have to get home going the long way."
"You don't go through Bean Station, do you!"
"No, we'll go back into town and take 70 to 113."
"Oh, okay. Ya'll be safe."
"Okay Lynelle, you too."
"When they got home, Billy took his pilot's bag up to his room. Gil went up to the Chamber and checked the potato mash and decided it needed a few more days. Gil did a walk-around inspection of the chambers and found nothing out of place, locked up and went back to the house.
|
|
|
Post by ncsfsgm on Feb 9, 2022 13:11:34 GMT -6
Chapter 238
Jarrod had everything packed, the trailer connected and the Jeep loaded. He walked around and made sure nothing was left out or behind. Glen stood there and watched Jarrod as he made his last inspection.
"Well, I'll be back in around six weeks Uncle Glen."
"You take care of yourself son. Gonna miss having you and Beau around."
"I'll stay in touch. You take care of yourself."
"I will. You drive safe."
Feeling a little melancholy, Glen watched as Beau jumped into the passenger seat and Jarrod snapped the restrainer to Beau's collar. Glen stood there until they drove out of sight. Sighing, he headed back down to the cabin. He had baskets he needed to take down to the Hall.
Gil, Brad and Trace were unloading the lumber he had gotten back from the kiln. The lumber mill had picked up a little business and it took longer to get the lumber dried than usual. Gil had told them to put the other orders ahead of them if they got any. Colt wasn't able to help that morning, having gone into town with Shannon. It seems her belly had started swelling up.
"I want to get another load of that pine milled. Hudson said they'd be through with that order in a few days. We can mill and stack it on this heavy trailer and it can sit until they are ready to kiln dry it. It also gives me time to sharpen the planer knives." Gil said.
When they got through unloading, Trace and Brad took the log truck over to Bear Head Point and started loading the pine logs. Gil went ahead to the shop and started removing the planer knives and clamping the first one into the sharpener. Double-checking the bevel setting, he turned the grinder on and slowly cranked the wheel, moving the sharpening wheel along the bevel. There had been some nicks in the knives so he was grinding them off first with the coarser wheel. It took a while to do the twenty inch knife and he had two more to go.
"Watch out! There's a Copperhead!" Brad yelled from the crane hoist seat.
Trace looked closely and got the forked stick from behind the truck seat. Pinning the snake just behind its head, Trace gently grabbed the snake and took it farther down into the woods and released it.
"Why didn't you kill it!"
"He's got his place in the food chain Brad. They eat a lot of mice and such."
They continued loading logs without incident until the truck was loaded and then took a break.
"Brad, you ever wonder just what we are doing here? I was sitting and thinking the other night. Something about this area makes me feel content, that this is where I belong."
"I know what you mean. I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be."
Gil finished the coarse grinding of the first knife and started on the second one. He was slowly rotating the wheel when Sandy appeared by his side. Gil stopped and turned, seeing Grace standing there. Gil reached and flipped the switch, turning the grinder motor off and removed his safety glasses.
"Gil, can you make this?" Grace said, handing Gil a picture printed off the internet.
Gil looked at the picture of the baby bed.
"Just like this?"
"Well, not exactly. Here on the sides and on the ends I want openings left for woven panels. I'd like the bed made out of oak with a dark finish and the panels stained a light oak."
"That would be pretty. When do you need it?"
"Well, Shannon is due in seven months."
"I'll get it done." Gil said, pinning the picture to the bulletin board.
Grace and Sandy left and Gill went back to grinding the planer knives.
Once he'd finished the coarse grinding, Gil changed to a finer grinding wheel and started the process over again. He was on still on the first knife when his stomach growled. Looking at his watch, he turned the grinder off and headed to the house. Grace had a fresh salad ready with ham salad sandwiches. Gil met Billy coming down the stairs and went into the half-bath and washed up for lunch. Helping Alana get into her booster was almost a fight. She wanted to do it herself!
Gil said a short blessing and they began eating.
"Billy, Saturday morning, I'm going to drive you down to Knoxville Flight Academy on Dickinson Island. I want you to take your Garmin and program in the waypoints and turns, Sunday, you'll drive me down in your truck to verify the route. It's about seventy five miles to the school from here so give yourself an hour and a half to get there. Your departure times may change as you get used to the traffic flow. Now, I don't have to tell you your Mother will be pulling her hair out with worry, so if you don't want to see her bald when you get home, you need to check in with her by text or voice. I'm sure she has further instructions for you."
Billy grinned. "I know. Mom, I'm planning to call you every day before I leave the school and check in with you along the way."
"You make sure you use the hands-free. I don't want you distracted. No! I don't even want you doing that! You pull over in Kodak and Bulls Gap and call me!"
"Yes Ma'am, I will."
When Gil was helping Mollie and Grace finish the dishes, Grace folded the dishcloth and laid it over the sink divider.
"Gil, won't Billy be exhausted by the end of the day with the classroom stuff?"
"I really don't think so. It's going to just be a review for him. He might feel frustrated because the other students aren't up to his speed. Let's just wait and see. You can waterboard him when he gets home."
Grace slapped him lightly on the arm. "Hush!"
Saturday morning Gil drove while Billy sat in the passenger seat inputting waypoints where Gil suggested. When they reached the school, They got out and walked around for a bit then returned home. On the way back, Billy turned his eyes to the GPS when the warning beep came up for an upcoming waypoint. They stopped at an Advance Auto and Billy got a dash mount for the GPS. When they arrived home, Billy got out of the truck and said, "I've got this."
Sunday afternoon, Billy drove the route with no problems, arriving at the school with fifteen minutes to spare. Confident, they returned to Bluff View.
|
|
|
Post by gipsy on Feb 9, 2022 13:44:52 GMT -6
Thanks for a great update. The protectors are coming together for sure.
|
|
|
Post by cavsgt on Feb 9, 2022 18:32:51 GMT -6
Nice addition with the spirit stuff.
Thank You Phill
|
|
|
Post by bluefox2 on Feb 9, 2022 18:40:31 GMT -6
Brad and Trace will be the warriors to Gil's protector. Jarrod will be the medicine man. Yeah, I am peeking at your notes.
|
|
|
Post by gipsy on Feb 9, 2022 19:11:54 GMT -6
Some fine gueesstimating for sure, but you forgot Glen, Don, Steve, Tate, Jimmy, The Reverend, Billy, and all their significant others. I am betting that Alan will be the next protector. I would throw in the church members as well. There is a force growing in the valley for sure.
|
|
mlhj
New Member
Posts: 16
|
Post by mlhj on Feb 10, 2022 7:22:51 GMT -6
One might be tempted to call it a civilian irregular defense group.
|
|
|
Post by ncsfsgm on Feb 10, 2022 12:15:38 GMT -6
Chapter 239
Gil awoke and got out of the bed. Picking up his running shorts and a t-shirt he had laid out the night before, he went to the bathroom, closed the door and turned on the light. Looking into the mirror, he rubbed his chest, feeling the slight heaviness. He used the toilet and put on the t-shirt and shorts. Shutting off the light, he opened the door and went down to put on a pot of coffee.
He was watching the Weather Channel when Grace came down at six. She started getting together the ingredients for breakfast.
"What are you doing?" Gil asked.
"Making breakfast."
"Look, Billy doesn't have to leave until 0730. You relax and have a cup of coffee."
"I'm so nervous. He's going to drive all that way by himself!"
"Grace, it's not that far and he's an excellent driver."
"I know, I can't help it."
Gil chuckled. Wait until Alan and Alana turn sixteen."
"Don't remind me!"
Billy came down at 0630, already dressed.
"What do you want for breakfast, Honey?" Grace asked.
"I think I'll just have a bowl of oatmeal and toast."
Grace got up and got out a pot. Gil?"
"Yeah, maybe some bacon too, and make it crispy. I'll crumble it in the oatmeal."
"Yeah, that sounds good, Mom." Billy echoed.
"How are you feeling Billy?"
"Good Dad. Excited."
Gil slipped Billy four twenties. "For lunch. I'm sure some of the students will want to go out to lunch. Get to know them. However, the southside isn't a Mecca of fine dining establishments. If it were me, I'd pack a couple of sandwiches and your Klean Kanteen in your backpack, just in case. Get the lay of the land. If eating establishments are too far away to have a leisurely lunch and be back in time for class, it isn't worth the pressure. You can bring your lunch from home, or stop by Yoder's and get lunch from the deli to take with you."
"I'll make you a couple of sandwiches Dear, and put them in a cold bag." Grace said.
"Thanks Mom."
Gil pulled out the bacon and let it drain on paper towels while Grace was stirring the oatmeal. Billy got the orange juice out and set the pitcher on the table. Gil got bowls out and toasted four slices of bread. When the oatmeal was done, Grace served it in the bowls. Both Gil and Billy crumbled three slices of bacon on top of the oatmeal, added a tablespoon of butter, pepper and a couple of tablespoons of honey, then mixed it all up. Grace buttered the toast and set it on a plate in front of them.
"You're not taking any study materials from here with you, are you?"
"No Sir."
"Good. Always keep your cards close to your chest."
"Grace, aren't you going to eat?" Gil asked.
"No, I'm not very hungry right now. I'll get something when Alan and Alana get up."
Gil and Billy finished their oatmeal and all four slices of toast. Grace set an insulated bag with two gel ice packs in it on the table.
"I made you a PB&J, a ham salad and there's a bag of freeze dried strawberries and a bag of freeze fried apple slices."
"Thanks Mom. I'll get my backpack and water bottle."
Grace picked up the empty bowls and plate and set them in the sink.
Gil walked up behind Grace and pulled her into his arms.
"This is really bothering you, isn't it?"
"You said he was just spreading his wings, now he's getting ready to fly!"
"Grace, he isn't leaving the nest, he'll be back this afternoon."
Grace let out a big sigh and broke free of his arms when she heard Billy come down the stairs.
Billy set his backpack on the table and put the lunch pack in the backpack, pulled the Klean Kanteen out of the pack and filled it up at the Berkey. Placing the water bottle back into the pack, he cinched the straps down. Opening a side pocket, he made sure he had pens, mechanical pencils and highlighters and his spiral notebook. He closed the pocket and looked at Grace, who was standing there with her trembling fingertips covering her lips. Billy walked over and hugged her.
"I'll be just fine Mom. I'll pull over at the McDonald's at I-81 and text you, when I get to Kodak and when I reach the school. If I'm a little late contacting you, don't call the State Troopers. I may be busy in traffic and can't stop, but I'll contact you as soon as I can."
Gil stood to the side and suppressed a grin.
Grace nodded and kissed Billy on the cheek.
"You be careful!"
"I will."
Billy picked up his pack and went out and got in his truck. After cranking the engine he sat there for a second, studying the gauges. Satisfied, he put the truck in gear, waved and went down the drive. Grace watched him from the deck until he was out of sight and went back in.
|
|
|
Post by ncsfsgm on Feb 10, 2022 12:19:07 GMT -6
Chapter 240
"Grace, we'll be running the pine logs through the sawmill today." Gil said.
"We're working in the greenhouse planting a table of greens and it looks like we've got strawberries ripening." Grace replied.
"Okay, I'll see you later."
Gil greased all the grease joints, checked the oil and filled the fuel tank on the sawmill. The other guys arrived and Brad moved the log truck into position so they could use the truck crane to lift the logs onto the sawmill bed. Colt and Trace stood by, each with a peavey, to position the log. They cut a third of the logs into planks to make 2x4s, and the rest into one inch boards. They knocked off an hour for lunch and finished the truckload by 1530. After cleaning up and bagging the sawdust, they were ready to call it a day.
"Do you want us to pick up another load of logs tomorrow? Trace asked
"Yeah, we can take it with us and bring a load back, but tomorrow I want to take some pallets and the banding machine over and start palletizing the firewood and get it back over here." Gil replied
"Okay. Meet at 0900?"
"That'll be good." Gil said.
Gil went back to his office and took out a topo map, actually it took two maps; Johnson City East and Johnson City West. He trimmed the maps and taped them together and took an orange highlighter and drew the outline of the boundaries of the sacred area. He felt the presence of the Sagartotisa guiding his hand as he completed the boundary.
" Sagartotisa, are these the true boundaries of the Sacred Lands?" "Yes, Caomächter, those are the boundaries. Many of your years ago, the lands of our tribe extended to the highest peaks to the east, to the waters of the Arenara, what you call the Powell River to the west, to the waters of the Goapayha, or what is now called the French Broad River in the south, to the lands of the Shawnee People in the north. The Land we protect today is but a vestige of what was a great Land of the People, but it is more important than all of the rest because of the magical powers of this Land."
"What will…"
Gil heard footsteps on the stairs and turned the map over.
"Gil, Billy called. He's at Yoder's." Grace said.
"Is that fried chicken I smell?"
"Grace grinned. "Yes, you hungry?"
"Starving!"
"Well, come down and you can have a wing."
"I'll be right there. Let me put this stuff away."
He heard Grace start down the stairs as he folded up the map. Locking it in the safe, he went downstairs for a chicken wing.
Grace and Mollie were just finishing the last of the preps for dinner when Billy drove in. Grace made a move to rush to the door but held herself in check. Billy came through the door with his pack and a plastic grocery bag in his hands.
"Hi everyone!" Billy grinned.
Grace calmly went over to Billy and kissed him on the cheek.
"How was your day, Honey?"
Billy rolled his eyes. "They gave us a synopsis of the course, break times, times for lunch, places we can eat…you're right Dad, there aren't many eating establishments in South Knoxville that don't open after three and serve alcohol. I think I will be carrying my lunch from now on."
Holding up the little grocery sack he said. "and Yoder's has good food and all that, but I think I'd rather have what you fix me, Mom."
Grace's moist eyes gleamed.
"What do you have in the bag?" Gil asked.
"Oh, I got some trail mix."
Mollie, over by the stove, was taking plastic containers out of the cabinet and placed three pieces of fried chicken in one, pasta salad in another and Cole slaw in the third. Taking out a fourth container, she placed two Angel Biscuits in it. Snapping the lids on, she turned to Billy.
"Billy, I've got your lunch for tomorrow right here. If you take the container of biscuits and set them on the dash of your truck when you get to school, they will be warm when you have your lunch."
Billy grinned. "That's what I'm talking about!"
"Go put your things away, Well have dinner in fifteen minutes." Grace said.
"Okay, Mom."
Billy pulled the insulated lunch bag from his pack and placed it on the counter and took his pack to his room.
Gil looked at Grace and lifted an eyebrow. "Well?"
Grace scrunched up her nose. "You were right. Go get washed up.
Grace threw the trash from the lunch bag away and placed the gel ice blocks back in the freezer, then she and Mollie begin setting the food on the table. At Mollie's call, the twins came in and scrambled into their booster seats and everyone sat down. Joining hands, Grace gave the blessing, thanking God for the food and for having the family safely together that evening.
Gil came out of the print shop with the two cardboard tubes in his hand and got into the Power Wagon. Driving over to Gary's office, he went in with the printed copy of the map.
"Good morning Rachel!"
"Good morning Mr. Conner." Rachel smiled..
Gil stopped. "Rachel, it's 'Gil', Mr. Conner started the Foundation."
"Of course Mr…Gil."
Gary popped his head out of his office door. "Come on in Gil."
Gil walked in and Gary closed the door behind him.
"Here, this is a copy for you." Gil said.
"Gary pulled the map out of the tube and rolled it out on the conference table, weighing it down with a stapler and a paperweight.
Gary went over and opened his safe, taking out an aerial photo and a survey map.
Laying them down on the table, Gary studied them.
"Your borders are a little smaller than the survey map of the lands the Foundation holds." Gary said.
"Tell me about the people that hold property within these borders."
"Well, they don't really 'own' the property. They own the buildings on the property, but the land is leased yearly from the Foundation. We get regular payments from the leasees.
"I want to know everything there is to know about the people living on Foundation land. Gil handed him a business card. Call this guy and use my name. Ask him for references for the best investigative agencies he is familiar with. You can trust him."
"Do you think there might be some bad apples in the barrel?"
"No, but I need to know the People."
I'll give him a call. Why don't you get the information from the Sagartotisa?"
"Do you want to sit and transcribe everything she could tell us?"
"Right. Okay, I'll call him this morning."
|
|
|
Post by ncsfsgm on Feb 10, 2022 12:20:29 GMT -6
Chapter 241
Gil picked up the local paper and went back to Bluff View. The bridge was re-opening on Monday so his future excursions into town would be much quicker. The men were already there with the pallets loaded on a big flatbed trailer along with the banding material and what they called the "pallet jig." They convoyed out for the long drive to Bear Head Point. Brad and Trace loaded the log truck while Gil and Colt got the pallet jig in place and started stacking the firewood on the pallet.
The pallet jig was something Gil had welded up for portable use. It was like the four pipes they had in the ground back at Bluff View. You placed the pallet in between the pipes and they held the wood until the pallet and wood could be secured with two tight metal bands, three bands if they were using the plastic strapping material..
When Brad and Trace finished loading the log truck with more pine logs, they came and helped stack firewood. They quickly finished filling the trailer with pallets.
"You want to leave the jig here?"
"No, take it back with us. We need to chop up and band the slabs at the sawmill. Let's have lunch at home. I want to band that load of lumber up and get it over to the lumber mill this afternoon. We'll mill the load of logs tomorrow."
During their lunch hour, Gil munched on a sandwich while reading the local paper and came across a notice for an estate sale near Surgoinsville on Saturday. Some of the things listed was woodworking equipment. Gil made a note of that.
"Grace, you want to go with me to an estate sale on Saturday?"
"Just you and I?"
"Sure, if you want."
"I'd love to. What time?"
"Starts at nine."
"Okay."
After lunch, they banded the lumber. Trace and Gil hauled it over to the lumber mill while Colt and Brad chop sawed the slabs and started stacking the wood on the pallets.
That's some nice pine." The supervisor said. "You wouldn't be interested in selling it would you?"
"Nah." Gil said. We've been doing a lot of building lately and I need to replenish my stocks. Prices at the lumber yard are sky high."
The forklift quickly emptied the trailer and Gil and Trace returned to Bluff View to help Colt and Brad clean up the slab pile.
Billy returned from school with an even bigger smile on his face today.
"They gave us a quiz the first thing this morning on the materials were had to study last night. I ACED IT!"
"That's great!" Gil said.
"The thing is, I only did a little review. I had it all in my head. Thanks for making me study the materials here over the last few months."
"I didn't 'make' you do anything. You had the desire and you did it. Just make sure you go over carefully what they tell you to study. There will be more quizzes in the future."
"I will Dad."
"You must bring you Comhairater within the bounds of the Sacred Lands, Caomächter.
Gil's eyes snapped open. He looked at the clock in the bedside table. 0430. He got up, pulled on his Ranger panties and a wife beater, slipped on his moccasins and quietly went downstairs to start a pot of coffee.
Saturday morning, there was a good crowd attending the estate sale. They walked around looking the many things, some in groups. Grace had her eyes on three, thirty gallon cast iron butchering kettles and two five foot cast iron sugaring kettles. Gil wondered why they even had sugaring kettles this far south. In an old building Gil found what they referred to a "woodworking equipment" was a rusted wood lathe, an industrial size router, and an old band saw. He started to go back outside but turned and did a closer inspection. The equipment really wasn't that bad, just fine surface rust with no pitting. A little cleaning, polishing and paint would bring them back to life. Of course, he didn't know the condition of the motors.
When the auction began, Grace picked up another treadle Singer sewing machine and got into a bidding war with another woman over the kettles, but outbid her. When they came around to the woodworking machines the bid went up to $250, then Gil held the bid and won it. Gil paid for their purchases and told them he'd be back that afternoon to pick everything up. They returned to Bluff view and Gil got Billy, Trace and Brad to go back with him to pick everything up. Hitching up the heavy tilt trailer, they returned to Surgoinsville and hauled everything back, stashing everything but the sewing machine in the equipment barn for now.
Sunday afternoon Gil got a call from Steve.
"Hey buddy! What's going on down there?"
"Nothing much, just staying busy."
"No, I mean with the investigators."
"Oh, I just want to know more about the people who lease property belonging to my grandfather's foundation. You still working?"
"If you mean at the security company then, no. I turned that over a couple of months ago. I've been working hard out at my other place making improvements there. You and Grace need to fly up and check it out some weekend."
"Plan on it. And I'll bring you a keg of some good stuff."
"Looking forward to it. I won't keep you. Give Grace our love."
"I will, you take care."
"Who was that? Grace asked.
"Steve. He wants us to come up to his 'country place' some weekend."
"It would be nice to see Angela again."
"Well, pick a Saturday and call Angela. We'll fly up in the Maule and take the twins. They'll love the woods up there. A little flatter than what we have here."
"Okay, I'll call her."
|
|
|
Post by ncsfsgm on Feb 10, 2022 12:23:05 GMT -6
Chapter 242
Gil brought the Router into to the shop with the forklift. Spreading a tarp on the floor, he then laid two 4x4s down and sat the router on them. He started disassembling the machine, some of the bolts he had to apply generous amounts of penetrating oil to free them. He got the table off and set it on a wooden stand he had built out of 4x4s to carry the weight. Then he pulled the motor and set it aside. Maybe all it needed was blowing out with the air hose. He left the base sitting and began working on the table. With a pad soaked with CorrosionX and a green scouring pad, he began removing the fine rust.
He heard the door open and Grace walked in.
"Gil, I haven't been feeling very well. I think I need to make an appointment to see the doctor." Grace said
'Okay, do you want me to go with you?"
"Would you?"
"Of course I will. Go ahead and make an appointment."
A few minutes later Grace came back out to the shop. "I have a 10:00 appointment on Wednesday."
"Okay. How are you feeling right now?
"Just a little headache. I'll take some aspirin."
"You should lie down for a bit. Do you want me to come in and watch the kids?"
"No, Mollie can watch them."
Gil continued to clean the table. After getting all the rust off, he carried the table outside with the hand trucks and sprayed the top off with the pressure washer and a degreaser solution. After letting it drip off for a bit, he dried it off with shop towels and took it back inside and set it back on the four-by-four stand. Using a heat gun, he made sure there was no more moisture in it. He got out a can of John Deere green paint and repainted the painted surfaces and let it dry, moving over to work on the base. He finally got all the bolts loose and took the base apart and removed all visible rust and moved them outside and degreased them. After drying the parts and painting them, he cleaned up and went to the house.
Wednesday morning, Gil took Grace in to see Dr. Brunnard. The doctor let Gil accompany Grace into the examination room where the doctor did a physical examination and drew blood samples. He then set her up for a series of tests that afternoon at the hospital. He told them he would know more when he got the test results back
Going back home after the tests and the MRI, Grace just sat, staring through the windshield.
"Are you all right Grace?"
"Yes, I just feel strange. Somethings not right. I'm beginning to get a little frightened."
"Whatever is going on, I'll be right by your side."
She looked over and gave him a faint smile. "I love you so much."
Friday morning, Dr. Brunnard called and asked Grace to come in for consultation. Gil took a shaky Grace in and were escorted into the doctor's private office.
"Grace I've gone over the results and had some specialists review them also. There's no good way to put this. You have a Grade 4 brain tumor."
Grace grabbed Gil's hand.
"Grade 4? What does that mean?" Gil asked.
Dr. Brunnard cleared his throat. "A Grade 4 tumor grows and spreads very quickly, and the tumor cells do not look like normal cells, but are very, very difficult to remove."
Grace moaned and fainted.
The End
Coming soon….Saving Grace
|
|
|
Post by udwe on Feb 10, 2022 12:36:26 GMT -6
OH, NO! Please save her!
|
|
|
Post by sniper69 on Feb 10, 2022 12:44:06 GMT -6
Wow, wasn't expecting that last chapter.
Thank you for sharing, and looking forward to Saving Grace.
|
|
|
Post by cavsgt on Feb 10, 2022 13:19:30 GMT -6
OK Just how long do we have to cling to the edge of this cliff before you give us some relief.
THANK YOU Phill
|
|
|
Post by solo on Feb 10, 2022 14:16:33 GMT -6
And just like that, life stands up and reminds you who is really in charge. I hope "saving Grace" does end up saving Grace, but man, Stage 4 with an aggressive cancer is usually the time you make someone comfortable.
|
|
|
Post by gipsy on Feb 10, 2022 16:25:51 GMT -6
I have high hopes that there will be a way out of this mess. Looking forward to the next set of adventures.
|
|
|
Post by iamnobody on Feb 10, 2022 16:59:53 GMT -6
Is this part of the curse of the sacred land making people sick who don't belong there?
Or is this a trial for Gil?
|
|
|
Post by bluefox2 on Feb 11, 2022 20:43:57 GMT -6
I have come to expect cliffs out of the authors here. but I did not expect to run straight onto the edge of the Grand Canyon.
|
|
|
Post by imahic on Feb 18, 2022 15:47:40 GMT -6
This was a great story. It was tough to put down so I could go to bed. Was not expecting it to end as it did. Looking forward to reading Saving Grace. And I think I need to go back and find the original story also. Thanks for sharing your story.
|
|
|
Post by mesquite on Mar 1, 2022 2:01:27 GMT -6
Gil asked everyone whether they wanted a rack or a halfHopefully, Gil had enough racks... There is a BBQ restaurant in the Fort Worth Stockyards, Risky's, that serves all you can eat beef ribs that far surpass pork ribs, but I am biased to beef ribs. Have eaten more than 30 beef ribs at a sitting and had to waddle out of Risky's, but was well satiated every time we ate at Risky's. Had a stack of napkins to keep the face and hands clean most times. Thanks n for the chapters. Yummm. Gonna have to give that a try next time we go to Fort Worth! Thanks!
|
|
|
Post by philevans on Mar 20, 2022 19:51:22 GMT -6
Gil will become familiar with his mantle to save Grace.
thank you thank you for this beautiful yarn.
|
|
|
Post by phreddagg on Aug 24, 2023 14:51:22 GMT -6
Thanks for the GREAT story. I'm looking forward to Saving Grace.
|
|
|
Post by larryminn on Mar 9, 2024 21:13:54 GMT -6
The purse snatcher story was more realistic by media.
“With the solar charging stations, the batteries are easily charged overnight.” Just does not flow on page 15 very well.
|
|
|
Post by feralferret on Mar 10, 2024 1:06:01 GMT -6
“With the solar charging stations, the batteries are easily charged overnight.” Just does not flow on page 15 very well.
I guess I missed that back when the story was active. That really doesn't make much sense using solar chargers when the sun is down, not that it isn't within the realm of possibility for a bureaucrat to try to push such an ridiculous idea.
|
|