|
Post by papaof2 on Sept 23, 2012 17:42:36 GMT -6
I had an idea for a story and have a few chapters done. I'm new to writing PAW fiction, so you may be watching someone swing at the ball and run up the third base line ;-) Comments appreciated.
Chapter 1 - midmorning Monday
"Hello the house!"
One truck - looks like Sam's; two people in the cab. Passenger puts a long gun on the dash and exits. Seems OK, but I'll take the 22 rifle.
"You here, Bill? It's Alex Trotter to ask a favor."
"Alex, you know I have very little to offer in the way of favors."
"Not asking for things this time, Bill, just your time and knowledge."
"What is it?"
"From the way you answered my hello, I'm guessing you heard the shooting at the trailer park?"
"The ten per cent of our previous population that survived the fever doesn't make much noise so I couldn't have missed it. Sounded like more than just hunting guns, though. I don't know anyone there, so how does this involve me?"
"Rob King stole an explosives truck and a water trailer from a construction site. He tried to blast through Joe Henderson's gate around dawn but killed himself in the process."
"So how does this involve me?"
"Two things. Sam, get 'em out of the truck."
"OK."
"Alex, those are the dirtiest, scrawniest boys I've ever seen."
"We're not boys!"
"Bill, this is Abigail and this is Teresa. They belonged to Rob's girlfriend."
"No, I'm Abby and she's Terry!"
"Wait a minute, girls. Alex, I'm still waiting for an answer."
"Bill, Joe Henderson told us that Rob lived in what was left of the trailer park. When we called out that we were bringing the body back, the girlfriend started shooting at us with an AK-47 and Sam returned fire. She didn't make it. Carl Black was hit. Nothing serious, but Carl and Mabel are the folks I usually ask to take in kids and Mabel will have her hands full with Carl and the four kids that are already there."
"Last time before I close and lock the door, Alex. How does this involve me?"
"Bill, I know you need some help since Sandra died of the fever and these two need someone who can care for them and teach them. I know you don't have any barter to hire workers with and both of these are big enough to be a lot of help to you. You get help and they get a caring adult."
"And what do I use for food and clothing?"
"Rob had a stash of dry and canned foods that should last the three of you maybe six months. Joe said he'll bring that water trailer over to you - it's about 3,000 gallons. That should last you until his boys can bring the well drilling rig over and drill a well for you. The water table around here is high enough that a hand pump will work. I'll be over tomorrow to plow that land you wanted for a garden and my boys will help with the planting. You'd offered me some fuel for doing the plowing, but we'll do that and the planting as our contribution to caring for the girls."
"What about clothes?"
"Carl and Mabel's girls are older than these two and Mabel said she'd box up the stuff they've outgrown."
"Abby and Terry. Do you want to stay here and help me in return for food and a room?"
"Mister, since Grandma Betty died you're the only person ever asked either of us if we *wanted* to do something. We've always been told what to do and threatened or hit if we didn't. We'll stay. What do we call you?"
"Let's start with 'Mr. Mason'."
"OK, Mr. Mason. Can we eat and get a bath? We didn't have much food or enough water for a bath at the trailer."
"Your mother didn't take care of you?"
"Crystal ain't our mother. She's Momma's cousin and got stuck with us when Momma died. She said she was just keeping us alive until we got old enough to make her some money."
"Terry, why are you holding your arm like that?"
"She jumped on Rob when he snuck into our room and tried to get my jeans off me last night. I think he broke Terry's arm when he hit her. Terry's yell woke up Crystal. She came in with her gun, told Rob he wasn't getting any free samples and chased him out of the trailer."
"Alex, how soon can you get those clothes here? I had a fire going out back to make soap so I can stoke it up to heat water for the girls to bathe but all I have for them to wear is some of my shirts."
"Bill, I thought you would take them in when you heard their story, so the box of clothes is in the back of the truck."
"Am I really that soft of a touch?"
"Only where kids are involved, Bill. I know what happened to the gang that tried to get in here."
"Then get that box and let's get the girls inside so they can eat."
"We really can stay?"
"Yes."
"Wow!"
"Ungh! I know you're happy to have a place to stay but warn me before you do another flying hug, Abby. I'm a little old to be catching kids in midair."
"Sorry, Mr. Mason."
"Bill, I'll tell the others and they can get started on the things I mentioned. Melissa Garrison said she has some homeschooling materials that I can drop off when I'm here tomorrow."
"Home school, Alex? I'm not a teacher."
"Maybe not a traditional classroom teacher, but I know where my kids have gotten the best practical learning. Jason is a better hunter than I am and Kaitlin is a better mechanic; you taught both of them. I think you'll also be pretty good with the three R's."
"I think I've been had."
"Only in the most positive way, Bill. By the way, how's your supply of heart medication?"
"I had used a Canadian pharmacy to get an extra year of it before things went bad, so I have almost 14 month's worth. If I'm careful about stress and dehydration, I may be able to stretch it out to about two years. If Abby and Terry are good workers, they can do the little jobs and help me with the big stuff. I also bought the book on herbal medicines that Doc Wilson recommended, so I'll be checking on alternatives."
"One more thing, Bill. That AK, five magazines and about 500 rounds of FMJ are in a duffel in the truck. I'll bring it in just in case you need something bigger the next time someone pulls into your drive. I know you can take out a squirrel's eye at 100 yards with that 22, but you can never have too much firepower. I'll be back in little while - and thank you for taking the girls."
"You're welcome, Alex. Be glad the phones aren't working - if you hadn't brought the girls here, I would have said 'No'."
"I would have brought them out to ask if the phones had been working. Speaking of phones, didn't you work for the phone company?"
"Yes, but that was a long time ago."
"You've never forgotten any bit of technical trivia in all your 70 years. When you were helping Kaitlin restore that old Ford truck, you set the points and plugs from memory. She insisted on looking it up when we were at the auto parts store and she found that you were right. Can you give Walter Isham and his son Ed some pointers?"
"Yes, but let me feed Abby and Terry before you start another long tale that leads to a favor. They might starve before you finish."
"You have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and milk, Mr. Mason? Crystal said there wasn't any more milk or peanut butter."
"Well, there isn't any in the stores, but I stocked up on a lot of things in the last few years, including peanut butter and chocolate chip cookie mix. I knew there would be days when those would make me feel good."
"Me, too."
"Terry, why haven't you said anything?"
"It's her arm, Mr. Mason. It hurts so bad she keeps her teeth locked hard to keep from crying. Rob whipped us if we cried."
"Terry, Abby. It's OK to cry when you're hurt. I'll never punish you for crying."
"Really?"
"Yes, really. Alex, can you stop by Doc Wilson's place and tell him about Terry's arm? On second thought, ask him if he can check both girls - it sounds as though they've been treated badly."
"Will do, Bill. I'll bring him back if he needs a ride."
"Can we have another sandwich and some more milk?"
"Yes, Abby. Terry, the doctor is coming to check your arm a little later. I have a tub of water heating out back and I'd like for both of you to be bathed when he gets here. Can the two of you manage that?"
"Terry can't wash herself with one hand and I can't hold her arm out of the way and wash her at the same time. Can you help us?"
"Is that OK with you, Terry?"
Nods her head.
"Terry, I can tell how much you're hurting. I want to get your arm washed so I can put a splint on it. I know it will hurt to move it, but it will feel better when the splint is on and holding it straight so you don't have to hold it with your other hand. The doctor will probably be able to give you something for the pain when he gets here and he will probably put a cast on your arm."
Nods her head and puts her arm on the table.
"Abby, can you bring me the pan of water and the towel that are on the counter?"
"Here it is."
"Thank you. Terry, I need to wash your arm so we can tell whether the dark marks are dirt or bruises. Do you want Abby to hold your other hand while I do this?"
Nods her head.
"Mr. Mason, you talk to us like Grandma Betty did. She always explained what she was doing and why and she knew that we felt safer when someone held our hand. Did you know her? She ran the bakery."
"Would that be Betty Taylor, with the red framed glasses?"
"That's her. Since you treat us like she did, can I call you 'Grandpa Mason'?"
"Abby, I'm honored to be included with the people who make you feel safe. 'Grandpa Mason' sounds fine."
"Me too?"
"You too, Terry. Meanwhile, bite on this folded towel so you don't break a tooth."
Nods her head.
"Abby, when I lift Terry's arm over the pan, you put your other hand under it right here and help me keep it straight. That's good. When I finish washing her arm, I want you to pour that pitcher of water over it very slowly to rinse off the soap. That's good. Now the towel. Now I need that piece of wood and the roll of gauze. Now the piece of tape on the edge of the table. How's that, Terry?"
"Better. Can you hold me?"
"Just for a minute. The water in the tub out back is warm and I want both of you in the tub. You won't want to put dirty clothes back on a clean body so look through the clothes in the box. There should be things that will fit each of you."
"Mickey! And the pink jeans and the Cinderella underwear."
"The blue phone booth and the black jeans."
"OK. The mouse for Terry and the Tardis for Abby."
"What's a Tardis?"
"I'll explain that when we have a lot of time to talk. To your bath."
"Can you help me with Terry?"
"Terry?"
"Abby holds my arm up and you wash me. She always washes too hard."
"I think you can manage everything but your left arm and part of your back. You'll survive if Abby only washes that much of you."
'You'll stay here with us? One time I left Raggedy Ann outside and the wild dogs came out of the woods toward me. I screamed and Abby came out with a broom and kept them away until Crystal came out and shot some of them. Crystal said we couldn't be outside unless a grownup was with us."
"I'll be here with my pistol. I don't take chances with people I'm caring for."
"OK."
"Put your dirty clothes in this basket and we'll wash them later."
"We?"
"Yes, I expect you to help with everything you're able to do. Terry can't sweep with one hand, but she can help with other things. I'll show you how to wash clothes with one hand later. How'd you get these marks on your backs?"
"Rob whipped us with a belt and sometimes with the cord from the TV."
"Girls, Doc Wilson also needs to look at these to see if they need treatment."
"Will you hold my hand if it hurts?"
"Yes, Terry, I'll hold your hand even if it doesn't hurt."
"Me too?"
"Of course, Abby."
Be nice if we had power for the washing machine. Looks like they've been in these clothes for days. A "plumber's helper" in a bucket of soapy water will work, it just takes more effort. The old gas-engine-powered Easy washing machine used three up-and-down agitators that looked like big plumber's helpers, so I'll be following a previous design. Is there still a washboard in the attic? I'll check later. Alex said to teach them; they can start by learning to wash modern clothes in old fashioned ways.
|
|
|
Post by papaof2 on Sept 23, 2012 19:45:16 GMT -6
Chapter 2 - Monday afternoon
"Hello the house."
"Hello Alex, Doc."
"Bill, Alex tells me one of the kids they found has a broken arm. How and when?"
"Rob King hit Terry yesterday when she tried to protect Abby. I got a splint on it while Alex was going to get you. She'd just been holding it so it hurt the least."
"Where's King now?"
"He's dead, Doc. Blew himself up trying to take out Joe Henderson's gate early this morning."
"Where are the kids?"
"Inside. I fed them and heated a tub of water for them to bathe out back. Alex had brought the clothes that Mabel Clark donated, so they're fed, First Aided, bathed, and in clean clothes."
"I can't think of any better care than that, Bill. I'll bring you a nurse's cap next time I'm out this way."
"I can live without the hat, Doc. You need to check out that arm and the marks on their backs where they were whipped. Come on in."
"Abby, Terry. The doctor is here. Come and let him check you over."
"Uncle Jack?"
"You know these kids, Doc?"
"Their grandmother, Betty Taylor, was my wife's aunt, which made her a distant cousin to the girls. Because of the age difference, they called us Aunt Maude and Uncle Jack."
"Abby, Terry. Do want to go stay with your Uncle Jack?"
"He doesn't have a place for us to sleep, Grandpa, and he's always going out to take care of people. I wanna stay with you."
"Me too."
"'Grandpa', Bill?"
"Alex, when I was splinting Terry's arm, they said that I cared for them like their Grandma Betty did and asked if they could call me 'Grandpa Mason'. Being compared to Betty Taylor is high praise, so I said OK."
"Let me see your arm, Terry."
"OK, Uncle Jack. But it really hurts when it's moved or touched."
"Do you know how much you weigh?"
"No."
"How old are you?"
"I was seven in March and Abby will be nine in May."
"OK, I'll guess that you're a little shy of the 50 lbs I'd expect at your age, and I'll cut back the pain killer a little more for you being so thin. I need to check your arm and maybe put a cast on it and I think you know it will hurt. You scared of needles?"
"Not if Grandpa holds my hand."
"Nurse Bill, you have hand holding duty. Terry, take a deep breath and let it out slowly while I count to ten. One. Two. Three."
"Ouch!"
"Was it really that bad?"
"No, I just thought you'd do it on ten."
"If I had waited to the end, you would have had your muscles all tensed up and it would have hurt much more. That should take effect in a few minutes. Bill said there were marks on your backs?"
"I can pull my shirt up but Terry needs help."
"Just on your backs, Abby?"
"No. On down. See?"
"Almost down to the knees. On both of you. Some of them are still fresh and raw but none look infected. I'll put some antibiotic cream on them and leave the tube for Bill to apply it twice a day until the welts heal. Bill, do you have any over the counter medications?"
"Ibuprofen and acetaminophen - but nothing for kids."
"Split an ibuprofen tablet and give each of them half of it. That's a prescription dose for them and it will ease the inflammation. I think it will also help them sleep. I'll leave some more potent pain tablets for Terry. Use them if the ibuprofen isn't enough."
"I see two of you, Uncle Jack!"
"I should have waited until I saw your ribs before setting the dose - you're even thinner than I thought. That extra morphine will wear off soon enough, though. Terry, I'll take off the splint and check the break."
"OK."
"Good splint, Bill. Alex, can you get some water to mix the plaster - and something to keep the mess off the table?"
"Alex, there's a pitcher of water on the counter and there's a bucket and a tarp on the back porch."
"I'll get 'em, Bill."
"Terry, the bones seem to be aligned as well as can be done without an X-ray. Abby, can you help me hold Terry's arm straight while I put the cast on?"
"Yes, Uncle Jack."
"You didn't ask me what color I wanted, Uncle Jack. The kids at school who had casts got pink and green and blue and..."
"Sorry, Terry. All I have is plain white. Maybe Bill has some markers you can use to decorate it."
"I think so. Abby, look in the cabinet under the TV."
"Sixteen colors! Are you an artist, Grandpa?"
"No, I use those for making maps."
"Can you show me how?"
"Later, when Terry feels like going out for a long walk."
"Doc, I told Bill he'd make a great teacher. I think we just heard proof."
"You're right, Alex. I know a lot of people who could learn from him - not just kids, either."
"No plotting against me in my own house, you two."
"No more today, anyway. I need to get back home and Doc said he had some folks to check on as well. I'll be here tomorrow with the boys and can take the girls to the Doc if anything changes."
"Thanks, Alex. What do I owe you, Doc?"
"You're taking in these two kids to raise at your age? I think you've already paid this and any future visits in full. By the way, here's another 90 days' worth of your heart medication."
"Thanks, Doc."
"Before we go, I want to check your heart and your blood pressure. You girls hold his hands."
"Is what you do gonna hurt, Uncle Jack?"
"No, but that will tell me whether having you two here is helping or hurting his heart. Looks and sounds better than it has in months. Now that you have some help, I expect you to let them do whatever they're able to and for you to ask them for help on whatever you do. On that basis, you may be able to cut the medication back to 1/4 tablet morning and evening instead of 1/2 tablet. That will double the life of your supply. Abby, do you remember the things I told you to watch for in your Grandma Betty?"
"Yes, Uncle Jack."
"Watch your grandpa for the same things and remind him to slow down or stop when you see those things."
"I will. I want him to give me away when I get married."
"Now you've done it, Doc. She'll be fussing over me every time I even hiccup."
"Sometimes you need that kind of watching. Bill. Now you'll get it. Send word if you or the girls need anything."
"Thanks, Doc."
"Abby, Terry. Was there any sleepwear in the box of clothes?"
"I didn't look."
"Me too."
"Go look now. It will be dark in a little while and we'll pretty much be going to bed and getting up with the sun."
"Do we hafta go to bed now?"
"No, not until after sunset. But you don't want to be looking through those clothes in the dark. When you've both found something, you can help me fix supper."
"But Terry can't use her hands."
"I can use one hand. The cast and the sling Uncle Jack put on hold my arm just right."
"And the shot of morphine will probably help for the next couple of hours. Sounds like I'll have a helper and a half then."
"You're silly, Grandpa. How can someone be half a helper?"
"How many hands will you be using, Abby?"
"Two."
"How many hands will Terry be using?"
"Just one."
"And how does one compare to two?"
"It's only half as much."
"Then doesn't mean that I'll have a helper and a half?"
"Is living here gonna be like being in school every day?"
"Probably, Abby. But I think things will be different from most schools. Why did you ask about making maps?"
"I thought it would be fun."
"Abby, you just said that learning would be fun!"
"You're right, little sister. I gotta think about that."
"While you're thinking, we need to start cooking. I'm using the woodstove outside so the house won't get hot. I have a fire going now, but we'll need more wood to cook tomorrow. There's a bucket for kindling and a box for bigger wood out by the woodshed. If you only fill them halfway, Terry can carry the kindling and Abby can carry the other wood."
"Do we hafta?"
"What deal did I make with you this morning, Abby?"
"We help you for food and a place to sleep."
"Have I kept my part of the deal?"
"Yes, and you got the doctor for Terry and me. We'll get the wood."
"Thank you, girls."
"Why did you thank us?"
"It's just good manners to say 'Please' and 'Thank you'."
"Flying hug!"
"If you've finished eating, you can help clear the table and wash dishes."
"OK. Will you read us a bedtime story tonight?"
"Yes, but if it's a long book I'll split it over several nights."
"Because we'll go to sleep before you finish the book?"
"Partly, especially tonight with Terry being on the pain medication."
"There's no water! Why?"
"The water system doesn't work without electricity. I can give you a better explanation tomorrow if you're still curious. I have water stored in barrels outside and in the basement. I bring it in as needed. Tonight we'll use what's in the two pitchers on the counter. One pitcher to make up soapy water in the wash pan; the other pitcher for rinsing the soap off. In the next week or so, someone is coming to drill a well and put in a hand pump. They might be able to put a pump in the kitchen so we don't have to go outside or up and down stairs to get water."
"Look through these books and see if there's a story the two of you can agree on."
"Cinderella?"
"OK with you, Abby?"
"As long as I get to choose next time."
"I think we can remember that. Go brush your teeth. There's a pitcher of water, toothbrushes, and so forth in the bathroom."
"It's too dark, Grandpa."
"I'll light a lamp and we'll use it long enough for teeth brushing and your story. Tomorrow night we'll start earlier so we won't need the lamp."
"Why?"
"I'll explain that tomorrow when we have daylight. OK?"
"OK. Read the story."
"Once upon a time..."
|
|
|
Post by papaof2 on Sept 23, 2012 19:46:01 GMT -6
Chapter 3 - Very early Tuesday
It's still dark. What woke me? What time is it? Glad I have this generator flashlight and a wind-up clock. One A.M. Do I hear a child crying? Child? Oh, yes - I now have two of them. Down the hall and see what's up.
"Don't cry, Terry. Rob will whip you."
"Abby, do you remember where you are?"
"You're not Rob. Mr. Mas.. Grandpa? Is that you?"
"Yes. What's wrong?"
"Terry's arm hurts real bad."
"Then it's time for the medication Doc Wilson left. I'll get you some water."
"Don't leave me!"
"I won't leave you. Instead, both of you come to the kitchen with me."
"Why does the light get bright then dim?"
"It's a generator flashlight. When I squeeze the lever on the side, it spins the generator to light the LED. When I stop squeezing it, the generator slows down and makes less of the electricity that makes it light up. Abby, you can help by keeping the light going while I get Terry the pain pill and some water."
"OK."
"Terry, can you swallow a pill?"
"If it's not real big."
"I think you can manage this one."
"OK. I swallowed it but I still hurt. That pill didn't work."
"It takes 20 minutes or so for your body to digest a pill and the medicine to help you."
"Can I sit in your lap and you hold me until it stops hurting?"
"Me too!"
"Sorry girls, but my lap isn't that big. If one of you sits on each side of me on the sofa, I can put an arm around each of you. And if you go to sleep, I will let you sleep here."
"Can I do the light, Abby?"
"OK Terry. You can try. It's not hard."
The light's been out for about ten minutes, so both of them are asleep. Ease them down, spread a light blanket over them, check the doors again and head back to my bed. Hope nighttime interruptions aren't a regular event - this old man needs his sleep. I also need to clean the AK tomorrow - or is that later today? Better make a paper note instead of relying on midnight memory.
|
|
|
Post by papaof2 on Sept 23, 2012 19:47:00 GMT -6
Chapter 4 - Tuesday morning
CLANG!
What was that?
"Mr. Mason, I didn't mean to but I couldn't hold the skillet with one hand and I dropped it."
"Skillet, Terry?"
"We were gonna set up things to make breakfast and wake you to light the fire. I brought a belt. I'll bend over the bed and you can whip me."
"Pull your pants up, Terry. I'm not gonna whip you. Come here for a hug."
"A hug? Why?"
"Because you were trying to do something nice for me."
"But I dropped the skillet and woke you up and made a mess with the eggs. Ain't you gonna whip me for each bad thing I did?"
"No. You were trying to help as we had agreed yesterday. I won't whip you for trying to do that. I will make some rules about cooking so something like this doesn't happen again. Put your good arm around my neck and I'll carry you back to the kitchen."
"Are you gonna take me and Terry outside to whip us, Mr. Mason?"
"No, Abby. You can pull your pants up. You don't get whipped for trying to do something nice for someone else. I think we need rules about what you're allowed to attempt in cooking, but you each get a hug this morning for trying to help with breakfast."
"Really?"
"Yes, really. Group hug with your new Grandpa. Why are you two crying?"
"We did all the wrong things and you still hug us and make us feel loved. Nobody's done that since Grandma Betty died."
"Dry your tears, then I could use some help cleaning the eggs off the floor."
"Terry was brave and told you what happened. I'll clean up the mess and she can help you fix breakfast."
"Thank you, Abby."
"Is the milk in the fridge, Grandpa?"
"No, Terry. The fridge doesn't work. Remember last night when one of you asked about water from the faucet? What did I say was the problem?"
"Lectricity."
"The fridge also needs electricity to keep things cool. Since we don't have a cow to get fresh milk, I have powdered milk that we mix with water to get drinkable milk. I only fix as much as we'll use right away so it doesn't spoil. In winter, we can keep milk and other things outside to keep them cold, but it's too warm to do that in April."
"Why isn't there any 'lectricity?"
"Yeah, Grandpa, why?"
"I need to draw some things for you. There's a whiteboard and some dry erase markers in the closet of your room. I'll get the board and the two of you can carry the markers, eraser, and drawing tools."
"You had to ask a question that got us back in school already, Terry."
"You asked about the maps, Abby."
"No bickering, girls. There are a lot of things that kids your age never needed to know before, but now those things are important - like how we got electricity."
"We're getting special subjects? I thought only real smart kids got to do that."
"You may be some of our smart kids now. You certainly ask good questions."
"Us? They just called us 'trailer trash'."
"I don't think you're trash and I won't let you or anyone else say that about you."
"Abby, did we die and go to heaven?"
"I don't think you'd have a broken arm in heaven, but nobody's treated us this good since Daddy died."
"I don't remember Daddy."
"You were about three or four then, so you probably don't remember."
"You're not in heaven, you're in Bill Mason's house and no one ever compared me to an angel."
"You're our angel, Grandpa."
"You two finish your cereal and milk then go get dressed. Can you manage the medicine for the welts on your backs?"
"I can do Terry, but she can't do much with her left hand. You put it on me, then I can put it on Terry."
"You're done, Abby. I'll start drawing the pictures for the lesson on electricity."
"What's that noise, Grandpa?"
"That's Mr. Trotter's tractor. It's almost as old as I am, but it runs OK on the fuel we have. He'll plow the land that I want to use for a garden and then he and his boys will help us plant things. There's a box labeled 'seeds' in the kitchen. I need to sort through the packages to have them in the right order for planting."
"The right order? You mean it matters which seed is in which row?"
"There's my smart girl asking good questions again. It matters for some things, Abby. Some of the bugs that eat the vegetables don't like certain flowers. If we plant a row of a vegetable next to a row of a flower that the bugs don't like, it will help keep the bugs out of the vegetables."
"I'm not smart."
"Did I say that you asked a good question?"
"Yes."
"Do dumb people ask good questions?"
"No."
"Then you must be smart!"
"Oh."
"Can we drive the tractor, Grandpa?"
"We'll have to ask Mr. Trotter, Terry. I don't think he'll let you drive it, but you might get a short ride if you say 'Please'."
"You mentioned 'Please' and 'Thank you' last night."
"And I'll keep mentioning them until they become a habit for you."
"OK. I liked it when you thanked me, so I'll try to remember."
"Me too."
"Hello the house."
"Don't know that you need the 'hello', Alex. That old tractor rattles the front door from a quarter mile away."
"I know, but calling out is now a habit."
"Mr. Trotter, can we please have a ride on the tractor?"
"I like your polite grandkids, Bill. Girls, when we finish plowing the garden, I'll disconnect the plow and let you have a short ride - but never while there is an attachment or a trailer connected."
"Why?"
"You girls ask good questions. If the tractor is pulling something, you could wind up under that something if you fell off the tractor. You don't want to fall off the tractor onto empty ground either, but it's much safer than being run over by whatever is behind the tractor."
"We really can ride later?"
"Yes."
"Thank you."
"Bill, I may have to reconsider and take these two home with me."
"NO! We're staying with Grandpa Mason!"
"He's teasing you, Abby. I think he's impressed by your good manners."
"Your Grandpa is right. We'll get the plowing done, then I'll give the two of you a ride while Bobby and Kyle start the planting."
"Can we help plant?"
"Yes, but first you need to help me finish sorting the seeds by row."
"You're mixing in flowers for the pesticide effect?"
"It's easier to do that now than to try to find bug spray and enough fuel to run a spray rig later."
"Doc's right about folks learning from you, Bill. I've been trying to scavenge enough spray to handle our garden this year and completely forgot about using Sarah's flowers. We'll be transplanting flowers when we get back home today."
"Are they all sorted now, Grandpa?"
"Yes, Terry. I put the garden plan on the whiteboard so Mr. Trotter and his boys can see how we want it laid out. When we finish planting, I'll clear the board and we'll have the lesson on electricity."
"Why didn't you do the 'lectricity lesson first?"
"Preparing the garden so we'll have food to eat is more important than explaining about electricity. We have someone here to help with the garden right now, so we work on the garden while they are available."
"Grandpa, my back hurts from bending over and putting seeds in the holes."
"I know, Abby. We all hurt from being in that position. But with six people working, it didn't take us long to get the planting done."
"That's the first time I've heard you complain about anything, Abby. You're a good worker."
"Thank you, Kyle."
"Everyone, I think it's time we took a break and got some food."
"Who's doing the cooking, Bill?"
"The woodstove. There's a pot of stew on top and there's bread in the oven. The fire's probably just about burned out now, so everything should be ready. I can offer you water, sun tea, or milk to go with it."
"Can I help you with your plate, Terry?"
"Thank you, Bobby."
"Food's good, Bill. I didn't know you could cook - especially bread."
"Something that Sandra and I enjoyed doing together. Now I hope Abby and Terry will want to learn."
"You can teach us to make bread like this, Grandpa?"
"Yes."
"Can we do that instead of the 'lectricity lesson today?"
"Lectricty, Bill?"
"They asked last night why the faucets didn't have water and this morning why the fridge didn't work, so I told them I'd tell them about how we used to get electricity."
"Can we come too, Mr. Mason?"
"Alex, if you don't need Bobby and Kyle back for an hour or so, I'll only have to explain this one time."
"Count me in too, Bill."
"OK, then. Terry, where's the generator flashlight?"
"On the table by the sofa."
"I'm sure most of you have at least seen one of these, but have you ever seen inside one? That's what I thought. This case has two screws that hold it together and inside we have semi-circle with teeth that match the teeth of the gear on the generator. When I squeeze the lever on the outside, the movement of the semi-circle turns the gear and the magnets on the generator shaft turn. Those moving magnets induce a flow of electrons in the wire coils beside the magnets. On a larger scale, you have the generator on the tractor that charges the battery and runs the lights."
"The belt on the pulleys turns the generator when the engine turns."
"Correct, Bobby. And on a larger scale, there are the standby generators that some people have - but most no longer have fuel for. Then we get to the really big generators at the Holmstead Power Plant. Those are hydroelectric generators that are turned by water coming through the dam on Lake Holmstead. If the water is directed through the proper channels, the generators will turn and make electricity."
"Then why isn't it working?"
"Kyle, do you remember the Jenkins family?"
"Mr. & Mrs. Jenkins and their eight kids."
"Where did the Jenkins kids work?"
"At the power plant."
"What happened to them?"
"They all died of the fever. The last time I saw Allen he said something about doing a 'safe stop' on the generators and then everything went dark."
"The safe stop was to put the generators in a state where they couldn't be harmed. If we could get them running again, there would be power for part of the area."
"Then let's go do it!"
"I need to check on something first, Kyle. Everyone who's worked at a hydroelectric plant raise your hand. I only see one hand: mine. The Jenkins kids were eight adults who knew what to do and it took all of them to keep the plant running 24 hours a day. It will be a long time before we have that many trained people, so getting the electricity back up won't happen soon. However, I'm willing to start training some future electricians. There's some stuff from the old high school electric shop in my barn, so I could run classes in basic electricity there."
"How old do the students have to be, Bill?"
"Alex, for some of the most basic lessons, anyone who can read and write, so second grade and up. More detailed lessons will need some serious math, so probably ninth grade and up."
"Mr. Mason, it sounds like you think the power plant is more important than the trains or the phones or the gas stations or..."
"Bobby, how do the gas stations get the fuel out of their tanks?"
"Since the tanks are underground I guess they use pumps - oh, they need electricity and so do the phones but what about the trains?"
"How do you get fuel into a diesel locomotive?"
"Another pump! So having electricity gives us a chance to get other things working."
"Very good, Kyle."
"And 'lectricity for the pumps that give us water and 'lectricity makes the fridge cold."
"Very good, Terry. I told you girls you were smart!"
"Maybe we are."
"How long would the training take, Bill?"
"Possibly several years while we wait for the kids to grow up. Abby's nine and Terry is seven. How old are Bobby and Kyle?"
"I'm twelve and Bobby is ten."
"That means we're several years away from having them as workers. I don't think we have eight or ten adults who have nothing to do but sit in class everyday."
"Maybe. How physical are the jobs at the plant?"
"Most of the monitoring is a desk job, but some of the maintenance needs strong young adults."
"Weren't a bunch of phone company people retired early?"
"Yes."
"Do they have knowledge of electricity?"
"At least the basics."
"How many of them survived the fever?"
"Maybe four or five. Remember that people who had survived hepatitis had a better survival rate than any other group and there was a near-epidemic of it in the phone company about 50 years ago. Having survived hepatitis then is probably the main reason I'm still here. If they're able to come to class, I could bring them up to speed on the hydro plant in a couple of months. We would still need some younger people to handle the checking and clearing of the water intakes and we'd need a boat or two to check for potential problems in the lake. Plus we'd need to look over every distribution line before applying power and we'd need younger people at the plant for some of the maintenance things."
"So we'd only have half the number of trained people that we need."
"Maybe not. Eight people ran the plant at full output. We don't need anywhere near that much power - maybe only 20 or 25% of its output and maybe not 24 hours a day. What if power was on for a few hourd in the morning and a few hours in the evening? On that basis, we might be able to run with a smaller crew and only have one of the four generators in use. That would extend the life of the generators by four times - important because any spare parts that aren't stored here probably won't be available for years. Remember that old man Holmstead initially set the hydro plant up to power his estate up on the lake. When the town started growing up at the crossroads, he sold power to the people there. The generators may have been updated somewhere along the line, but they're still old. Anything we can do to extend their life is important."
"You're an encyclopedia of useful information, Bill. Wish you had been more interested in the MAG that was being formed - everyone could have learned from you."
"They weren't interested in anyone who might become a burden later, so I bowed out early on. I didn't need the hassle of dealing with people who didn't want me around - nor did I have the minimum buy-in for the group."
"They started changing their minds later when they realized that most of them had no idea how things worked -they just had money to throw at problems. One of the organizers left his car lights on and ran the battery down, so I sent Kyle out to get him jumped off. Having a twelve-year-old doing something that he didn't know how to do brought him face-to-face with the group's lack of practical knowledge. If things hadn't gone bad so fast, he would have been here begging you to join and waiving the buy-in if you would agree to teach them farming, mechanics, plumbing, and so on. Back to where we were. How would we pay the people who work at the plant?"
"Our initial options would be food and maybe some limited amount of fuel. If they're working daily, they won't have time or energy to grow their own food. Remember that having a crew in place at the plant means that we could have an apprentice program for those who did well the next time we taught the classroom portion. Those people would also need to eat."
"Grandpa, is all the 'lectricity stuff this hard? I don't understand hardly anything you've said."
"I'm sorry, Terry. Sometimes grownups start out on a topic and just keep going without checking whether the kids are following. I've made notes about what we've discussed and I'll try to translate them into terms you'll understand. We'll talk about this more tomorrow. Alex, would now be a good time for a tractor ride?"
"It sure would. Come with me girls."
|
|
|
Post by patience on Sept 23, 2012 20:35:08 GMT -6
Good job! ;D You've got me hooked, for sure. Can't wait for more. Okay folks, where are you? This author is giving us a really good story , so THANK him already. Those little girls in the story already know good manners.
|
|
|
Post by freebirde on Sept 24, 2012 4:21:57 GMT -6
You have a good start, keep it up!
|
|
|
Post by darkwolf on Sept 24, 2012 16:01:51 GMT -6
I find this story an interesting read. I do hope that you continue it. I thank you for your hard work.
|
|
|
Post by debralee on Sept 24, 2012 17:43:19 GMT -6
Thank you for this new story. Grandpa seems to have a very soft heart and is one very smart man. The girls took to him quickly. They now have someone they can trust. Love it, and need more.
|
|
|
Post by papaof2 on Sept 24, 2012 18:17:18 GMT -6
Thanks for the positive comments.
I'll be on the road this week (1300 miles in 3 days) so it will likely be Saturday before I get back to serious writing.
|
|
|
Post by crf78112 on Sept 24, 2012 21:48:01 GMT -6
Good story line, I suspect us "old timers" might be more help than some young folks might believe. Been ther, done that, didn't need a T-shirt cause everyone I cared about was with me.
|
|
|
Post by papaof2 on Sept 29, 2012 9:07:13 GMT -6
Chapter 5 - Tuesday evening
The girls are happy - Alex let each one sit in his lap and 'drive' the tractor. I'll encourage that interest - driving a tractor will be a much needed skill if/when we get even a portion of the power back up and can produce fuel. I expected the girls to thank Alex, but I was almost amused at how each of them fumbled to thank one of the boys. 'Almost' because it's way too early for any of these kids to be pairing off. On the other hand, this may be the first time - or the first time in a long time - that they've felt like equals with any boys they've been around. Being hungry, dirty, and in ragged clothes does affect self-esteem. I certainly don't want to crush the independence they're beginning to show, so I'll just watch what happens. On second thought, Betty told me she met Sammy on the first day of fourth grade. When she got home she told her mother "You better learn to like Sammy Taylor because I'm gonna marry him." Fourth grade? She would have been about nine. Abby's almost nine! I could have done without remembering that bit of history...
Back to driving tractors. There's probably some crude oil in the storage tanks at the little refinery south of us and we might be able to power it with two of the generators on line. Who do I know that worked there? That's something else to explore later - better make some written notes. With power, we can run the biodiesel plant on the edge of town and keep the tractors running as long as the soy beans and chemicals last. I think Wally Green said they had enough chemicals on hand to make 30,000 gallons. That should last us a while. Need a list of those who knew how to run that plant.
There aren't many ways into this area, but we need to check the roads and bridges to see if we're still isolated. Old Mr. Holmstead picked his retreat location well. The geography is unusual: the bowl of the valley is mostly level and fertile, there's water from a couple of streams, and the surrounding hills limit access to just a few places - unless you're good at climbing nearly vertical cliff faces. But even one lighted house could make us a target in this mostly dark land if we get the power back on. I need to find out how many of the people who were interested in the MAG survived - that's another written note.
"Grandpa, I see smoke from the oven! Is our bread burning?"
"Sorry, Abby. I was thinking about things we need to do. I'll get the bread out of the oven and then make a list on paper so I don't forget the other things."
--
"Dad, did Abby and Terry live at the trailer park?"
"Yes, Kyle. After their mother died they lived at the trailer park with their mother's cousin, who apparently didn't take very good care of them. That's why they were on the school bus with you."
"They're a lot different than they were at school. They never said much on the bus and they always looked dirty and their clothes were kinda ratty. Abby seems smart and she's a good worker."
"And she's also pretty?"
"Dad!"
"The differences you saw today were from them being with someone who truly cares about them. Do you remember Mr. Mason saying things about how smart they were?"
"Yes. It didn't seem a big deal 'cause you've always done that for us."
"But apparently no one has done that for Abby and Terry in a long time, if ever." "That's why Abby got so mad when you said you'd take them?"
"They'd only been with Mr. Mason for 24 hours then and she already knew what a special place they were in. Abby's very aware of the loving, caring family she's now a part of. Do you remember the lady at the bakery?"
"With the red glasses? She looked nice for someone old."
"She was their grandmother. They inherited her looks and, from some of the things I heard today, they also inherited her intelligence - Betty Taylor was a very smart person."
"Will we see them again?"
"We helped plant a big garden today. I'm sure they could use help with thinning, weeding and harvesting over the next few months. I'll ask Bill to tell me when."
"I'll go."
"Me too. Terry's nice and she didn't complain about working with only one hand. Before you ask, I think she's pretty."
"It seems both of you are growing up a lot faster than I expected."
--
"Remember that I want you to start the process of getting to bed earlier tonight, so I don't have to use the lamp to read after dark."
"Why?"
"Because no more kerosene or lamp oil is being made. When we use up the supplies I have stored, there won't be any more. We'll be in the dark."
"Can we use the generator flashlight?"
"If you can keep it going long enough and keep the light steady on the book. I think your hand will get tired before I finish reading. If we start earlier, we don't have to use anything but daylight. Would you like to help fix supper?"
"What are we having?"
"Pancakes OK?"
"We love them!"
"Abby can read the instructions on the box. Because she has both hands available, she can measure the ingredients. Since only one hand is needed to stir, Terry can do that. I'll let Abby try pouring the batter and cooking the pancakes, as long as she does things safely. If not, I'll cook this time and she can try another time."
"When can I cook?"
"When your cast comes off and you can use both hands, Terry. Remember the skillet this morning?"
"I remember."
"You have your choice of three things on your pancakes: maple syrup, honey, or peanut butter."
"Peanut butter? I never had that on pancakes."
"Try a bite of mine, Abby."
"It's good!"
"Can I try too?"
"Yes, Terry."
"It's OK, but I'd rather have honey."
"That's why I gave you choices."
"Put the dishes in the sink and we'll wash them tomorrow. Then get ready for bed and brush your teeth."
"It's my turn to pick the story."
"I remember, Abby. Brush your teeth; then come pick the book."
"You have a lot of books, Grandpa."
"Yes, I do. You will probably be able to choose a different story every night for a year."
"What's 'Rumpelstiltskin' about?"
"I think you'll like the story, but that's all I'll tell you."
"OK. Can we stop if I don't like it?"
"Only if both of you agree to stop. If Terry wants to finish the story, I'll finish it."
"OK."
"Once upon a time ..."
|
|
|
Post by papaof2 on Oct 2, 2012 10:22:00 GMT -6
I've short-cut some technical details, mostly to avoid long, boring explanations. Hopefully I didn't make anything impossibly simple.
Chapter 6 - Wednesday morning
"Good morning, sleepyheads."
"You're up before us, Grandpa?"
"Since I wasn't awakened during the night for nurse duty, I'm awake earlier than yesterday."
"I'm sorry I woke you up, Grandpa."
"Nothing for you to be sorry about, Terry. I said I would take care of you and 'taking care' includes being awake during the night when needed."
"I love you, Grandpa."
"And I love you, Terry."
"What about me?"
"I love you too, Abby. Time for me to put the medicine on your back. You can take care of Terry."
"I want you to do me too."
"OK. I'll take care of both of you."
"How long do I hafta wear the cast?"
"Usually several weeks. I'll ask Doc Wilson next time we see him or maybe I can get someone to get a message to him."
"Why don't you call him on the phone?"
"What keeps the water and the fridge from working, Terry?"
"We don't have 'lectricity. The phones need it too?"
"Yes, they do."
"Does writing a letter need 'lectricity?"
"No."
"Then you can mail him the question and he can mail you the answer."
"I love it when my smart girls think up answers to their own questions. Do you remember that we don't have much kerosene?"
"Yes, but what does kerosene have to do with writing a letter? Unless you wait until dark to write it.""
"Good logic, smart girl. We don't have much of the other fuels such as gasoline and diesel, so we can't run the mail trucks to pick up and deliver mail."
"The Pony Express ran a long time before there were mail trucks. There's still a lot of horses, so why not use them?"
"That's a good idea, Abby, but we need people to sort the mail by where it's going and make up bags that are going to each street or road."
"Did they use 'lectricity for that, too?"
"Yes, Terry. People can do the sorting, but it takes more people and more time than the machines that can read the address on an envelope and send it to the right mail bag. The machines need electricity to work. Until we can get some of those things working again, getting a letter to someone will rely on people willing to take a letter as far as they are going in the right direction and you hope they find someone there who can get the letter to its final destination."
"So we won't have the Pony Express again?"
"We may have slow mail by horse in the future, Abby, but not the Pony Express."
"Pony Express sounds funner than 'slow mail'."
"You two get dressed and we'll eat breakfast."
"You said 'eat', not 'fix'. You already made breakfast?"
"Yes, smart girl. The eggs and bacon are in a covered skillet and the biscuits are in the oven and should be ready in a couple of minutes."
"Biscuits with honey. Yummy!"
"Considering how much you like the sweet stuff the bees make, maybe I should call you 'Honey' instead of Terry."
"Only when it's just us. I don't want other people using my special name."
"You'll only be 'Honey' when it's just us. I see those tears coming up Abby. What if I call you 'Peanut' because of what you like?"
"As long as I have a special name."
"Then Peanut and Honey need to eat while the food is hot."
"You're silly, Grandpa, but it's fun to be with you."
"I enjoy being with both of you. To the table."
"Time to wash dishes, Abby."
"Why me?"
"You can use both hands."
"What about Terry?"
"She helped clear the table. That's about all she can do with one hand. We don't want another dropped skillet."
"There's a lot of dishes."
"We didn't wash dishes last night so I could start reading your story earlier."
"While there was still daylight so we wouldn't use any of the kerosene, 'cause we can't make any more of it."
"You remembered the details, Terry. That's very good."
"You said the blue phone booth on my shirt was a Tardis and you'd explain later. Is now later enough?"
"Yes Peanut, it's 'later enough'. There was a TV show made in England that was also popular in the US. The chief character was a scientist of sorts who had a machine that could travel through space and time. The outside of the machine looked like a British police call box - which looks like a blue phone booth to a lot of people. The inside of the phone booth was bigger than the outside."
"It can't be."
"You're right. The word Tardis stood for Time and Relative Dimensions in Space, a concept which would allow for size differences that can't exist in our world. It obviously wasn't real, but the writers had fun with the possibilities that unlimited travel could offer."
"I want you to walk through the garden with me. None of the seeds have germinated yet, but we need to be in the habit of checking the garden every day."
"What are we checking for?"
"Terry, we'll be looking for plants that have been attacked by insects or small animals - squirrels and rabbits can do a lot of damage - and for plants that aren't healthy. We planted more seeds than there is room for full size plants to grow, so we'll thin them out and only keep the best looking plants."
"How do we know what's planted where?"
"Remember the seed packets we sorted, Abby? I put each empty packet in a plastic bag and hung it on a post at the end of the row. The picture on the packet shows what a healthy plant looks like, so you'll have an example for each thing that was planted."
"You're smart, Grandpa."
"No, I just have a lot of experience with growing a garden. The only smart thing I did was take in two smart girls to help me."
"Mr. Trotter and Uncle Jack both said that a lot of people could learn from you, so I know you're smart."
"Then you can only say that when it's just us. We can't let other people know."
"You're being silly again, Grandpa. Other people already know or they wouldn't ask you about how things work."
"I give up, Abby. You can say I'm smart if you want to."
--
"You really think Bill could get the hydro plant running again, Alex?"
"We've lost so many people with the skills to make things work that he's our last chance, Doc. If Bill can't do it then no one can. He's a walking encyclopedia of how things work and he has practical experience in so many areas: electrical, electronic - you do remember him building the first computer in the area?, hydraulics, mechanics, you name it. If we can find enough people who are willing to learn, I think we can have power here. That brings a new set of problems: lighted houses could attract a lot of attention because there are so few lights anywhere."
"That's true. We don't have enough people to have patrols out watching for threats. Maybe Bill has some ideas."
"I'm going to see Kaitlin and her kids tomorrow. I'll swing by Bill's place and talk with him then."
"You're burning that much gas?"
"I'll be on horseback. There's plenty of grass to fuel them."
"While you're there, ask him how the girls are. He has enough medical training to be able to do a good evaluation of progress. And tell him that Terry's cast can come off in five weeks. I think he has the skills and tools needed to remove it, but I can do it if needed. He just needs to let me know."
"Telephone or carrier pigeon, Doc?"
"If he gets the hydro plant running, we'll have telephones again. Meanwhile, I guess we'll be doing letters and messages passed along by travelers - as I just asked you to do."
"Should I ask Bill about restarting the Pony Express?"
"He's probably thought of it and whether we have enough resources to do it. He always has been a couple of steps ahead of the rest of us. If Abby and Terry are as much like their grandmother as I think they are, one of them has already asked about the Pony Express. I hate that they were treated so badly, but it seems like divine providence for them to have needed someone to care for them when they did. I was worried about Bill spiraling down into depression and just giving up. After almost 50 years together, Sandra was his life."
"Were you looking at Bill's face when he was explaining about being called 'Grandpa'? In the 40 years I've known him, that's only the second time I've seen tears in his eyes - the first time was at Sandra's funeral - but these were tears of joy. I was happy that the garden plan he drew up was much bigger than the subsistence plot he originally bartered for. I think he again has someone to live for."
"I agree, Alex. Special Forces guys may feel strongly about things but they rarely let any feelings show. The increase in garden size tells me that Bill plans to eat, can, trade, and probably give away food - those are signs of someone who expects to be around for a long time. We're very fortunate that he and the girls clicked so well. He'll pass along everything he knows to them and they'll absorb it like sponges. We may not be able to clone him, but in the future we'll have the next best thing."
--
"Grandpa, do you have any candy?"
"Just my sweet girls."
"No, silly. I mean candy we can eat."
"Terry, only the hard candies like peppermint and butterscotch last a long time. The others don't stay fresh very long."
"Is that all you have?"
"We could make some 'Ants on a Log'."
"I don't wanna eat ants. That's yucky!"
"Not real ants. That's just what they look like. I think Peanut would like them."
"Because you make them with peanut butter?"
"Yes, Abby."
"How?"
"First we get some celery..."
"Where? It turns brown real quick and our garden hasn't grown anything yet."
"Mr. Black has greenhouses and a big garden and he grows a lot of things. One of those things is celery, so I have some that was picked just a couple of days ago."
"So celery and peanut butter to make a green and brown log. Where do you get the ants?"
"I love to watch my smart girls put things together! If you put raisins on top of the peanut butter in the celery, you have some big 'ants' on your 'log'."
"Can we make some now?"
"Couple of rules first. I'll do the things that require a sharp knife until I know you've learned the proper way to handle one. Terry won't be learning to use a sharp knife until her cast is off."
"Because I need one hand to hold things and the other to cut?"
"Yes, smart girl. I'll make the celery pieces a couple of inches long, which is a good size for a snack. Abby can spread the peanut butter and you can put the raisins on."
"It takes three people to make them?"
"No, Terry. One person could do it all, but it goes faster if we all work on it."
"Like planting the garden?"
"Exactly."
"This is good, Grandpa."
"I thought I'd hear that first from Peanut, not Honey."
"I'm busy eating."
"Three pieces for each of you and we'll wrap the rest for later."
"Is that all?"
"If they were candy bars, how many would you get?"
"Maybe one. You let us have more of these because they have veggies and fruit in them, didn't you?"
"Yes, Peanut. Is this an easy way to get you to eat your fruits and veggies?"
"It's a yummy way. You're smart, Grandpa. Can you teach us other fun ways to eat veggies?"
"I might have a few other things you can try."
|
|
|
Post by papaof2 on Oct 11, 2012 20:08:22 GMT -6
I'm dealing with major equipment problems, so it may be several weeks before I have opportunity to write/post more.
|
|
|
Post by nancy1340 on Oct 11, 2012 23:09:21 GMT -6
Pap, hope you get all your problems solved. Equipment failure can be a pain in the patootie. Great story and I only see it getting better as time goes on. Thanks
|
|
|
Post by papaof2 on Oct 18, 2012 16:16:37 GMT -6
Edited on a 2.5 inch cell phone screen. Â Please excuse any errors.
Chapter 7 - Wednesday afternoon
"Girls, you need to go through the rest of the clothes in the box and sort them by size. The ones that fit Terry and maybe one size larger can go in the drawers on the left side of the dresser. Anything that should be hung up can go on the left side of the closet. Abby gets the right side in both places."
"Do I try them on or just go by the tags?"
"Terry, these clothes are from several sources - I see labels from Wal-Mart, Macy's and L. L. Bean - so it will be best to try them on. I'll help you if there's anything you can't manage with one hand."
"You could help me with everything."
"I could, but you need to work out ways to dress and undress in all types of clothing using just your left hand. I think you're too independent to always have to wait for someone else to dress and undress you like a doll."
"I don't wanna be a doll! But I can't do dresses with one hand and I can't get all the shirts over my cast."
"Just tell me when you need help."
Each of them has a selection of daily clothes - mostly jeans and khakis (both long pants and shorts) and T-shirts for tops - and something 'dressy': a flowered dress and a Minnie Mouse dress for Terry and a couple of tailored blouses and skirts for Abby. Coats, jackets and sweaters in several sizes - they'll be warm next winter. There's another year's worth of sizes for Terry, then she'll probably be in what Abby's wearing now. There are several years' worth of future wear for Abby. Terry's into the princess and cartoon character underwear, but Abby's only taking solid colors or the little floral prints. They haven't gotten into the remaining bag, but I see ribbon in it, so it's probably hair decorations. I think Terry will be the 'girly' girl and go for the frilly things but Abby will be the 'practical' girl - feminine but not frilly, like her choices f blouses and skirts. These two are so alike in some ways and so different in others. How lucky I am to have them! Mabel had packed a box inside a box - the outer box also has shoes in it - some of them look new - and both girls have found some that fit. I see some bright spots in the bottom of the box: patterns and some fabric. The old treadle sewing machine is in the basement. I should bring that up where there's enough light to sew by. No, I should get Abby to help me bring it up - I have helpers now.
"Girls, do you know what the packages in the bottom of the box are?"
"They're sewing patterns, like Grandma Betty used to make us dresses. Can you sew, Grandpa?"
"Abby, I sewed sails for the little sailboat I once owned. The pieces for clothing would be smaller but probably no more complex than the sails."
"You can't sew stuff, there's no 'lectricity."
"People sewed for many years before there was electricity. Can you guess how?"
"I don't have to guess. Grandma Betty had an old sewing machine that you worked with your feet."
"That's a treadle machine, Abby. I need your help to get one of those out of the basement."
"Can I learn to sew?"
"Me too?"
"Yes, both of you can learn. Terry will be mostly watching until she has the use of both hands. You'll learn to sew by hand and how to cut fabric using a pattern and how to sew on buttons..."
"We can really learn to do all that?"
"Yes, Abby, both of you can learn all that and more. Back 200 years ago, almost every girl learned to sew because they didn't have many ready-to-wear clothes in the stores. You made your clothes or someone else made them for you. Have either of you read the 'Little House on the Prairie' books?"
"At the start of school, my teacher said we'd read all of them during the year, but then everybody got sick and we didn't have school anymore. I miss Momma and Grandma Betty and my friends!"
"Come here, Abby. You too, Terry. I think you both need hugs. Better now?"
"Yes, Grandpa, but can we sit by you and you keep your arms around us?"
"For as long as you want, Abby - or until you get hungry. The family in the Little House books was like us in some ways - no electricity, limited kerosene, growing their own food, making some of their clothes. Would you like to start on those books and have one chapter a night as your bedtime story?"
"Yes!"
"Me too."
"Those books were about real people and how they lived before electricity. I bet we can learn things that we can use."
"I bet you're right, Peanut. Ready to help me move a sewing machine?"
"It's too heavy to lift, Grandpa!"
"With it all in one piece, it would heavy for two men. I plan to take it apart. The drawers come out easily; I'll let Terry carry them up one at a time. This is the part that handles the needle and thread. It's called the 'head' and it's heavy because it's made of iron and steel. I'll carry it up. Now you can help me with the cabinet, Abby. It's heavy but the two of us can lift it. You be extra careful walking backward up the stairs. Tell me if you need to put it down and rest for a minute."
"That's like trying to piggyback Terry up the stairs! I'm glad we're done."
"I'll need your help getting the head back on. See where the hinges go together? Tell me when I'm close and push one of these pins through each hinge."
"The left one is in but the right one won't go."
"Your right or my right?"
"Closest to the door."
"Good directions, Abby. Try again while I move that end around just a little."
"It's in too."
"Let me put the belt back in place, then you can add the drawers." "I'll do the drawers."
"Thank you, girls."
"You don't have to thank us; you're gonna make us clothes!"
"Terry, what did I say about 'Please' and 'Thank you'?"
"They're good manners and you'll keep reminding us until we always do it."
"I like the dress in this pattern, but how do I tell if it'll fit me?"
"There are two ways, Abby. First, you can compare the size labels in the clothes that fit you with the size information on the pattern package. Second, I can measure your body and compare your height, waist, hips, and chest to the measurements chart on the pattern."
"Measuring my body would be better, wouldn't it?"
"Yes, and it would give us an idea of whether the piece of clothing could be made a little bigger so you could wear it all summer or all winter. When I measure you, I'll also write down the date the measurements were taken. Remember that you won't stay the size you are now - you're growing every day. The next time we think about making clothes for one of you, we'll need to know how long it's been since you were measured. If it's been a couple of months, then we'll need to measure again to see how much you've grown."
"I wish my hair would grow faster. Crystal cut it real short so she didn't have to bother with it and people called us boys - even you."
"When I first saw you, you were 20 yards away, wearing jeans and 'Wrestling Mania' shirts, and you looked like boys who had been playing in the mud. I think most people would see Terry's pink jeans and think 'girl'. You're too neat to be a boy - your shirt is always tucked in."
"I still wish my hair was longer."
"What if you had a ribbon or barrette in your hair? Would that make you feel more 'girly'?"
"You have some?"
"Look in the bag under the green jacket."
"Terry! You gotta see this!"
"Mickey and Cinderella and Snow White and pink ribbon and..."
"And some things that probably suit Abby better."
"Can you help me with the blue ribbon, Grandpa?"
"Of course, Abby. This shade of blue to match the unique color of you pretty blue eyes?"
"They're not pretty - you're just trying to make me feel good."
"Have I lied to you about anything, even to make you feel good?"
"No."
"Then I'm telling the truth if I say you have pretty eyes?"
"Nobody else ever saw anything pretty in me or Terry."
"Maybe nobody else took time to look, although Kyle spent a lot of time looking at you."
"Grandpa!"
"Answer my question. Blue to match your pretty blue eyes?"
"Yes. I'm so glad you love us like you do. Does the ribbon make me too girly?"
"Are you asking if you're too frilly to work on a farm?"
"I guess."
"Whether you're on a farm or in a big city, I think you're just about perfect. Both of you."
"Flying hug!"
---------------------
|
|
|
Post by papaof2 on Oct 23, 2012 8:50:36 GMT -6
Chapter 8 - Wednesday evening
"Girls, bath time."
"Do we hafta?"
"Considering how long the two of you played in the barn today and the dirt tracks I see on your neck, Abby, yes you 'hafta'."
"OK."
"Will you wash me like last time?"
"As long as you need help, Terry. Get your sleepwear, then go out back to the washtub. You can choose fresh clothes in the morning."
"Somebody might see us out there taking a bath, Grandpa."
"You didn't seem concerned about that last time."
"I hadn't met Ky... any other kids then."
"I understand, Abby. Remember that this area can't be seen from the road and we'll hear anyone coming toward us because the road, the drive and the walkways around the house are gravel."
"Oh. I hadn't thought about that."
"Wash me, Grandpa, then we can leave Abby out here by herself."
"Don't leave me out here alone!"
"I won't allow either or both of you outside without me. You know that I always have my pistol when I'm outside and we've talked about why there's a rifle by the front door and the back door. I'll take no chances with the people I love."
"I 'member what you said about not being outside alone 'cause there's wild dogs and stuff. One time I left Raggedy Ann outside and when I went out to get her some dogs came out of the woods. I screamed and Abby came out with a broom and kept them away until Crystal came out with her big gun and shot some of them."
"You were very brave, Abby. I see why Terry tried to protect you from Rob."
"I was just taking care of my sister like Momma asked me to." "You did a good job."
"Grandpa, you and Abby wash me, then you can dry me while Abby washes."
"OK with you, Abby?"
"Yes, but can you help me wash my hair?"
"Of course. There's shampoo in the pink bottle by the washtub. I'll wash Terry's hair too. Put your hair ribbons with your dirty clothes. Tomorrow or the next day will be laundry day."
"When do you take a bath, Grandpa?"
"I've learned to bathe with just a pail of water, so I wash in the bathroom after you're asleep. You two were too dirty for that kind of cleanup. Maybe next time you can learn how - and for sure in the fall when it starts getting too cold to bathe outside."
"We were too dirty for that the first time we bathed out here, weren't we?"
"You asked if you could get a bath, so you must have felt that you really needed one."
"Crystal said it took too much water for a bath and we weren't worth the water and Rob said it was too much work to cut and chop the wood to heat water for a couple of worthless kids. I wanted to see if you really were gonna take care of us - and you did!"
"Let me dry those tears. Let's finish getting both of you clean, dry and dressed so we can go back inside to eat supper."
"We don't hafta cook?"
"Not tonight. I put a pot of soup on the woodstove when the bread was baking, so we'll have soup - although it may not be hot - and fresh bread."
"I love you, Grandpa. You're always thinking ahead to take care of us."
"Maybe I'm taking care of me, Abby? I also like to eat,"
"But you took time to show us how to mix the bread and let it rise and knead it and let it rise again before it goes in the oven. If it was just for you, you wouldn't spend time teaching us."
"Maybe I like you?"
"It's better than that: you love us!"
"Yes I do."
"The soup was good even if it wasn't hot. Can we read a Little House book?"
"Just one chapter. Brush your teeth first, Abby."
"OK. Grandpa, the water in the kitchen and the other things in the bathroom don't work, so how does the toilet flush?"
"I wondered how long it would take for you to notice that. Do you remember the plastic barrels on the wooden stand at the corner of the house?"
"The blue things?"
"Those are the ones. They are at the corner of the house to collect the rainwater from the downspout there. The water goes through some filtering so there won't be any big trash in it that could affect the toilet valves. The water from the barrels is piped to the toilet so it can be flushed."
"You're smart, Grandpa."
"No, I just don't want to use the outhouse, especially if it's cold or raining. While Abby brushes, can you get the first book in the Little House set, Terry?"
"It has a '1' on the back of it, but it says 'Little House in the Big Woods'. I thought it was 'Little House on the Prairie'."
"Most of their story was on the prairie, but they started out in a house in the woods in Wisconsin before they moved to Kansas and the house on the prairie."
"You know a lot of stuff, Grandpa."
"While I was outside keeping watch when you two were playing in the barn, I was reading ahead so I could answer the questions I thought you would ask when you saw the title."
"That's cheating!"
"No, Peanut, that's being prepared. Sit here beside me but don't get so comfortable that you go to sleep. You don't want to miss any of the story."
"Is it really that good?"
"I think so, Terry. You listen closely and you can tell me what you think at the end of the chapter. 'Once upon a time, sixty years ago, a little girl lived in the Big Woods of Wisconsin...'"
|
|
|
Post by papaof2 on Oct 23, 2012 9:03:06 GMT -6
Chapter 9 - Thursday morning
"Girls, I have some questions to go with breakfast."
"About what, Grandpa?"
"Have either of you ever shot a rifle or pistol?"
"I didn't get to shoot it, but Momma showed me a kid-size rifle that she said would be mine for my ninth birthday, but she would have to teach me how to use it safely. I don't know what happened to it when Momma died."
"I saw Crystal put something long under the mattress in her room, Abby. Maybe it's there."
"Thank you, Terry. We can go check that after we eat."
"You gonna drive us, Grandpa?"
"It's less than a mile if we walk through the fields and orchards instead of taking the road."
"That sounds like a long walk."
"No, Terry It's not long at all. Finish eating and I'll help you with the medication for your backs. Then you can get dressed."
"Grandma Betty had a little silver gun with white handles that she kept in her purse. I don't know where it is."
"We'll look for that also, Abby. I'd like for both of you to learn proper gun safety as well as becoming accomplished shooters. Someday you will be the ones shooting fresh game."
"Like the fried squirrel Crystal fixed sometimes?"
"Squirrel, wild rabbit, maybe even deer when you're big enough for a grown-up size gun."
"While we walk, tell me what you learned in school last year."
"We were only there a couple of weeks before everyone got sick, so about all I learned was the teacher's name and some of the other kids. School never has new stuff the first few weeks, it's just review of the stuff you learned the year before. All we talked about was second grade things."
"So you're still a third grader?"
"Yes. I'm a whole year behind where I should be. And Terry missed first grade, so she's a year behind too."
"Would you like to start back to school?"
"But there's no fuel for buses and all the teachers died."
"You would be having school here at the house and I would be your teacher."
"Grandpa! You're not a teacher!"
"Not a teacher like we had before, Terry, but he has been teaching us things. We know how to mix bread and plant vegetables, he's gonna teach us to sew, you knew that buses can't run - we've been learning a lot, it's just happening as we live instead of being in a classroom and only learning on certain days and at certain times."
"I guess he has been teaching us - but learning his way is funner than regular school."
"I have materials for homeschooling all the way through high school. Tonight I'll sort through and get out the things needed for first and third grade. You can start class in a few days - maybe Monday."
"All day?"
"No, Terry. Just a few hours. Because there will be one teacher for two students, you'll get a lot more 'teacher time' than at a regular school. The school 'day' will be shorter but I think you'll probably learn faster because of the differences in teaching methods. I don't know that we can make up a lost year this summer, but I think we might manage that by next summer - then you'll both be where you would have been if everyone hadn't gotten sick. If you continue to go through the school work that fast, you might be ready to graduate a couple of years earlier than if you were still in a regular school."
"You're being silly again, Grandpa. We're not that smart. Nobody ever tested me for the gifted program."
"Maybe they didn't see you with unbiased eyes? Maybe they didn't think 'trailer trash' could be smart?"
"You just called us 'trash'! You said you wouldn't!"
"Think very carefully about what I said, Abby. Did I call you 'trash'? Or was I referring to what other people had said?"
"Grandpa calls us his smart girls, Abby. I think he means it. We might be a lot smarter than anyone ever told us before."
"You're right, little sister. Grandpa, I'm sorry I yelled at you."
"Apology accepted, Abby. The homeschooling materials include some tests that can give an idea of how smart someone is. After you're back in the habit of being in school and taking tests, I'll test you both and see how you compare to other kids your age."
"We're gonna have tests?"
"Just like a regular school, Terry."
"Crystal slept in this room."
"You two move the pillows off the bed, then Abby can help me lift the mattress. I think that's the pistol you told me about under that pillow. I'll get it. Now the mattress. That's a youth-size 22 rifle. I want to look for ammunition. While I do that, did you leave anything here that you would like to get?"
"My bear."
"My Raggedy Ann."
"You get those things. Then you can take this bag of 'Ants on a Log' to the table and snack while you wait on me."
"Yummy! You make everything fun, Grandpa."
"Glad you're having fun, Peanut."
There were no fresh footprints outside since the shootout. Probably no one thought there was anything here worth coming for. There isn't much. A hundred rounds for the 22 and one box of 50 rounds for the 25 automatic. There are some cleaning tools and chemicals in the top of the closet. And a couple of Swiss Army knives, still in the boxes. In our current world, it's not just the boys who need to have and know how to use a pocket knife and some basic tools. I'll find out Abby's birthday and a knife can be one of her presents. Maybe I should put together a toolkit as well? And some lessons on hammer, saw, and so forth - for both of them. Guess I'll call the kit and the lessons 'tools for homesteading' - just need to be a few chapters into the Little House book for them to appreciate the idea.
"Let's go girls."
"Can I carry the rifle?"
"If you sit through a lesson on gun safety first."
"Lessons already?"
"Think of it as a lesson on homesteading, like in the Little House book."
"I remember Laura saying something about the rules for Pa's rifle..."
"And similar rules apply to every gun. Both of you stand beside me while I show you how to check if this rifle is loaded. Question for you: where's a safe place to point the rifle?"
"Away from everybody?"
"That's a good answer. Since a bullet can travel a long way, the safest place for you to point it will be at the woodpile. Watch and listen, then I want you to repeat what I do. Point it in a safe direction. Lift the handle and pull back the bolt. Now you can look in the chamber and see if it's loaded."
"The shiny gold thing is the bullet?"
"It's the cartridge. The bullet is the silvery part at the front. When a gun is fired, powder in the cartridge burns very fast and the bullet is sent out the barrel to the target."
"So Crystal slept with a loaded gun under her mattress?"
"Yes, Abby."
"Isn't that dangerous?"
"It could be, but the safety was on."
"Safety?"
"This little lever right here. It has two positions: Safe and Fire. When it's in Safe, you can't pull the trigger so the gun can't be fired."
"Why hot just leave the cartridge out until you're ready to shoot?"
"What if you're hunting food? The rabbit you see won't wait while you get a cartridge out of your pocket and load the gun. He'll run away and you'll be left hungry."
"So that's why the safety is by your thumb."
"Very good, smart girl."
"Can I carry it now?"
"How would you carry it so it doesn't point at anyone else?"
"With the strap over my shoulder and the barrel pointing up and the safety on?"
"I think you understand."
"Why didn't I get a turn, Grandpa?"
"How many hands did Abby need to do the things I talked about?"
"Both of them."
"You'll get your hands-on sessions as well, you just need to have both hands available."
"OK. But what about the little gun?"
"I must clean and check the pistol first. Being under a pillow means it could have collected a lot of lint from the bedding. I want to be sure that it works correctly before you start learning about it."
"Is clean important for guns?"
"Yes, Terry. A dirty gun might not work and a dirty barrel might cause it to blow up."
"I guess it is important. Will you teach us how to clean them?"
"Of course."
"When do I get to shoot it?"
"When I've set up a shooting range and you've had a couple more lessons, Abby."
"That sounds like a long time."
"No, just a couple of days - and you both can help set up the shooting range."
"How?"
"I'll draw some pictures later today and explain what we'll do and why."
"OK.
|
|
|
Post by papaof2 on Oct 26, 2012 17:49:22 GMT -6
Chapter 10 - Thursday afternoon
"Do you remember me talking about laundry?"
"Yes, but there's no 'lectricity for the washing machine."
"Did they wash clothes in the days of the Little House books?"
"I guess so."
"So washing clothes can be done without electricity."
"How?"
"First you need a tub of warm soapy water, so you'll be washing clothes in one of the washtubs you bathe in. I'll show you two tools that run on 'people power' - no electricity needed."
"That looks like the thing Momma used when the kitchen sink was stopped up."
"That's what it is, Abby. The proper name is force cup, but lots of people call it a plumber's helper. The rubber is soft enough not to harm the clothes and the up and down motion used to clear a drain moves the soapy water through the clothes to clean them. If there's something really dirty - like the mud on the jeans you wore playing in the barn - you may need to use this washboard. If so, I'll show you how to do that without scraping your knuckles."
"How do we get the soap off the clothes?"
"You wring the soapy water out of the clothes and put them in the rinse water. Then you use the force cup to move the rinse water through the clothes to remove the soap. I've set up two rinse continers - first the tub, then the pail - to do a better job of getting the soap out. After a few minutes in the rinse tub, Abby will wring things and move them to the rinse pail and so forth."
"That's a lot of work!"
"Which is why we're sharing it. I made the fire and heated the water. Terry will agitate the clothes because she can do that with one hand. Abby will scrub if needed and do the wringing. I'll help Abby put things on the clothesline to dry and Terry will wear the clothespin sack and hand clothespins to us as needed."
"When we work together like this, we really are a family ain't we Grandpa?"
"I certainly agree with that, Terry."
"Grandpa, why are there sacks of rabbit feed and chicken feed in the barn? You don't have any rabbits or chickens."
"Good question, Abby. We had them before my wife and I both got sick. When we couldn't care for them, I turned the chickens loose and told Doc Wilson to take the rabbits as payment for caring for us."
"I hear chickens in the woods sometimes. Are they yours?"
"They might be. Since I now have helpers, we could try to catch the chickens and have fresh eggs again - you two didn't seem all that excited about the powdered eggs we've had."
"How do we catch them?"
"If we can find where they nest in the woods, we can put down a trail of feed and some of them will follow it back to their coop."
"That easy?"
"The feed trail part is easy, Abby. Finding them will be harder."
"What about the rabbits?"
"I'll have to ask whether anyone has rabbits they don't want or that they're willing to trade for something I have."
"Where did the rabbits live?"
"You walked by the rabbit cages every time you went to the barn."
"The doghouse thingy on stilts with wire for the sides and the bottom?"
"That may be the best description of a rabbit cage I've ever heard, Terry."
"Hello the house!"
"Hello, Alex. I see you're using 'green' transportation today."
"Yes, the horse does run nicely on grass."
"What's up that you're here?"
"I'm going to check on Kaitlin and her kids and your place is on the way."
"Who's watching Bobby and Kyle?"
"They've matured a lot in the last few months, so I'm comfortable with them being alone for a day or so. Jason will be checking on them a couple of times a day. Doc Wilson and I were talking about the possibility of getting the hydro plant running again and what problems having power might bring."
"If we only provide power during daylight hours, any lights won't be as obvious. I know, folks will want 24/7 power once they find that it can be available at all. I think we'd be better served by powering things like the biodiesel plant during the day to have truck and tractor fuel and people learning that a fridge or freezer can stay cold if it's only powered a few hours a day. If we only run one generator at the dam, we may have to do rotating power to be able to provide power to everyone in the valley. If someone wants 24/7 power, they'll have to provide 24/7 workers - I think that's reasonable and likely to squelch most complaints at the start."
"You reading my mind, Bill?"
"No, Alex, just been giving the process a lot of thought."
"Doc wanted me to ask you about the girls and to tell you that Terry's cast can come off in five weeks. If you can't remove it, let him know and he'll do it. We also wondered if some local mail system might be possible - maybe bring back the Pony Express?"
"Already been asked about that..."
"By one of the girls?"
"Yes."
"Knowing Betty Taylor, Doc thought that her grandkids would be smart and thinking ahead."
"Terry asked yesterday how long her cast had to stay on and I said that I needed to ask Doc Wilson. She said phone. I said phones didn't work. She asked if writing a letter needed electricity too and Abby asked if we could have the Pony Express again."
"Sounds like Doc was right about them."
"Definitely. We could have mail if we had enough horses and riders plus someone to sort the mail at a central point. Maybe once a week mail? But the horses, riders, and sorters need to be paid - or at least fed. That's a system that I haven't worked out yet."
"I guess size, weight, and distance could all be part of the price?"
"Unless there's some flat rate for up to X miles or Y ounces - but weighing things requires the rider to have a portable scale or the sender must take the item to the post office for it to be weighed. I don't have answers for all that as yet."
"It's good to know that you're thinking ahead, Bill. It would be nice to have scheduled communications again. Speaking of scheduled things, they're planning to start church services this Sunday at 10AM. Since there've been no new cases of the fever in several months, Doc thinks it's safe for folks to get together in groups again. The Baptist and Presbyterian ministers will be in charge of things and we'll meet at the Methodist church because it's the biggest. I'm passing the word to everyone I see along the way. Even the folks who aren't very religious could benefit from being with other people, so the ministers want to have a picnic after the service. They're asking each family to bring enough food for themselves and one extra person - and a musical instrument if you have one."
"That is good news, Alex. We'll be there. By the way, do you know of any breeding rabbits available for trade?"
"Carl Black mentioned having more rabbits than cages the other day, so he may be a good source."
"Thanks, Alex, and have a safe trip."
"I plan to stop at the Ishams and ask Ed if he's heard anything about recovery in other areas on shortwave or his ham radio, since he has solar power for the radio gear. Last time I asked he said there were small pockets of people - mostly in outlying areas like us, where the fever didn't rebound repeatedly - but with almost no power except individual solar and wind installations. It seems we're more fortunate than most - there are very few power plants that are small enough to be restarted. The bigger power plants of all types are just too big to run with the limited number of people left. I'll pass along any news on Sunday."
"Abby, Terry. You have a reason to be dressed in something other than jeans."
"What?"
"They're starting back church services this Sunday."
"Do we hafta?"
"Mr. Trotter said he would be there."
"And Kyle?"
"And Bobby?"
"And probably a lot of other people. Maybe some other kids you knew from school."
"But the other kids from school might call us 'trailer trash'."
"In your dressy clothes and with a ribbon or something in your hair, you sure won't look like 'trailer trash'. I don't know that the other kids will even recognize you."
"I'll go one time, but I won't go back if the kids are mean."
"I don't think that will be a problem, Abby."
"Hello the house."
"Hello Ed, George. I didn't expect you for another week or so."
"Dad said you needed the well as soon as we... George! Did you see the girls' eyes?"
"What about their eyes, Ed?"
"Mr. Mason, their eyes are 'Jackson blue'. They're family to us! Silas Jackson was our great-great-great-grandfather and is the first person we know of who had that unique eye color. It passes down to a lot of the boys but is hit or miss for the girls. If Dad had seen those eyes, he would have brought the girls home with him regardless of how crowded it would have been."
"Abby, Terry. You don't have to hide; they won't kidnap you. They're just surprised to find family members."
"We're family with them?"
"Yes, Abby. Ed, Betty Jackson Taylor was their grandmother, so that's their connection."
"That makes us cousins; I'm not sure of the details. We gotta tell Dad about this - he keeps the family tree. Meanwhile, where did you want the well?"
"Can you place it so we could have a pump in the kitchen?"
"Let George explore with his dowsing rods and we'll see. I see a green spot on the hill up from the house. Is that a spring?"
"There's a little one that doesn't deliver much water but runs year round."
"We might be able to make a spring house there to keep your milk and meat cool."
"I can't afford extra work like that."
"You're taking care of family and we'll do everything we can to help you, Mr. Mason. There's no charge for helping family. I'll check out the spring. If it looks promising, we'll come back with concrete block and some cedar timbers to make the spring house."
"Thank you, Ed. The girls want to raise rabbits. Does your dad have any breeders?"
"Oh, yeah. Would you like ten or twenty pair?"
"I have cages for 20 rabbits, so four pair would be a good start."
"One of us will bring them over tomorrow."
"There's no rush."
"There is at our place - we're out of room for them."
"How do you make the sticks turn like that?"
"The sticks are the dowsing rods that I use to find water. I don't make them turn - they do that when they pass over a source of water."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Can I try?"
"Yes, but it doesn't work for everyone. Some people can 'feel' where the water is and some can't."
"How do I hold the rods?"
"Like this. Then you walk slowly and watch for the rods to... Ed, you gotta see this!"
"See what, George?"
"Abby, I want you to start at the porch and walk toward me again."
"She got three strong indications."
"I only got one indication along there, Ed. You thought I was good but she's even better."
"Can I try too?"
"OK, Terry. But it may be more difficult with just one hand."
"She got the same indication I did. That's incredible for one handed dowsing! Mr. Mason, both girls have a talent that they can barter. I only know of one other dowser in the area and he's nowhere near as good as they are."
"We can get jobs?"
"Not an everyday job, but occasional work as people need new wells. It is a rare ability, girls. What's the going rate for finding water, George?"
"Whatever deal you make: gallon of treated gas, dozen eggs, two dressed rabbits, a couple loaves of bread, some fresh veggies. People needing a well drilled or dug may be hurting for water and other things and they may only be able to make partial payment with the balance being when their crops come in or their animals mature."
"Mr. Mason, we can drill here and if we extend the porch about four feet you can have a covered pump. Not in the kitchen as you requested, but we can do most of it today if you have some lumber to build with."
"Check in the woodshed and the barn. There may be enough to do what you described."
"George and I will set up the drill, then I'll check for materials."
"How does the drill work?"
"Abby, when we get it set up, I'll explain it before we start the engine. You wouldn't be able to hear over the noise when it's running."
"OK."
"Why is it so tall?"
"I can see we'll have good questions. The drill uses a cutter like this one. It goes at the end of a 20 foot length of pipe that the drill turns to cut through the ground and it is pushed down as it cuts the hole. The tower has to be tall enough to support the pipe. When we get near the end of a piece of pipe, we add another piece to go another 20 feet. The water tank on the truck provides water to wash the cut dirt up out of the hole. When we hit water, the sound and speed of the drill will change and we get water back up the pipe instead of mud. For the well here, we probably won't need to drill more than 30 feet to have a good water supply."
"How deep can it drill?"
"We have about 400 feet of drill pipe, but we've never needed to go more than 100 feet here in the valley."
"How does the cutter turn?"
"The engine drives this belt that turns these gears which turn the clamp assembly which turns the pipe and the cutter. This lever provides downward pressure to help with the digging."
"Do you leave the cutter and the pipe in the ground?"
"No. The pipe that drives the cutter and the cutter itself we pull back up, one section at a time. There's a second pipe that's just a little bigger than the cutter and it goes down as the cutter goes down. That pipe brings the mud to the surface while drilling, then becomes the well housing and the place where the pump is mounted. When the drilling is finished, we pour a concrete pad around the top of the well to hold the pipe and the pump in place."
"Can I help?"
"You already did, Abby. One of your dowsing locations was closer to the house than mine was and it looked to be a strong one, so that's where we'll drill. You'll have to grow some before you're big enough to help with the actual drilling - maybe in six or seven years? Both of you stay on the porch while the drill is running."
"OK."
"Mr. Mason, the well's at 31 feet and the water is at 25 feet. I don't think you can hand pump faster than this well can flow - that's hard proof of Abby's dowsing ability. The concrete pad is poured and we've framed for the extension to the porch. The spring looks to be clogged by some of the growth around it. It can possibly do three or four times the flow you see now. We'll come back tomorrow to finish the porch and set the pump. We'll finish digging out around the spring and start building the springhouse. The mortar on the concrete block will need to cure for at least a day before we put the roof on it, so we'll be back in a few days to finish it. We found some roll-up canvas shades in the barn. They can be put on the end of the porch to provide rain and wind protetction."
"That's almost as good as an inside pump. Thank you, Ed, George. Can I persuade you to stay and eat with us? Nothing fancy, just homemade tomato soup and bread baked yesterday."
"You bake bread?"
"Something my late wife and I enjoyed. I think the girls enjoy it too."
"We got to mix it up and after it rose we got to knock it down."
"George, if they were older and not family, you might be looking at a future wife."
"You're right, Ed. A smart and pretty wife who dowses and can cook would be a real catch."
"We're not smart or pretty."
"You may not think so, Abby, but you asked better questions than some adults - that sounds like 'smart' to me. We're also looking for wives and we pay attention to every unattached girl and woman we encounter. You're both definitely pretty."
"It seems I'm not the only one who sees you differently than you see yourselves, girls. I heard 'smart' and 'pretty' and it wasn't me that said it."
"Did you tell them to say that, Grandpa?"
"No."
"We know you never lie to us, so maybe it's true."
"That may be as much of an admission of belief as we're likely to get. Everyone come eat while the soup is hot."
I'm glad Ed and George treated the girls as intelligent people. Every little bit of reinforcement they get helps dispel the 'worthless kids' image they got from Rob and Crystal. In the long term, I think hearing 'smart' and 'responsible' will be better than hearing 'pretty' (eventually, the boys around them will reinforce that) but right now anything positive is good. Given enough time, I think Abby and Terry will accept themselves as the very capable people they are. How little it takes to undermine a child's self confidence compared to the time it takes to restore it.
Their mother planned to give Abby the rifle next month. Ownership of a firearm at nine implies a very mature and responsible child - something I sometimes see as much in Terry as in Abby, although taking on wild dogs with a broom is taking responsibility for her sister very seriously! On the other hand, Terry got her arm broken while trying to protect Abby from Rob - that's it's own level of responsibility. Given the current circumstances, is it appropriate to arm Terry also? I'll have to watch carefully during the gun safety and shooting lessons to determine that. I'm considering giving a seven year old a gun? How things have changed in less than a year...
Abby seems more sensitive to criticism than Terry - maybe she was put down more often because she was older and people expected too much of her? She's a teriffic kid, but there's a limit to what an eight year old can handle. Can I get her to talk about that? Probably iffy - wish Sandra was still here: she was 'Mother Confessor' for half the kids around here when they were growing up.
I want to build the self confidence of both girls back to where it was before Crystal, Rob and the kids at school did their damage. Looks as though I may be needed for a while yet.
|
|
|
Post by papaof2 on Oct 30, 2012 9:29:36 GMT -6
Chapter 11 - Thursday evening
"Story time, girls. Brush your teeth and get yourselves ready for bed."
"No bath tonight?"
"Clearing the shooting range was slow and boring but only your hands got dirty. The rest of the day you spent learning, Abby."
"You mean watching the well being drilled."
"And asking questions, not to mention discovering that you could dowse. Finish brushing and flossing and I'll read a chapter."
"Can Raggedy Ann listen to the story too?"
"Yes, Terry. And Bear can as well."
"You're nice, Grandpa. Rob and Crystal teased me about Bear but you didn't."
"Maybe I like you, Abby?"
"I think you like us a lot."
"Before you read the story, why is the bedroom we have pink?"
"It was our daughter Kate's room, Terry."
"Where is she?"
"She was in the Army in Texas when the fever started. We haven't heard anything since then."
"I'm sorry I made you sad, Grandpa. I think he needs hugs from both of us, Abby."
"Thank you, girls."
"Read us the story now?"
"OK. 'The first snow came, and the bitter cold. Every morning Pa took his gun and his traps...'"
"Do you have traps, Grandpa?"
"Yes, Abby, but I haven't taken the time to set them out. If you have traps out, you must check every trap, every day. If my helpers want to, I can explain where the traps should be set and why I set them up the way I do. But that's for another day."
"OK. Read to us."
"'Every morning Pa took his gun and his traps...'"
"'They were cosy and comfortable in their little house made of logs, with the snow drifted around it and the wind crying because it could not get in by the fire.' That's the end of chapter two; time for you to be in bed."
"Come tuck us in?"
"Yes, Abby. I'll tuck you both in."
"Will we get the shooting range finished tomorrow?"
"Maybe. Why the hurry?"
"It seems real important that we know how to shoot."
"Remind me in the morning. Ed and George will be here part of the day tomorrow to work on the springhouse, finish the porch and install the pump. They may need me part of that time."
"OK. Just so we get to shoot some."
"At least a little."
"Kiss me goodnight?"
"On your forehead."
"Me too?"
"Your forehead too."
"Goodnight girls."
"Goodnight, Grandpa. Thank you for loving us."
"I think that deserves a hug - for both of you."
What's going on with Abby that she suddenly feels an urgent need to be able to shoot? Does the 'sixth sense' that makes her a dowser also make her sensitive to future events? I don't know if Betty Taylor could dowse, but she certainly read the stock and commoditites markets well in advance. Maybe I should get back in 'point man' mode and be extra aware of the people and events around me. Things have been going well recently; perhaps it's time to be a little more cautious. I'll get both girls checked out on the 25 automatic - although Terry may have difficulty with the slide and not-too-accurate shooting left-handed - and Abby on the 22.
I'll clean and check both guns tonight. If we get the range finished tomorrow, they'll be ready for learning. Am I picking up Abby's sense of urgency? Or maybe it's just the 'point man' frame of mind coming back?
Do I have any hearing protection that will fit the girls? Maybe the foam plugs? They'll likely be with the goggles. Should I put up human or animal silhouette targets? Probably both - small animals for the idea of hunting food; larger animals and humans for self-preservation. Each girl may only get to fire one magazine of live rounds with the 25 until I find more ammo. It's a short range weapon, but with any practice it'll be hard to miss within ten feet of a human target. The gun safety and dry fire lessons will be more important than live fire, except for getting accustomed to the noise and recoil. Live fire with the 22 won't be a problem - I have plenty of 22 ammo - but only Abby can use that now. Terry's adapting well to using her left hand, but asking her to try the rifle one-handed with the 'wrong' hand - the safety assumes a right-hander - might be a bit much.
We'll need an early start to walk to church on Sunday. The girls are feeling better about themselves, but being dusty from the long walk will detract from that. Is maintaining their self-esteem worth a couple gallons of gas? Probably. Do I have that much treated gas? Something else to check tomorrow - better make a paper list. If I had a horse and wagon we could resurrect a 'Little House' method of transport.
|
|
|
Post by kaijafon on Oct 30, 2012 18:15:45 GMT -6
such a wonderful story! thank you!
|
|
|
Post by papaof2 on Nov 4, 2012 15:51:12 GMT -6
Chapter 12 - Friday morning "Grandpa? You awake?" "I am now, Peanut. You're up early - it's barely light outside." "You said we could finish the shooting range if we had enough time. Will starting early help?" "Yes, Abby. We should eat before we start working." "We got out the bacon and eggs and the stuff to make biscuits but we need you to help us mix it. Can you check the wood cookstove? I think I set the fire like you showed us yesterday but it's awful smoky." "Did you remember to check the damper? The look on your face tells me that you didn't. That's OK; I didn't always remember the damper when I was learning to light the fire. It may be too hot for you to turn it now - I'll go check. You girls are becoming very responsible and you're a joy to have as helpers. I'll help you with the other things when I come back in." "We didn't get it right but you still tell us how great we are. Why?" "Because you tried. I never asked you to be perfect, did I?" "No, but I wanna be perfect." "Abby, I don't know anyone who is perfect. The closest anyone gets is that they're always willing to try. The two of you are close enough to perfect for me. No more tears, even happy ones; you need to be able to see well enough to help cook." "Does breakfast taste so good because we helped cook it?" "That can sometimes be a reason, Abby. Sometimes it's because of the company you have when you eat. There's even a reference to that in the Bible: Better to eat vegetables with people you love than to eat the finest meat where there is hate. —Proverbs 15:17" "Everything tastes better with you than with Crystal and Rob - and there's more of it!" "Terry, I'm glad that you feel well-fed here, even if it's not fancy." "Like the proverb says, I'm with people I love and they love me so I don't need fancy." "Then you're OK with washing dishes, Abby?" "If I hafta." "Let's wait 'til after lunch. I want to explain the layout of the shooting range before we start work on it." "You think it's important, too?" "If my girls think something is important, I should at least listen to what they say. I think you may be right, although I have no reason other than your concern, Abby." "You pay that much attention to a kid?" "I pay that much attention to my smart granddaughters who have displayed an ability that I can't explain: dowsing. If you can sense the water that no one can see, perhaps you can sense other things that can't be seen - such as future problems. I had planned to have the gun lessons after Terry's cast came off so the two of you could learn and practice together; I'm just moving up the schedule several weeks." "You need the whiteboard and the markers, Grandpa?" "Yes, Terry." "We'll get 'em." "Thank you girls." "Where did you get the ideas you're using?" "Back when the internet still worked, I went to the National Shooting Sports Federation website www.nssf.org to see what they considered a good design. I incorporated ideas from some other places as well, to fit the area that I wanted to use. That's how I came up with this design." "What do the different colors mean?" "The blue is the shooting line. The red is the backstop, which is the big bank past the little hill with the spring. The green is the side stops, which is where old trees were stacked. Because there are hills behind the side stops, no bullets will get out of the range area unless you deliberately shoot over the stops. I don't think that will happen, as the backstop is 30 feet high and the side stops are between 10 and 15 feet high with 20 foot hills behind them. The range isn't as long as I would like for hunting rifle practice, but it should be fine for the practice you girls will be doing." "It sounds like a lot of it is already in place. What's left to do?" "Abby, we need to clear the brush between the shooting line and the backstop. It's all small stuff, so I'll be cutting it with a machete or hatchet and you'll be carrying it to the sides. We only need a space about ten feet wide to have two people shooting at the same time, so that's all we'll clear." "I can't help much." "There will be a lot of tall, skinny plants that you can move with one hand, Terry. Both of you will need to wear work gloves. The ones my wife used may be a little big for you, but they'll fit better than mine would." "How much more do we we hafta move?" "We're a little more than halfway, Terry. Time for a break. Let's go back to the house and you can have the rest of the 'Ants on a Log' and some milk." "OK." "Hello the house." "Hello Ed, George." "We have some rabbits, materials for the springhouse and Dad found a little solar water heater and a small solar powered pump in the barn. I think the pump was used in a fountain Mom once had. It only moves about a gallon a minute, but I thought we might be able to put another barrel on the south side of the house and pump water through the solar heater so you could have warm water for showers. It'll only work on sunny days, but it's a lot less work than heating water over a wood fire." "I'm willing to try it, Ed. There are more blue barrels behind the barn. How did you plan to fill the barrel?" "Two steps. First fill a washtub from the hand pump, then use this transfer pump to get the water up into the barrel. If we had a big solar pump, we could connect directly to the well but I don't know where we'd find that now. You OK with the process?" "I'll pump the water for everyone if I can take a shower inside!" "You're on, Abby - although you may change your mind after pumping the barrel full the first time. Thanks, Ed. There may still be enough lumber to build another stand." "We brought some, just in case. Abby, Terry. You need to stay back from where we're working. When the porch is finished and the pump is ready, we'll show you how to use it and the transfer pump. Mr. Mason, do you want to use the existing showerhead or this handshower we brought?" "The handshower has a height adjustment so it would be better for the girls." "OK. We'll let them help us install it when we get that far along." "After we put the rabbits in cages and set up food and water for them, we'll be up past the hill with the spring, clearing what will be our shooting range. I'll let you know before we do any shooting." "Yes, sir. George, you work on the porch; I'll start digging out the spring." "Back to work, girls." "Can we watch for a while? We don't know anything about building a house." "Only until the milk and snacks are finished. If you ask nicely, George would probably be willing to describe what he plans to do." "Please tell us how you build a porch." "I never could resist polite, curious kids." I've cut the last of the brush. Time to get the girls so they can finish clearing. Maybe their curiosity is sufficiently satisfied so that they can concentrate on dull work for a while. "Abby, Terry. Back to work." "We're coming, Grandpa." "The people I've seen building before used power saws and nail guns and stuff. George does it all with tools that run on people power - saw, hammer, chisel and some other things. You said you'd teach us to sew, but that's a girl thing. Can we learn to use tools too?" "Terry, if sewing is a girl thing, how is it that I'll be teaching you?" "I only ever saw women sewing - but you sew too, so I guess it's not just a girl thing." "Using tools isn't just a guy thing either. I think you should also learn to use a saw and a hammer and all the other tools that I have. Maybe we'll just call it 'learning about homesteading'." "The Little House books have things about 'homestead' on some of the covers. I guess we should learn how to do everything." "I like your logic, Abby. Knowing how to do things. whether cooking, sewing, or building a house is always useful knowledge." "We'd be like you then - you know how to do everything!" "Well, hardly everything - I didn't find water or drill the well." "But you cook and sew and have a garden and you're teaching us those things and we'll learn to shoot and you'll have school for us. That's close enough for me."
|
|
|
Post by papaof2 on Nov 4, 2012 16:03:56 GMT -6
Chapter 13 - late morning Friday
"Mr. Mason, the porch is finished and the well pump is in place." "I wanna fill the solar water heater!"
"Slow down, Abby. First you fill the washtub then you use the transfer pump to move the water to the solar tank - which isn't in place yet. You and Terry can help us with that."
"How?"
"Terry stands in the bath tub so we can determine the lowest the showerhead will need to be. We mark where the standard mounts and where the pipe should be. Abby can help hold the pipe in place while we clip it to the wall; then we drill through the wall to get the pipe outside to the barrel. Is surface mount piping OK, Mr. Mason?" "It would take three times as long to run pipe behind finished walls, so surface mount is fine." "We know the girls want time on the shooting range, so take them and we'll take care of filling the solar water heater the first time." "Thank you. Abby, get the rifle. Terry, take this bag. I'll carry the box of targets and ammunition." "What's in the bag?" "Hearing and vision protection. You'll learn about it when we get there." "OK."
"The targets are different sizes. Why?" "Some are small game such as squirrel, some are larger game such as deer, some are predators such as wolves and bigger. You can help me set them out."
"These are people targets!"
"Abby, it's important to see the big picture - not just the target but who or what is behind it."
"If you miss the target, the bullet just keeps going?" "That's right, Terry. The bullet doesn't know what you aimed at and it doesn't have brakes. Even if you hit the target, the bullet might keep going. It may take something solid such as bone to stop a bullet in a body, whether animal or human." "That's scary, Grandpa. You could hurt someone by accident." "Do you remember that I said you needed to know what or who was behind the target?"
"Yes. That's gonna be hard."
"Which is why you'll have lots of opportunities to practice. What do you remember about checking the rifle, Terry?"
"Hold it with my finger away from the trigger. Point it away from everyone. Safety on. Check whether it's loaded." "Very good. Do you think the same things apply to the pistol?" "Yes, but it doesn't have a bolt like the rifle."
"The bolt part of a pistol is part of the slide. It looks different but does the same function. I'll go through the steps then each of you can try it. First put the safety on. Then you press this button to release the magazine."
"Is it unloaded now?"
"You don't know yet. You must pull back the slide to check. OK, it's back together. Abby, say it and do it."
"Safety on. Release magazine. Pull back slide and check. I don't think Terry can do that, Grandpa."
"It's together again. You try Terry."
"Safety on. Release magazine. Pull back slide - I can't hold it tight enough to get it all the way back."
"Can you see another way of moving the slide?" "I could put the front corner of the slide against the edge of the cast and push the gun forward." "Try it."
"It worked!"
"Very good, smart girl. Let's get you ready to shoot. Foam ear plugs -roll one between your thumb and finger to make it small then put it in your ear." "Feels like it's moving in my ear." "I can't do that with one hand."
"Abby, it is moving. It expands to fit your ear. Terry, I'll help you with the ear plugs and the goggles." "You're right, Abby. It does feel weird."
"I'll show you how to load the magazine. Terry, don't be upset if you can't do it -you need both hands."
"OK."
Both of them have done well with marksmanship and the safety issues, even telling me that they couldn't shoot an animal target I selected because someone was behind it. I fired a couple of rounds from the 25 to introduce them to the noise and recoil. Abby did well for her first time with a handgun. Terry was scared of the recoil but did OK for one-handed shooting after a couple of shots with my hand over hers. Abby did very well for her first time with the 22 rifle. I think they'll both become good shooters.
"Time to stop for lunch." "But I only got a few shots with the pistol."
"Me too."
"I know. There's only a little ammunition for it, so you won't be shooting it much until I find more. I thought you both did well. Check that the guns are unloaded and we'll get the targets to take them back with us."
"OK."
"Abby, rifle on your shoudet as before. Terry, will the pistol fit in your sling?" "If I turn it like this." "If it stays there all the way back to the house, you'll have a place to carry it until the sling comes off." "We get to carry guns?" "Maybe. You have more practice to do before I decide."
They've been good students - patient with the check drills and dry fire: that gentle trigger squeeze showed in the groups they got. I'll have them out again tomorrow. They've both shown levels of responsibility I wouldn't have expected at their ages: Abby holding a pack of dogs away from Terry with a broom; Terry getting her arm broken trying to protect Abby zfrom Rob. Wonder how much of that stems from them only having each other to trust for so long?
Abby is more sensitive to criticism than Terry. Did she get put down more because she was older and people expected too much of her? She's a teriffic kid, but eight year olds do have their limits. Probably iffy whether I can get her to talk about it - wish Sandra was here for that. She was the 'Mother Confessor' for most of the neighbors' kids when they were growing up.
"We heard some thougtful, measured shooting. How did they do, Mr. Mason?"
"Show Ed your pistol targets. Terry left-handed at 10 feet; Abby right-handed with her left hand bracing at 20 feet."
"Most of the rounds are in the center of mass. That's good for your first time. Did I also hear a rifle?"
"Show him your other target, Abby. This was standing 50 feet from the target."
"That looks like a 10 inch circle. Very good for your first time. I don't think George or I did that well the first time Dad took us shooting."
"Really?"
"Yes, really."
"Abby seems comfortable carrying the rifle." "Terry has the pistol in her sling as well. Neither one is loaded."
"You plan to let them carry after more practice?" "Depends on circumstances. Abby has an urgent need for them to be able to shoot. The dowsing sense that allows her to find what no one can see might also allow her to sense future problems - and they've both been serious about the lessons: no complaints about doing something over until I'm satisfied. That's not your typical seven and nine year olds. If they do as well tomorrow, I'll arm both of them. Just wish I had more 25 ammo for them to practice with."
"That's not a problem. When Dad stocked up on ammo last year, he forgot that Mom had replaced her 25 with a 9mm. We have a couple thousand rounds. I'll tell him he must have sensed a future need. He won't be as upset about buying something he didn't need if it goes to family. You think 500 rounds will be enough?"
"Probably more than they'll ever use. I'll try to remember not to laugh about it when I'm around Carl. The girls will want to thank him; you plan to be at church Sunday?" "All of us if Dad is up to the trip. Otherwise, just George and me. Abby isn't the only one feeling something odd is going on: George insisted we bring shotguns today and that we spend an hour practicing with handguns and deer rifles in the morning. We'll be over after that to roof the springhouse and I'll bring the 25 ammo." "It appears that George, Abby and Terry all have their 'sixth sense' working overtime. I haven't heard anything about security for the service Sunday. Could you and George humor an old soldier and bring your deer rifles? I think the balcony of that church is dark enough to provide concealment."
"You said 'concealment' and not 'cover'. Dad said something is up any time an experienced soldier starts talking tactics. We'll be there. Before I forget, the solar water heater has bi-metallic thermostats to handle drainback at 34 degrees to prevent freezing and at 105 degrees to prevent overheating. The thermostats also have switches to turn the pump off when the temperature is too high/low. We had some waterproof foam, so the barrel is insulated which will make the water easier to heat and keep it warm longer."
"Thank you, Ed, George. The girls will be asking to shower tonight but I'm aware that the water won't be warm enough until tomorrow. They may be more careful with the hot water when they're aware of how long heating takes."
|
|
|
Post by papaof2 on Nov 4, 2012 16:06:31 GMT -6
I have some other irons in the fire and don't know when I'll get back to this story. Hopefully not too long.
|
|
|
Post by crf78112 on Nov 4, 2012 18:39:31 GMT -6
Great story, enjoying it tremendously. Thanks
|
|
|
Post by kaijafon on Nov 7, 2012 20:11:21 GMT -6
great story! please just don't forget us forever and we can handle a wait. lol!
|
|