Post by papaof2 on Apr 23, 2018 12:46:49 GMT -6
With eye surgery scheduled for Thursday morning, this will likely be the last chapter for a while. When both eyes are working again (few days to several weeks) I'll continue the story.
Chapter 75 - Tractor Teachers
"Paul, did you plan to contact Amos about Darren working with the crew tomorrow?"
"Love, I thought after supper might be a good time for that. I don't think the girls will be asking for snuggle time tonight."
"Probably not, after them spending the day shadowing or being shadowed by their favorite local boy. It's good for them to be part of a group that has the mission of keeping people fed."
"Having them start the process by helping members of their group seemed a good way to firm up that mission in their minds."
"It was, Paul. In general conversation today, they mentioned a half dozen other families that could use some help - families that didn't ask when given the opportunity at Trade Day,"
"I'll let you work out ways to get those people on our 'garden work' list although it might be better to have the kids stop at a friend's house and say 'We're headed to <wherever> to work on their garden. You want to come with us and help and we can do that for you when we come back this way?'"
"The crew should know who that would work on and maybe have ideas for approaching other people. I'll start by asking them in the morning and we can work out a map for the people they can 'drop by' and ask. I don't think they'll run out of work in the near future."
"Very true, Love. I should check with Major Green on what supplies and equipment he's been able to find. If they provide fuel, I'll trailer the tractor to their camp to plow their big garden but having their own equipment is a better use of fuel."
"How will you contact him?"
"I'll do more mapping by AM radio tonight and then fire up the ham radio and try to contact the Guard."
---
'Scott 201 from Scott 121.'
'201. Go to F7.'
'Roger. 121 out.'
'201 out.'
'Scott 201 from Scott 121.'
'201.'
'Is Darren available tomorrow? Matt has his Simplicity tractor running and could use some lessons on how to adjust and use the various implements.'
'Darren says "Yes" and to thank you for remembering him. He'll be there when your crew usually gets there.'
'Thanks. He has more experience with the Simplicity than anyone else I know so he's first choice for teaching others. See him in the morning.'
'Anything else, Paul?'
'How is the "County Mounty" program working out?'
'Better than I would have guessed. They've decided that their mounted unit designators should be the same as their vehicle designators, but with a "CM" prefix so we have now have Scott 104 if in a vehicle or Scott CM104 if mounted.'
'Good that they can see the humor in it. 121 out.'
'Remember F1. 201 out.'
"So you have your 'tractor teacher'?"
"That I do, Love. Darren will be happy to be needed. Matt and the others will be happy to be learning from the most experienced person in the county. I think that's a win-win situation."
"I agree. There's water heating for tea. You want a cup of chamomille before bed?"
"Sounds good."
"Me too, Nana."
"And me."
"Both of you, Kasey? I thought today's time with Matt and Bobby might have both of you looking at the positive side of things."
"Well, that's kinda yes and no. Bobby's worried about where they'll find someone to do PT for Sally and Matt's worried about having enough water for family, animals and garden 'cause it takes a lot of time to pump that much water."
"Paul, do you have enough pipe to get water from the stream in the upper pasture to Matt's house?"
"Not the big pipe you'd typically use for irrigation, but half inch schedule 40 pipe can deliver 420 gallons per hour by gravity flow. With a shutoff valve at that end, the pipe could be fed from the stream and they would have control of the water when needed. If they need a higher flow, I think there were some of the 250 gallon plastic tanks out behind the barn down there. Those aren't too bad to move when they're empty if you have two or three people doing the lifting, so having several of those connected together at the high end of their garden could provide enough storage to have higher flow and just let the small pipe fill them slowly. They could use that water for irrigation or animals as needed."
"What about Sally?"
"Bobby should ask Darren tomorrow and Darren can ask Wanda Jeffers when he goes for PT and Wanda can contact Annie via CB to work that out."
"You're the best grandpa ever!"
"Maybe just the best one you know?"
"That too."
"Still want the tea?"
"Yes, Nana."
"Me too. Just to stay up with you longer."
---
"They're asleep, Love?"
"Yes. Having their immediate concerns possibly resolved and being calmed by the chamomille, they both had little smiles when I checked."
"Very good, considering all the loss they've experienced this week."
"You have more details for your map?"
"Yes. The outer perimeter of the dark area is shrinking very slowly in a couple of places as the highlines are repaired. There is also some slow expansion of light around the hydro plants in the dark area. From the news reports, anyone with knowledge to repair the lines is out doing what they can as soon as the towers are repaired or replaced. That bit of recovery is moving a little faster than the last reports but those repairs don't speed up the process of getting a transformer or some switchgear built in South Korea or China and delivered to middle America. Some areas can still expect three to four years before full power is restored. From Major Green, one pipeline tracks pretty well with one of the highlines so they may have fuel flowing 200 miles from a refinery in three to six months. Still seems slow but having a pipeline running could mean that we have at least some wheat production next year."
"That's very good news! You mentioned previously that they were prioritizing power restoral to food processing plants?"
"Correct. Grain mills get us flour and fuel for transport gets flour to the bakery for making bread - and hopefully out to the people who bake their own bread. The distribution system is in shambles because of computer systems and communications being down without power. It's hard to get a driver to move flour 400 miles unless he or she knows that there is enough diesel to get the truck back for another load. The truck size restrictions have been relaxed and every available tandem rig is being located so the trucks get more moved on each trip. I'm somewhat amazed at the level of common sense that's peeking through the cracks in the infrastructure."
"Hunger can be a powerful motivator."
"That it can, Love."
"What about the Major's garden?"
"He found an older Ford 5000 diesel tractor and a number of implements. He just needs someone to teach his desk and tank drivers how to drive a tractor and how to adjust implements based on crop and terrain."
"You'll be holding classes there?"
"In a day or two. We need to get the animals to the Children's Home before I spend time teaching soldiers to drive a tractor and a combine and a sickle mower and a hay baler and whatever else it is that they have but none of them recognize."
"So a full day there?"
"Possibly more than one, thus the animal move should come first. Animals tomorrow; tractor lessons for soldiers the next day."
"To bed, Mr. Williams. You've solved enough problems for other people today."
"Was that an invitation, Mrs. Williams?"
"Follow me and find out."
"I'm right behind you."
---
Chapter 75 - Tractor Teachers
"Paul, did you plan to contact Amos about Darren working with the crew tomorrow?"
"Love, I thought after supper might be a good time for that. I don't think the girls will be asking for snuggle time tonight."
"Probably not, after them spending the day shadowing or being shadowed by their favorite local boy. It's good for them to be part of a group that has the mission of keeping people fed."
"Having them start the process by helping members of their group seemed a good way to firm up that mission in their minds."
"It was, Paul. In general conversation today, they mentioned a half dozen other families that could use some help - families that didn't ask when given the opportunity at Trade Day,"
"I'll let you work out ways to get those people on our 'garden work' list although it might be better to have the kids stop at a friend's house and say 'We're headed to <wherever> to work on their garden. You want to come with us and help and we can do that for you when we come back this way?'"
"The crew should know who that would work on and maybe have ideas for approaching other people. I'll start by asking them in the morning and we can work out a map for the people they can 'drop by' and ask. I don't think they'll run out of work in the near future."
"Very true, Love. I should check with Major Green on what supplies and equipment he's been able to find. If they provide fuel, I'll trailer the tractor to their camp to plow their big garden but having their own equipment is a better use of fuel."
"How will you contact him?"
"I'll do more mapping by AM radio tonight and then fire up the ham radio and try to contact the Guard."
---
'Scott 201 from Scott 121.'
'201. Go to F7.'
'Roger. 121 out.'
'201 out.'
'Scott 201 from Scott 121.'
'201.'
'Is Darren available tomorrow? Matt has his Simplicity tractor running and could use some lessons on how to adjust and use the various implements.'
'Darren says "Yes" and to thank you for remembering him. He'll be there when your crew usually gets there.'
'Thanks. He has more experience with the Simplicity than anyone else I know so he's first choice for teaching others. See him in the morning.'
'Anything else, Paul?'
'How is the "County Mounty" program working out?'
'Better than I would have guessed. They've decided that their mounted unit designators should be the same as their vehicle designators, but with a "CM" prefix so we have now have Scott 104 if in a vehicle or Scott CM104 if mounted.'
'Good that they can see the humor in it. 121 out.'
'Remember F1. 201 out.'
"So you have your 'tractor teacher'?"
"That I do, Love. Darren will be happy to be needed. Matt and the others will be happy to be learning from the most experienced person in the county. I think that's a win-win situation."
"I agree. There's water heating for tea. You want a cup of chamomille before bed?"
"Sounds good."
"Me too, Nana."
"And me."
"Both of you, Kasey? I thought today's time with Matt and Bobby might have both of you looking at the positive side of things."
"Well, that's kinda yes and no. Bobby's worried about where they'll find someone to do PT for Sally and Matt's worried about having enough water for family, animals and garden 'cause it takes a lot of time to pump that much water."
"Paul, do you have enough pipe to get water from the stream in the upper pasture to Matt's house?"
"Not the big pipe you'd typically use for irrigation, but half inch schedule 40 pipe can deliver 420 gallons per hour by gravity flow. With a shutoff valve at that end, the pipe could be fed from the stream and they would have control of the water when needed. If they need a higher flow, I think there were some of the 250 gallon plastic tanks out behind the barn down there. Those aren't too bad to move when they're empty if you have two or three people doing the lifting, so having several of those connected together at the high end of their garden could provide enough storage to have higher flow and just let the small pipe fill them slowly. They could use that water for irrigation or animals as needed."
"What about Sally?"
"Bobby should ask Darren tomorrow and Darren can ask Wanda Jeffers when he goes for PT and Wanda can contact Annie via CB to work that out."
"You're the best grandpa ever!"
"Maybe just the best one you know?"
"That too."
"Still want the tea?"
"Yes, Nana."
"Me too. Just to stay up with you longer."
---
"They're asleep, Love?"
"Yes. Having their immediate concerns possibly resolved and being calmed by the chamomille, they both had little smiles when I checked."
"Very good, considering all the loss they've experienced this week."
"You have more details for your map?"
"Yes. The outer perimeter of the dark area is shrinking very slowly in a couple of places as the highlines are repaired. There is also some slow expansion of light around the hydro plants in the dark area. From the news reports, anyone with knowledge to repair the lines is out doing what they can as soon as the towers are repaired or replaced. That bit of recovery is moving a little faster than the last reports but those repairs don't speed up the process of getting a transformer or some switchgear built in South Korea or China and delivered to middle America. Some areas can still expect three to four years before full power is restored. From Major Green, one pipeline tracks pretty well with one of the highlines so they may have fuel flowing 200 miles from a refinery in three to six months. Still seems slow but having a pipeline running could mean that we have at least some wheat production next year."
"That's very good news! You mentioned previously that they were prioritizing power restoral to food processing plants?"
"Correct. Grain mills get us flour and fuel for transport gets flour to the bakery for making bread - and hopefully out to the people who bake their own bread. The distribution system is in shambles because of computer systems and communications being down without power. It's hard to get a driver to move flour 400 miles unless he or she knows that there is enough diesel to get the truck back for another load. The truck size restrictions have been relaxed and every available tandem rig is being located so the trucks get more moved on each trip. I'm somewhat amazed at the level of common sense that's peeking through the cracks in the infrastructure."
"Hunger can be a powerful motivator."
"That it can, Love."
"What about the Major's garden?"
"He found an older Ford 5000 diesel tractor and a number of implements. He just needs someone to teach his desk and tank drivers how to drive a tractor and how to adjust implements based on crop and terrain."
"You'll be holding classes there?"
"In a day or two. We need to get the animals to the Children's Home before I spend time teaching soldiers to drive a tractor and a combine and a sickle mower and a hay baler and whatever else it is that they have but none of them recognize."
"So a full day there?"
"Possibly more than one, thus the animal move should come first. Animals tomorrow; tractor lessons for soldiers the next day."
"To bed, Mr. Williams. You've solved enough problems for other people today."
"Was that an invitation, Mrs. Williams?"
"Follow me and find out."
"I'm right behind you."
---