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Post by 9idrr on Dec 6, 2018 21:50:44 GMT -6
I can still remember fireworks shows from my younger days. Tracers can be entertaining, too.
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Post by texican on Dec 6, 2018 23:20:55 GMT -6
"Any idea how long the fence is around 153 acres?"
"Half a mile?"
"Almost two miles
PP2,
Yep, almost two miles....
Thanks for the chapter....
Texican...
PS: Did the math to check your calcs....
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Post by papaof2 on Dec 7, 2018 0:10:45 GMT -6
"Any idea how long the fence is around 153 acres?" "Half a mile?" "Almost two miles PP2, Yep, almost two miles.... Thanks for the chapter.... Texican... PS: Did the math to check your calcs.... I;'m OK with someone checking my math. I'm usually accurate with math of all kinds (anyone else still have a K&E Log-Log Duplex Decitrig sliderule - and the belt case?), but my wife is better - she's always balanced the checkbook to the penny.
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Post by texican on Dec 7, 2018 14:05:22 GMT -6
"Any idea how long the fence is around 153 acres?" "Half a mile?" "Almost two miles PP2, Yep, almost two miles.... Thanks for the chapter.... Texican... PS: Did the math to check your calcs.... I;'m OK with someone checking my math. I'm usually accurate with math of all kinds (anyone else still have a K&E Log-Log Duplex Decitrig sliderule - and the belt case?), but my wife is better - she's always balanced the checkbook to the penny. PP2, I used slide rule (still have it) in college in my engineering courses until the handheld HP35 engineering calculator came out which I spent $495 for it from construction work that I did.... If I remember correctly I purchased it in '71 which was a lot of money back then and had to wait several months to receive it from HP.... Worth every penny.... I was the only student at Tech to have one for awhile, until the other students or their parents started buying HP35's.... I still have my HP35.... HP35's was the real start of technology revolution even though we had a large math calculator in our lab that did addition, subtraction, multiplication and division which helped but didn't compare with the HP35.... Isn't technology just grand especially where it has gone and now you can purchase scientific calculators and programmable scientific calculators for just over a $100.... The advancements in computers is even more note worthy.... Wonder how many thousands and thousands of dollars we have spent on computers thru the years.... Not to forget programs.... Texican....
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Post by supermag on Dec 7, 2018 20:29:18 GMT -6
Fencing wise, its probably over 2 miles. A quarter section is 160 acres and 1/2 mile by 1/2 mile. I doubt those 7 acres are taken neatly off one side so they'd be fenced off and 153 acres would be just over 2 miles of fence. This is for flat land, add hills and creeks and who knows how much more you'll have to duo.
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Post by papaof2 on Dec 11, 2018 16:37:19 GMT -6
'Tis the season for getting together with friends and family, so this chapter is a bit early as we'll have friends over this weekend and posting might not be at the top of my priorities ;-)
Chapter 29 - Monday, 5 July - Arcade
Beep!Beep!Beep!Beep!
"It's too early, Daddy!"
"Me too!"
"Too early for breakfast and our trip to the place with the pinball machines?"
"Pinball! Yes! I'm up. Let's go eat!"
"Maybe Marie and Sarah should get dressed before they go eat?"
"Oops! I just wanna go play pinball!"
"I think we know that. First get dressed. Then we eat. Then we go play."
"All day?"
"No, not all day. Your Momma will be driving my truck and pulling a trailer of things that we bought at the auction. I'll be driving a semi with an even bigger trailer of things we bought. Pulling the loaded trailers means we won't be going as fast as on our way here so it will take longer to get home. That means we need to leave early enough to get home before dark. We don't want to be pulling big trailers for the first time on dark roads. We do need you girls to split up and help us with the driving. That means two of you in each vehicle."
"I should be with Alice in case she needs help with anything."
"Thank you, Sarah. Where do you two want to ride?"
"With you, Daddy. You said you had a book for me to read."
"I do. It's here."
"It's a big book."
"You'll learn a lot reading it."
"Then we're with Momma, Lisa."
"OK, Marie. You'll read to me while Momma drives?"
"These books."
"OK."
"With that settled, you girls finish getting dressed and we'll go eat and then to the Arcade."
---
"They all have names, Sarah?"
"Alice, some of them are about characters like this one is Superman and that one is Batman. Some of them are about movies or books. Some of them are just for fun like the drunk monkeys"
"I wanna do all of them!"
"I don't think you can do them by yourself. They were made for an adult to do and I can barely reach the buttons on both sides on some of them. You and Lisa might be able to do it with you pushing one button and her pushing the other one. She'll have to do the ball thing 'cause I don't think you're strong enough."
"Show us?"
"I think Momma or Daddy can show you better 'cause they've done it more. Daddy, can you show Alice and Lisa how to do it with one of them on each side?"
"Yes, Sarah, and I brought over the short stools for them to stand on so they can see the playing field. I think Sarah might like the second machine in the next row. It has you driving a tractor."
"Yes!"
---
"Just one more time?"
"Please?"
"Pretty please?"
"Pretty please with sugar on top?"
"One more machine for Sarah, one for Marie, one for Lisa and Alice. Then it's time to go. We'll pick up lunch and you can eat while we're hooking up the trailer to my truck and I'm checking the semi. Your Momma and I will be eating on the road."
"Thank you!"
'Should set up our own arcade, Sally?'
'Might take a month or more for the new to wear off.'
'Was it worth the extra days here for them to have fun?'
'Absolutely. We should find another farm auction to attend.'
'With or without water park, fireworks and pinball machines?'
'Either. They've loved "doing" with you. It really hasn't mattered what. Just that they were "doing" and with you.'
'Then we should plan more "doing".'
---
(at the secure parking)
Ring!
'This is Jack.'
'Mickey, it's Andie!'
'What's wrong, Sis? You haven't called me 'Mickey' since we were kids.'
'It's Laurie. She's had another dream!'
'Like the one before the derivatives killed the loan market?'
'This one's worse. Last year's flu will come back like the 1918 Spanish Flu did and the mutated version will be deadlier. Those who survived the first infection will mostly be OK but those who weren't infected by the first version will have an 80% mortality rate!'
'When?'
'Probably after school starts back. Maybe in August or September? She saw lots of sick kids and we know that the schools are the primary places kids share their illnesses.'
'Do you and Charles have a safe place?'
'Laurie says we're in one of the hot spots. People in rural areas that can avoid contact with possibly infected people have the best chance of survival. The money Charles and James make in Silicon Valley is nice but this is NOT a place to be after this month.'
'Let me give you some background. I left Tulsa for Fort Worth and recently left there for a much nicer place. I'm living near Doug's Creek, Oklahoma. I have a new wife and her four chil…'
'Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! One thing at a time! You're married? Our once-divorced and 20 year confirmed bachelor is married? To someone with kids? Did you lose your mind or get her pregnant or both?'
'Neither. I lost my heart to a loving, caring person who makes me feel ten feet tall. Having her girls choose to call me 'Daddy' and want me to adopt them is the icing on the cake. We currently have goats and chickens and may be adding pigs later.'
'Too bad that there's not a boy you could teach to be a grease monkey.'
'Who needs scruffy boys like me or Charles? I have a very pretty grease monkey named Sarah.'
'This I gotta see!'
'She even embroidered the shirt. And the property here is 153 acres.'
'You? A farmer? What did you really do?'
'I really bought a farm. We were at a farm equipment auction in Tulsa last week where I bought a cab for the tractor, a sickle bar mower and…'
'You have lost your mind!'
'No, I've found my place. This has felt like home since the day the realtor showed it to me.'
'OK. I give up. I need directions from the nearest airport and we'll come visit.'
'We're two hours by car from Fort Smith or Texarkana, three hours from Little Rock or three hours and a half from Tulsa.'
'You're in the middle of nowhere!'
'No, I'm in my little piece of heaven.'
'Can you put us up?'
'When and for how long? This is a three bedroom house and two bedrooms are taken. I don't think any of you want to sleep on the cots in the storm shelter but they are a good place when you can hear a tornado going by.'
'We can sleep on sofas or in some of your good sleeping bags. We'll be there as soon as we can get plane tickets and a rental car. Do you know what car… Of course you wouldn't know what car rental is available at any of those airports as you'd rather drive than fly. Is your email still the same?'
'Yes. When I get your new email address, I'll send you some pictures of the place and my new family.'
'I'll text or email the flight info when we're booked.'
'I'll ask Sally about using her house when she's available. You must stand in the right place to use your cell phone. It's three bedrooms, one bath and a path. It's also small and has limited electricity. Water is pumped from the creek and filtered for use. It uses propane for cooking and heating, plus wood stove backup for both. There's room for a small garden but you won't be feeding four people from it. I'm in the process of buying more land so there will be acreage for farming and raising some animals but Charles and James had best start a crash course on how to grow their own food unless you're bringing enough staple foods to last through summer after next.'
'You said "bath and a path". An outhouse?'
'It's an old house that had an outhouse long before it had indoor plumbing. I haven't rebuilt the outhouse here yet, but I did find the boards for a 'two-holer'.'
'If Laurie weren't so scared, an outhouse might be a deal-breaker. Considering how long it took James to get her calmed down enough so he could understand what she was saying, I don't think going behind a bush would be an obstacle.'
'Then it is as bad as you said initially.'
'It is. I'll send you the flight info and I'll call or text when we leave the airport on this end.'
'Stay safe.'
'We will.'
---
(Two hours later, in the truck on the way back home.)
Bzzt!Bzzt!
"What's that, Daddy?"
"Sarah, it's a text and is probably a followup from Andrea. Hit the 'Msg' button and you read it while I drive."
"[Mickey, plane gets to Texarkana at 5PM your time tomorrow. Charles and James are checking on truck and trailer availability for moving what we must have after we see your place. Details when we get there. Andie.]"
"Put the phone on speaker and call your Momma."
"OK."
Ring!
'This is Lisa.'
'Lisa, press the "spkr" button on the top left.'
'OK.'
'Sally?'
'It's on speaker, Jack.'
'Sarah will read the text message I just received from Andrea.'
'[Mickey, plane gets to Texarkana at 5PM your time tomorrow. Charles and James are checking on truck and trailer availability for moving what we must have after we see your place. Details when we get there. Andie.]'
'Then we should go over in the morning and make the place habitable with freshly made beds and some easy foods in the pantry and fridge.'
'As you wish.'
'You goof! I absolutely want to meet more of your family, regardless of circumstances.'
'Momma, will they be nicer than Uncle Bobby?'
'Sarah, they're your Daddy's sisters and their husbands. You think maybe his sisters are like him?'
'Un huh.'
'What kind of people would they marry?'
'Somebody as nice as Daddy?'
"Good answer, grease monkey. You get to find out for sure tomorrow."
'Speaking of tomorrow, Sally. Is your house ready for visitors?'
'It can be in an hour or so. That's something we can all work on in the morning after breakfast.'
'I can't do much.'
'Alice, you can check all the lather dispensers we used for handwashing. The smaller ones you can move on the seat of your walker if you want to try that or you can just check them all and come tell me which ones need to be filled.'
'I can do that, Momma!'
'We can continue this conversation when we're home. Bye.'
'Bye.'
"You can hang up, Sarah."
"OK. You really did need someone riding with you!"
"I think that's what I said when we asked you girls to split between the two vehicles."
"But how did you know?"
"I didn't 'know' that I'd need to call your Momma. What I did 'know' was that with the trailer loaded heavily, this 12 speed transmission needs my attention frequently as we go up and down hills and around some curves and that I wouldn't be able to hold the phone if I needed to use it."
"So we're your backup?"
"Today you are. You handling the phone and Alice handing me water when I need it."
"We work good together."
"We do, Alice."
---
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Post by 9idrr on Dec 11, 2018 22:08:20 GMT -6
Seems as though the first ten per cent of the story has gone pretty well. Awaitin' the rest as it comes.
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Post by papaof2 on Dec 11, 2018 23:20:46 GMT -6
Seems as though the first ten per cent of the story has gone pretty well. Awaitin' the rest as it comes. Dream on! This is Chapter 29 of an estimated 50 chapters - I'm reasonably sure there will not be 290 chapters ;-) While I have ideas beyond Chapter 50, none of them are fleshed out much more than notes like this: - riding lessons - someone hears gen and wants gasoline That means this tale will end in a few more weeks of posting. There are opportunities to learn much more about the families in this small county but if it happens, it will be in a sequel. If my muse was sharing a good day with me, I might get a chapter out of each of those notes but she's not been very sharing of late. I also expect to be busy with people coming by to visit this season and we'll be baking several kinds of "goodies" tomorrow or the next day. Meanwhile, I renewed the ICANN registration for two websites and the registrar parked a domain that's more than 10 years old - that's something you do for a newly created domain, not one that's active (can't see the site, can't get mail through the site). Then there's the matter of the three new sites they charged to my credit card - sites I did NOT create. I'll be spending some unpleasant time on the phone tomorrow during the hours I'm certain the support line will be staffed (unpleasant for them if an apology and resolution aren't forthcoming immediately).
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Post by ydderf on Dec 12, 2018 13:29:28 GMT -6
Thanks PP2. I haven't decided how politically correct I want to be.So. Merry Christmas to you and yours. Enjoy the holidays.
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Post by 9idrr on Dec 12, 2018 21:05:13 GMT -6
"This is Chapter 29 of an estimated 50 chapters - I'm reasonably sure there will not be 290 chapters"
Okay, sir, but you can't blame me for tryin' to elicit more story than you'd planned. Bet I ain't the only one here who'd love to see that many chapters.
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Post by papaof2 on Dec 12, 2018 22:04:49 GMT -6
Meanwhile, I renewed the ICANN registration for two websites and the registrar parked a domain that's more than 10 years old - that's something you do for a newly created domain, not one that's active (can't see the site, can't get mail through the site). Then there's the matter of the three new sites they charged to my credit card - sites I did NOT create. I'll be spending some unpleasant time on the phone tomorrow during the hours I'm certain the support line will be staffed (unpleasant for them if an apology and resolution aren't forthcoming immediately). I got things resolved in less than 30 minutes in an online chat with a support person who actually understood what I was saying ;-) Thank you, Coline. Now to go through several days of backed up email...
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Post by texican on Dec 13, 2018 12:58:20 GMT -6
PP2,
'We're two hours by car from Fort Smith or Texarkana, three hours from Little Rock or three hours and a half from Tulsa.'
This would put the location of Doug's Creek Oklahoma in Pushmataha County Oklahoma which is in the foot hills of the Quachita Mountains where we live in okieland....
Now there is a Dog Creek Oklahoma, but no Doug Creek which is an author's fair use of fictitious cities....
Now, killer flu coming with rampant breakdown of society following....
Thanks for the chapter....
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Post by papaof2 on Dec 13, 2018 15:54:31 GMT -6
I wanted a place with some ability to raise crops and animals and the potential for a more primitive bug out location. The driving time description puts them in "the middle of nowhere" with both crops and pasture possible but is close to a National Forest if worst came to worst.
I do use some real place names (Octavia, Zafra, Big Cedar) and highway numbers (US 259 is in the area), but Doug's Creek is fictitious. Since the setting has many properties along the creek and the creek once powered the local mill, the area could reasonably have been named for the creek. There are places named for less obvious natural features, such as Marked Tree, AR. A place where the main highway paralleled the railroad when I was kid - part of Douglasville, GA, is still that way, although they have grown out from just the city center next to the railroad tracks. Haven't been to Marked Tree in many years so I don't know how it may have changed over time.
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Post by papaof2 on Dec 13, 2018 18:09:19 GMT -6
Bonus! You get another chapter ;-)
Chapter 30 - Tuesday, 6 July - The Visit
Beep!Beep!Beep!Beep!
"Morning already, Jack?"
"Morning comes early when I spend time in the late evening making you feel safe."
"So it does. I'll start breakfast. You wake the girls with a 'good morning' kiss instead of waiting for Big Ben."
"They do smile a bit more if I wake them than if it's the double bell windup clock."
---
"Breakfast is good, Momma. Can we go play on the swings?"
"Sorry, girls. Time for you to get back in the habit of living on a farm. Chore clothes because you have animals depending on you for their breakfast and then we're going to our old house to make it ready for guests."
"Somebody's coming to see us?"
"Marie and Lisa. Remember me being on the phone with your Daddy in the truck yesterday?"
"Sarah read a text message."
"Correct. Two of your Daddy's sisters and their husbands want to see the available properties near us because they may want to move here soon."
"The bad dream stuff you and Daddy were talking about last night after he gave us our goodnight kisses?"
"How much did you hear, Sarah?"
"The flu is gonna come back and be worse and where they are won't be safe but out here is better. They wanna live in our old house?"
"The flu is what his sister Laurie dreamed and she's had prophetic dreams…
"What's 'pro feet ik'?"
"Lisa, it's 'prophetic', spelled p-r-o-p-h-e-t-i-c, which means telling about future things before they happen."
"If she lived here, she mighta dreamed about all the rain?"
"She might have."
"That's a good thing to be able to do."
"Just remember that it has only happened before about big things that were also bad things. The 'bad' part means that they want to live away from most people and this area is definitely 'away from most people'. They want to use our old house for a few days while they explore to see if this is where they want to be. Sarah, Jack is taking care of us so maybe we should help take care of his other family?"
"Un huh!"
"Then chore clothes and we'll put fresh sheets on the beds, fresh towels in the bathroom, some easy foods in the pantry and fridge and we'll check that there's power for the fridge and that the water collection and filter systems are working."
"Just like when we lived there."
"Correct. Just like then except that we need to get out the 'How To' book so they'll be able to keep everything working. Remember that they can't just grab a phone and call us - you must know where to stand to get a good cell signal."
"The places with the green rugs."
"Correct again. Do you think some grown ups can remember that?"
"If they're as smart as Daddy."
"I agree, but they do need the 'How To' book for water and electricity."
"'Cause there's only so much filtered water in the holding tank and the filter only does ten gallons an hour so you can't have three showers in a row unless they're bag showers."
"The slow sand filter barrels produce very clean water but they work slowly and refilling the holding tank can take hours."
"And you can't leave any lights on when you don't need them."
"That too."
---
"Food for how many days, Jack?"
"I don't know, Sally. They probably won't know until they get here and see how things are set up. I'll guess they'll be here at least three days but I think we should provide food and other supplies for a week. They may be spending much of their time with us, they could be exploring the available properties around us or they might just want to be in a quiet and usually peaceful place for a couple of days to unwind from the shock of Laurie's dream before they commit to anything."
"So a day or two to unwind and then time to explore options. Very logical, Mr. Jackson."
"Thank you, Mrs. Jackson."
"Anything they don't eat?"
"They eat pretty much what I eat, except that Laurie is a throwback to our maternal grandmother and would rather have peach or apple pie than the pecan pie the rest of the siblings prefer. That may also be where she got her ability to sense future events. Grandma Tucker always seemed to know which things would do well in the garden and which wouldn't so she planted accordingly. If she didn't think corn would produce well in a given year, she'd tell Grandpa to plant twice as much. Same for chickens and pigs. They always had enough food."
---
"Sally, is there anyone you know that didn't have the flu last year?"
"Darcy's daughter Lisa. I think she's a year older than Sarah. But they messed up giving the flu shots and Lisa got two of them. She had a little bit of fever and sniffles then, but never the full flu symptoms even with her taking care of her parents and siblings. You think she might be at risk?"
"Maybe; maybe not. I'll contact someone who might know. You're sure about everyone else? Family and friends?"
"Everyone I can think of out here was sick. I can't tell you about every person in town other than everything was closed for a week during the worst of it. You think it might be bad here?"
"I'm thinking the bad might come here if people are looking for a 'safe' place but they're likely to make any place they run to unsafe. I'll call Warren at TSC and ask who might be available to help with the fencing. I won't get this property and your place done soon enough by myself and I need fencing and workers to do the same at all of our new properties. I also want some serious power-operated gates. I'll be on the cell phone for a while."
"I'll see if the girls want to help with supper."
"I also need to start getting some of them out to the shooting range in the next day or so. If things get even half as bad as Laurie's dream implies, they should have the means of protecting themselves. I'm sure the 'surrogate mother' will be deadly serious about handling a real firearm; she has been very aware of what's in her hand and where it's pointed in the exercises with the plastic guns. Back to supper - they usually want to help when they can do more working than watching."
"I have something in mind that will have all of them working."
"Excellent."
---
[George. Need a medical opinion and you may know who to ask. There's a neighbor's child (girl, age 10 or 11) who didn't get the flu last year but accidentally got that flu vaccine twice. She had mild fever and sniffles but was otherwise OK and was primary caregiver for some of her family during the worst of that pass of the flu. Would she be as protected as someone who actually had the flu if this flu were to repeat as the 1918 flu did (coming back stronger)? Would she be OK or is there some protocol to protect her? Jack.]
---
Bzzt!Bzzt!
[Leaving Texarkana airport. Green Highlander. Have 2 meter HT's. Any repeaters out here or just simplex?]
[There are no repeaters in Texarkana. Open repeaters along the way from there include Ashdown at 147.380, +600, PL 100.0 then two in De Queen at 145.130, -600, PL 100.0 and 147.075, +600, PL 100.0 then Broken Bow at 147.135, +600, PL 87.0. Nearest open repeater to me is in Big Cedar. It's 147.350, +600. PL 123.0. No guarantee that the HT will provide solid coverage from there to here. Maybe with a 5/8 wave mag mount antenna on the roof?]
[That was quick! Do you have all this memorized?]
[No memorization, just knowing where to look online and having most of it printed out.]
[Why am I not surprised? We do have the antenna. Updates if we seem be ahead of or behind the estimated two hours time to get there.]
[Radio in scan mode. Sarah said to tell you that she started the small generator so she and the other girls can bake brownies for you.]
[How small is the generator or how much does she work out?"
[3000 watt inverter gen. Electric start.]
[You trust her to do that?]
[Yes. Sarah is a very responsible 9 year old. So far, she's the only one of the girls that Sally allows to cook by herself.]
[The "9 going on 25" you mentioned before?]
[About a number of things. I think you'll like her.]
[I'll know in 2 hours. Meanwhile, back to my navigating.]
---
Bzzt!Bzzt!
[Jack, Fewell is just ahead.]
[On my way.]
"They're at Fewell…"
"Can we go?"
"Ask your Momma if she needs any more help getting things ready for visitors."
"Momma?"
"They've been very good about helping with the meal, Jack. They can all go."
"Thank you, Momma!"
"You got the sign we made, Sarah?"
"Yes, Marie. It's in the round tube thingy in the bed of the truck."
"Tell me their names again, Daddy?"
"OK, Marie. Here's the newest picture I have of them. It's two or three years old. This is my sister Andrea. She's the oldest of the girls. This is her husband Charles. Unless they tell you otherwise, she's Mrs. Wilson and he's Mr. Wilson. This is their son Glen and their daughter Melissa. I think he's 12 now and she's nine."
"Are the kids coming?"
"Not this trip. They're at summer camp."
"And the others?"
"This is my sister Laurie. She's the youngest girl. This is her husband James. Unless they tell you otherwise, she's Mrs. Cutter and he's Mr. Cutter. Those names are for all of you."
"Yes, Daddy."
"Yes, Daddy."
"Yes, Daddy."
"Yes, Daddy."
"What about the picture has captured your attention, Sarah?"
"Glen kinda looks like the middle boy in that statue at the water park."
---
"I didn't hear you ask for help to come out, Alice. You did OK with the door and the small step down to the porch?"
"If I put my right foot down first, I can hold on to the door and move the left leg enough to get it out the door. Same going back in but I gotta pull up hard on the doorknob with my right arm to get the left foot back in the house."
"Considering that you couldn't go either way without help two days ago, you're doing great!"
"Lisa got on her tummy on the porch and watched my feet so she could tell me what to move when. That helped a lot!"
"I'm sure it did. Let's get you all in the truck."
---
"We're here, girls. I think you'll have time to get the sign up before they arrive. I parked at the closed grocery because there's a place for them park off the road. You need any help with the sign?"
"We can roll it open if you get it out of the tube."
"Sarah, I'll lift Alice down and you get her walker for the uneven…"
"But…"
"Alice, we had this discussion earlier and I let you try to walk with crutches out by the barn…"
"And you had to keep me from falling - a bunch of times. OK. I'll do the walker."
"Especially for the uneven ground here. With the progress you're making, you might be on crutches or maybe a cane all the time in another week or two. You OK to move yourself now?"
"Yes, Daddy."
"Then I'll get the tube out of the bed and you girls can roll the sign open."
---
"How much farther, Andie?"
"Greeting party on the right. Signal and turn in."
"A 'Welcome Home' sign! I think we're in the right place!"
"Me too."
"Mickey!"
"Hi, Andie!"
"Mickey!"
"Hi, Laurie!"
"Hi, Jack."
"Hi, Charles."
"Hi, Jack."
"Hi, James. If all of you haven't yet guessed, Alice is waving the flag, and the sign is being held by Lisa, Marie and Sarah."
"Hi, girls. Thank you for the welcome!"
"You're welcome, Mrs. Wilson."
"'Mrs. Wilson'? How 'bout you girls calling me 'Aunt Andie' and he's 'Uncle Charlie'?"
"Daddy?"
"Girls, that's your choice but only if you are comfortable with doing that."
"Hi, Aunt Andie, Uncle Charlie!"
"Hi, Sarah."
"Me too!"
"Me!"
"And me!"
"Hey! Don't leave us out! I'm Aunt Laurie and he's Uncle Jim."
"Daddy?"
"Your choice, girls."
"I'm gonna like having more family!"
"Me too!"
"Me!"
"And me!"
---
"Jack, we were ready to stop and rest when we pulled off the road but now that we've been hugged back to human, I think we're good to go. How far from here?"
"In time or miles, Andie?"
"You did say you were on a dirt and gravel road, didn't you?"
"Yes."
"Any last minute instructions, Jack?"
"Charles, you will want to slow down when you turn on 217. We'll go on ahead and let Sally know how close you are - and we'll probably help finish up supper. Watch for the pink and green mailbox. That's Sally's place. Come to the next driveway and that's us. We'll help you get settled over there after we eat."
"We'll be there soon."
---
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Post by texican on Dec 13, 2018 18:46:32 GMT -6
Sisters, brother-in-laws coming to look around for a safe place....
The trip will not take long to go back and get the kids....
Thanks for the chapter PP2,
Texican....
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Post by 9idrr on Dec 13, 2018 21:33:49 GMT -6
Awfully nice of you to drop the bonus chapter on us. Your generosity is exceeded only by your writing talent. Well, and I'm sure your dearly beloved would say your good looks and humility are your greatest features, after your taste in pickin' a spouse.
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Post by papaof2 on Dec 13, 2018 22:00:21 GMT -6
Awfully nice of you to drop the bonus chapter on us. Your generosity is exceeded only by your writing talent. Well, and I'm sure your dearly beloved would say your good looks and humility are your greatest features, after your taste in pickin' a spouse. And my ability to work "magic". Earlier tonight she handed me the remote for the gas logs and said "I tried three times but they won't turn off." I pressed the OFF button and the gas immediately shut off. Real "magic" ;-) The remote is RF (not IR like most TVs) so will work through a wall and not a problem with "aiming" it. No idea why it didn't work for her. On the other hand, I did work in a programming group where the other programmers called me "The Wiz" for my outside-the-box solutions to some problems - such as a 20 to 1 speedup in a communications link between a Unix machine (9600 baud serial RS232) and an IBM mainframe (3270 protocol) - and all done in software.
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Post by papaof2 on Dec 13, 2018 22:13:24 GMT -6
After dealing with incorrect instructions for replacing the "cartridges" in the vanity faucet in the master bath - using the manufacturer's (Price Pfister) parts and instructions and not an aftermarket kit - I finally ignored most of the instructions and put the O-rings from the original cartridges (marked "Do not use" in the instruction diagram) on the new cartridges in the same place as on the old cartridges and all the newly created leaks stopped. Surprise! Surprise! Meanwhile, I'm back doing something I like (writing) instead of something I detest (repairing plumbing) Installing new is OK but repair on anything more than a couple of years old is on a par with cleaning a hog pen.
No promises of another day with multiple story posts. I would offer to share the still-warm crock pot apple cake with whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel but the replicator died earlier today. I think the MOSFET frammis shortcircuited and took out the dual 6146 powered whatzis and a couple of 1200 volt IGBTs. I'll be checking my spare parts stock and what's currently available at mouser.com tomorrow.
Chapter 31 - Wednesday, 7 July
"Andie. Andie, wake back up for breakfast."
"What, Charles?"
"You dozed off as soon as we got inside Jack's house and you stretched out in that recliner. I think you've been more stressed by Laurie's dream than you've admitted. Considering that I now smell coffee and hot chocolate, I'd say that they're within minutes…"
"COME AND GET IT BEFORE I THROW IT OUT!"
"Charles, that's Jack's line from when all us kids were still at home and he'd been persuaded to make his famous-in-the-family pancakes."
"Odds on Jack cooking or the girls?"
"No bet on that one. Not after finding that last night's brownies were something the girls fixed from scratch using their great-grandmother's recipe. Pancakes are so much easier than iced brownies that I wouldn't be surprised to find multiple cooks under age ten, even if the younger ones are only measuring and mixing."
"My thought also. Some very lucky boy will get a pretty wife who can cook, care for animals, change the oil on the tractor and write stories. Alice asking Jack to read Sarah's story of the attempted kidnapping tells me that Alice has a lot more courage that I can even imagine fitting inside that small body. And Sarah did a good job on the story."
"And on getting it read - telling Jack that her voice isn't deep enough to sound scary."
"I like all of these kids, Charles. I think Melissa will fit in just fine but Glen may find that his still being in the sixth grade frame of mind and acting like the lowest form of human gets him in trouble."
"He'll get taken down a few notches?"
"Definitely likely on the 'down' part. I asked Jack and he said he's been doing unarmed self defense with Sally and the girls to go along with the gun lessons."
"So Sarah's probably a better scrapper than Glen thinks he is?"
"She's trained. Glen's just bigger than most of the other kids his age. Considering what Sarah knows, there might be a lot of truth in 'the bigger they are, the harder they fall'."
"We stay out of it, Andie?"
"As much as possible. I've already told Jack and Sally that Glen will likely be in 'too big for his britches' mode at some point if the kids visit here and anything that Sarah dishes out was probably deserved."
"Sarah doesn't know?"
"If we bring the kids here, Jack and Sally will tell their girls that they're expected to treat our kids as family but that they are still to watch out for each other."
"I can almost see Glen trying his typical 'Get outta my way' running through the house and knocking Alice down only to instantly find himself on the floor looking up at Sarah."
"And then he gets to talk with you out in the barn."
"That too."
---
"James, am I remembering correctly that you have some hands-on experience with dairy cattle?"
"More than I ever wanted, Jack. The summer I turned 16 I was whining about doing chores but not making any money to buy the car I wanted. My Dad talked to my Uncle Titus and I worked every job on his dairy farm that summer and the next two summers. I made enough to buy the car but I decided that I'd worked too hard for that money to blow it all on a car for transportation so I bought two horses - one to ride and one to breed. I found out later that the girl whose eye I'd hoped to catch with a car was much more interested in horses."
"I'm sure Jack remembers how 'horse crazy' I've always been."
"I do, Laurie. So James' investment paid off in a different kind of 'interest'?"
"I had an engagement ring a year later."
"And I was riding with the prettiest girl in the county. Still am, when we get to ride. You have any horses, Jack?"
"I got a text message about an hour ago that I could expect the trailer with two mares, bred to different stallions, some time in the afternoon. I'll need to get the barn ready for them…"
"Can I help?"
"Me?"
"Me too?"
"And me?"
"Yes, girls, to all of you. You need to listen about the horses because they may not be comfortable around strangers. That means you can help put things in place today and they will be familiar with all your scents before you meet them tomorrow…"
"But I wanna ride today…"
"Sarah, no contact with any of you until the horses are comfortable with the adults. Then I'll introduce you to them one at a time. Then you'll help with their care until they're comfortable with you. Then we'll talk about riding."
"I can't do much."
"Alice, you can offer a horse an apple from the palm of your hand. That's often a good way to meet a horse."
"I can do that, Aunt Laurie!"
"And the others are big enough to help with feeding and grooming. We'll work out some chore charts after the horses are comfortable around you."
"Like what?"
"Sarah and maybe Marie can do brushing and combing. Both of them can do some of the feeding and Lisa can help with that. We'll have to see what Alice can manage as she is able to move better."
"When will they be here?"
"They'll either call or text when they reach the end of their paper map. I'll tell you when that happens."
"We can be on the swings?"
"In chore clothes."
"But…"
"Chore clothes. We talked about this before you got your stories last night."
"Oh. I remember. C'mon, Alice. I'll help you."
---
"Do the two of you always explain things to the girls in advance?"
"We do when possible, Andie. Jack explains some things and I explain others. Occasionally we do explanations together."
"No wonder they always seem to know what we're talking about with the flu coming and the other things that will bring."
"We can't lock them in a tower guarded by knights on white horses so they need to know enough to understand the 'Why' of some of the things we plan to do."
"That was the source of Lisa's comment on the truckload of barbed wire being 'To keep animals in and people out'?"
"Exactly, Charles. That's how Jack explained it to her and it obviously was on a level that she understood."
"So you don't hide bad news from them?"
"We rarely even sugarcoat it. As long as radio and TV continue to work, they will probably be exposed to the news. Better that they hear something from us so they can ask questions and not have it turn into an unexplained and terrifying 'bogeyman'."
"The shooting lessons and self defense training?"
"Shooting lessons because they all asked to learn when they learned that I'd been made a Deputy and would be carrying a weapon all the time. Better to teach them respect for and care of firearms when they're interested. That also includes the 'when not to draw or fire' scenarios that are an integral part of the training. Some of those times do require being actively involved so they are getting some unarmed self defense lessons. I love my girls and want them safe even if I'm not there with them."
"They have guns?"
"James, Sarah will get her .22 rifle in a few days. It'll be in the rack by the door where the shotguns are for varmint control and self defense. She's trying to decide whether the protection of a handgun is worth the responsibility of having one on her belt. I'd say she's not far from making that choice and I'll certainly support her if she chooses to have one. There will be some additional class time if she does choose to carry."
"A nine year old?"
"She's almost ten. In a world where 80% of the people may be dying off in a matter of weeks and you don't know what any given desperate person might do, how would you keep Sarah and her sisters safe? She's nine-going-on-25 about some things because the girls have had some difficult things happen to them and they've been jerked to maturity in some areas. I have a very high level of confidence in Sarah doing the responsible thing when she or her sisters are in danger."
"I'm just comparing her to Glen who's almost 12 and right now I wouldn't trust him with a BB gun."
"How much responsibility has he been given?"
"Very little recently, because he never seemed to rise to the small things he was presented with in years past. I'm not sure he'd believe me about the level of danger in the coming pandemic."
"Perhaps the view of bodies in the streets will get through to him?"
"That might not be as scary as some of the video games he plays."
"Perhaps when the trucks stop bringing food to the grocery store and supplies to the Pizza Palace?"
"No Mountain Dew or pizza would get his attention but we hope to be somewhere with several years of supplies before that happens."
"Then look over this book of properties and see if any of them interest you. We own all of them. They are NOT for sale because they're in a trust for the girls. We'll rent you a house for a portion of what that land produces - corn, wheat, peanuts, hay, milk, beef or whatever. Here's the overview map and you can see that they are in the area bounded by these roads. I have enough barbed wire, electric fence wire, posts, clips and insulators to surround the entire section. I will be bringing in help to get the fencing done in the limited time available."
"I guess money won't have much value after a while. If no stores are open, we'll all learn to barter, make our own or do without."
"On that rather solemn note, have a look at what's available."
---
"Well, I see why Jack was asking about my dairy experience."
"What is it, James?"
"A small dairy farm, Laurie - something that a couple of people could manage if power is on for the milking machine. Or with another person or two to help with manual milking."
"Melissa helped milk at the farm 'camp' they went to last summer. One of the farm's owners wrote me a note about how good she was at calming the cows and how surprised they were at the amount of milking she could do before her hands gave out."
"Then we might want to hire our niece to help with the milking. What about Glen?"
"Don't think he'd be much help as he's afraid of those 'big, dangerous animals'."
"I guess we'd be OK as long as we can get diesel as there's a note here about power being provided by a diesel generator. Jack, doesn't that get expensive?"
"It can. There are some later notes about commercial power possibly being available in the next week or so and that solar plus wind power systems are on order for all our properties with delivery promised next week. If those get here, we'll be spending about a day at each location with buildings to get that power in place. A major epidemic of any kind could have commercial power failing for lack of people to operate and maintain it. An epidemic could also shut down production of liquid fuels. There's another 1000 gallon diesel tank scheduled to be delivered to that property, installed and filled next week."
"So we'd be OK for a while using the generator but we'd be better off with the solar and wind systems because they last longer and they're silent."
"Yes to both."
"How limited will the solar and wind power be?"
"About like here. Because the barn was the best place to mount the solar panels and wind generators and there was a 30 amp underground feed to the barn from the main breaker panel in the house, I used that wiring to provide a 30 amp feed to the house from the system in the barn. When it's just the six of us, we fill a dozen of the blue water containers and have them available as needed so we rarely need to run the well pump during the day. The exceptions being if we need running water for some medical reason, want the luxury of occasional real showers and for washing some clothes. The auction also yielded two old Maytag wringer washers that are powered by a small gas engine…"
"Gas engine? You're kidding!"
"No, Laurie. Maytag started building them in 1915 because power wasn't available in many rural areas until the REA came about in 1936."
"What's Sarah grinning about?"
"My grease monkey will be helping me get at least one of them working - maybe both."
"She doesn't mind the grease and dirt?"
"Daddy showed me how to use the hand cleaner and a brush on my fingernails and there's some things I can do in the plastic gloves - but they're kinda big."
"I thought I saw a windmill out back?"
"That's a project in progress. There's an 1150 gallon storage tank that will be lifted in place when the concrete tower base has cured. When the tank is filled, we'll have low pressure running water without using power. If there's not enough wind to keep that tank filled, we'll be able to fill it using the pump. If we need higher pressure water for other things, we can run the pump off the solar and wind system for limited periods or off the generator as long as we have propane - and I just added another 1000 gallon propane tank."
"What about the water tank freezing in winter?"
"There will be insulation over, under and around the tank. In addition, there will be a 'circulate and overflow' arrangement that will have the windmill pumping a very small amount of water into the bottom of the tank so the 53 degree water can circulate in the tank and keep it from freezing. Just circulation will prevent freezing to a point but adding even a small amount of the warmer ground water should keep the tank from freezing until the outside temperature is in negative numbers. The trench I dug to control flooding during the multiple days of rain earlier in the summer will serve as one drain for that water and take it out to the ditch along the road or it can go to the creek. The windmill does have some interesting flow control devices on it and a couple of them can be adapted for remote operation."
"You'll have all the conveniences without the utility bills."
"We've prepaid those bills with purchases of equipment and fuel."
"I guess you could describe it that way."
---
"Jack, the plat doesn't show any buildings at the mill site. There's nothing there?"
"Just part of one wall and some of the foundation of the old mill building. I do have copies of the original detailed drawings of the mill buildings, the millstones, the waterwheel and the dam - all of them with as-built measurements. One of the trailers out back has millstones, gearing and a waterwheel that are very close to what was in Smith's Mill so I want to build a replica using more modern materials for the buildings and the dam and to provide better flood control and prevention downstream of there."
"You plan to have someone living there?"
"Perhaps in the future. When the dam is rebuilt, I have some small turbine generators that can be mounted on the dam to provide power for lighting and cameras there plus some power to properties back up this way."
"So a backup to your other backups?"
"In for a penny; in for a pound."
---
"Aunt Andie?"
"Yes, Sarah?"
"Did Glen ever pose for a statue? There's one at the water park in Tulsa and the boy in the middle looks a lot like Glen in the picture of all of you that Daddy has."
"This picture?"
"Un huh."
"It's three years old. Glen and a couple of his friends did pose for a guy who was making a statue for a water park - but he never said where. I guess it could be the one."
"The model for the middle boy was kinda cute then."
"Don't get your hopes up, sweetie. Glen fell into the sixth grade's 'lowest form of human' very quickly and his hours eating pizza while shooting zombies have him looking like this picture on my phone."
"Big change!"
"You are being very polite, Sarah."
---
"This property is where you'd be growing grain?"
"Yes, Charles. These acres for corn, those for wheat and possibly these for peanuts, alternating with these areas and using various nitrogen fixing crops each year if commercial fertilizer isn't available."
"You have seed?"
"Heirloom seed for everything. We will have viable seed for the next year's crops."
"You have a combine?"
"A small Deere, but adequate for the acres we'd be farming. It's an older machine but the hours are low and you can help me replace belts and clutches when you get moved in."
"Because I'm small enough to get in some of the access ports and Sarah isn't strong enough to do the work."
"Correct."
"But I wanna…"
"Sorry, Sarah. Remember steering Bobby's truck?"
"I couldn't turn the wheel with both hands."
"Some of the work to be done on the combine will also require greater strength than my favorite grease monkey has. Where you can do the work, we'll teach you."
"Tomorrow?"
"Not until they're moved here and settled in. We won't be using the combine for some months unless a neighbor has need of it for this year's crops."
"They'd pay you to use it?"
"Yes. In money, food, work on our crops or fuel - including firewood."
"All the barter things you've told us about."
"Correct. You seemed to be doing rather well making deals in the flea market area at the auction. Did you find things for all your sisters?"
"Un huh. Things they had said they wanted but didn't have enough allowance to buy."
"Where did you get the money?"
"I read about the flea market in the paper you had about the auction so I took $20 of my leftover birthday and Christmas money. I looked around a lot and listened a lot and asked questions about what people wanted or would give for certain things. I could get down and look in the boxes under the tables a lot easier than the grownups could so I found things people had asked about, bartered prices down to what I was willing to pay or trade then sold or traded those things to get what I wanted. I came home with the things Alice, Lisa and Marie wanted and $5 more than I took with me."
"Jack, you should be having Sarah negotiate prices and trades for you!"
"I learned from Daddy."
"You learned well, daughter."
"I like 'daughter'!"
"I might like you a little bit."
"I know."
---
"Bedtime, girls."
"But I wanna stay up with Aunt Andie!"
"We're leaving now, Lisa, so there's nothing to stay up for."
"Hug me bye?"
"Of course. Hugs for all these great kids."
---
"Jammies, brush and floss and then bedtime stories."
"Yes!"
---
"So Sarah might have a crush on Glen, Mr. Jackson?"
"Mrs. Jackson, Sarah might have a crush on a three year old picture of Glen. I think the reality of the incredible transformation that sixth grade makes in some boys was more than she could believe."
"Andie's 'You are very polite'?"
"Yes. I thought Sarah handled that very well because I expected a 'Yuck!' from her. The 'cute model' for the statue is now a pimply-faced and pudgy almost 12 year old. Been there; did that - didn't want the tee shirt."
"You? I can't see you ever being anything but the handsome hunk you are."
"Then it's good you didn't know me in sixth and seventh grades. I might never have been on your radar."
"All that matters is that you are on it now."
---
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Post by 9idrr on Dec 14, 2018 22:01:27 GMT -6
Again, sir, my thanks. Of course, you realize that the closer together the fixes get, the more we'll be jonesing in our addiction to your stuff.
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Post by papaof2 on Dec 14, 2018 23:29:54 GMT -6
Just remember that the closer together the fixes get, the sooner we get to "THE END".
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Post by 9idrr on Dec 15, 2018 18:35:12 GMT -6
Just remember that the closer together the fixes get, the sooner we get to "THE END". Yeah, but you always seem to have the next one ready to start. Can we call you the proboards energizer bunny?
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Post by texican on Dec 15, 2018 19:42:54 GMT -6
PP2,
Me thinks that it will not take long for Glen to loose the extra poundage once the FHTF (flu hits the fan)....
Texican....
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Post by papaof2 on Dec 15, 2018 21:31:33 GMT -6
Just remember that the closer together the fixes get, the sooner we get to "THE END". Yeah, but you always seem to have the next one ready to start. Can we call you the proboards energizer bunny? Sorry, but I don't have another tale to tell at the moment. When this one ends, I'll be looking out the windows at the dark, dreary days of winter and probably not finding much inspiration.
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Post by papaof2 on Dec 16, 2018 17:09:30 GMT -6
Chapter 32 - Thursday, 8 July
"Jack, what's that stone structure near the barn?"
"James, that's what's left of the springhouse. Our well water is 53 degrees and I'll guess that the spring here is about the same temperature. If cleaned out and re-roofed, this should serve nicely in place of a fridge. It's big enough to hold at least a dozen of the 10 gallon stainless steel milk cans and still allow storage of other food."
"When was this place built?"
"It's newer than ours as this was built in 1891."
"How much newer?"
"Fourteen years. Our house and barn were built in 1877."
"And to think that when we were looking for a place in the Valley I didn't buy one of properties because it was 30 years old."
"This one is probably built better."
"I'm sure it is - all the doors still swing quietly and the latches engage."
"Remember that you're on a septic tank. There's a 'Septic Tanks for Dummies' book on the kitchen counter of each of the houses."
"Some things we shouldn't flush?"
"That, things not to pour down the drains and a lot of other useful info. I had the local septic maintenance and repair company come out and pump the tanks on all the properties as soon as I had ownership of them."
"The company with the yellow tanker that has 'Stool Bus' on it and little brown 'kids' hanging out the 'windows'?"
"The younger girls giggled about that. Sarah was almost embarrassed about it but all the valves and gauges got her attention and she wanted to run the pump. She didn't want to move the hose in or out of the tank but finally did - wearing our nitrile gloves under their somewhat larger rubber gloves. I don't know how much impression it made on the others, but Sarah taped a copy of the 'Don't Flush' list to the mirrors in the bathrooms at all the houses."
"When do you plan to start on the mill?"
"Not until the current crops are planted. Concrete takes much longer to cure when the weather is cool to cold but curing more slowly makes it stronger. That means we can work on the mill after harvest."
"You seem to have worked out the timetable for a number of things."
"I used the various 'planting dates' books, the NWS' average first and last frost dates and this year's 'Farmer's Almanac' to work out the times. Hopefully, my dates will be on the safe side of 'first frost' this fall and 'last frost' next spring. I also asked some of the old timers at the church if I could drop by and have them check my farming plans before I plant anything. They'll know the local indicators - even whether a specific caterpillar is predicting a mild or severe winter."
"Caterpillar?"
"The one that becomes the Gypsy Moth is supposed to have more orange for a mild winter and more black for a dark and cold winter."
"You'd go for an old wives' tale like that?"
"If the person proposing it has 30 years of successful farming from following those indicators, I'd say they're more accurate than the NWS."
"You make an excellent point. I guess we should be looking into the herbal remedies as well?"
"Don't think there'll be a CVS open on any corner a few months from now."
"You're probably correct. What about things like soap? We're not yet raising big animals to have a lot of lard for making soap."
"That's why we have some soapwort bushes in addition to our stocks of bar and liquid soap and the materials for making laundry and other soaps. A few of the soapwort flowers or leaves work for washing your hands, your hair or your body but it's not strong enough for most laundry needs. Plus you can dry the leaves and stems and grind them up for use. Tell Laurie to ask Sally."
"I'll do that. You mentioned barter. Is there a regular 'Trade Day' type gathering?"
"Probably the closest thing at the moment is the Farmers' Market in town. There's room for it to expand so anything we wanted to trade could be taken there on Saturday. We'll probably want to wait a while to see how the flu goes here before venturing out into a large crowd."
"That seems reasonable."
"And we'll be going by horse-drawn wagon because we don't want to advertise our stock of fuels."
"How big is the wagon?"
"If we make it a 'hay ride' style wagon, maybe a dozen people. For more formal travel, we have the buggy which will seat four or five adults or two adults and maybe six kids."
---
"Jack, we want to see the bigger farming areas."
"OK, Charles. The house and barn on this property are about the same vintage as ours so you know what to expect. The tractor is a Deere from the 1960's and here's the list of attachments."
"Looks pretty complete. Anyone local whose brain we can pick about planting times and depths for corn and wheat?"
"Some old timers at the church have said they'd be glad to check any planting and harvesting schedule I came up with. We could invite them for Sunday dinner after church one day and have the afternoon to do 'what if'."
"Sounds good."
---
"Jack, will the roof of this barn work for solar?"
"Yes, James. The southeast exposure isn't optimum for solar but the barn is long enough to space the panels so they can be angled to face south. You should get about as many useful sun hours as we do. The solar array and the battery bank for this property are 35% larger than elsewhere to provide power for the milking machine and the milk cooler."
"Anything you didn't think of?"
"Not that I know of, but I'm sure real world events will find something."
"You sound like you're expecting to have missed something."
"This is the first time I've been responsible for providing everything for a family with small children. I'm almost certain there's something I missed."
---
"After lunch, I want to load up a couple of vehicles and take all of you to meet some neighbors and some family so you'll have some idea of who'll be living near you."
"How long, Sally?"
"Several hours. I doubt that any of these people will let you leave without offering you something to eat and drink and they'll feel that they didn't greet you properly if you don't accept something."
"I better…"
"Bathrooms here and there and Jack did get the two-holer with the half moon on the door in place. It's that-a-way."
---
"Jack, the mill foundation is larger than I expected."
"James, I think they may have used a lot of the space for storage. In the remaining wall, you can see where the beams were for two floors above this one. I expect the mill had a resident cat or two to keep the mice down."
"How much of the remains of the old dam need to be removed?"
"Because I have concrete available, we'll clear to the large rock outcroppings on either side of the original dam and build a better dam in the same place. The new dam will have spillways and flood controls the original dam lacked."
"That can't be cheap, Jack. How much do you have budgeted for this?"
"As much as is needed, James. My children and their future children need to be cared for. Owning the local mill means they will have income - whether money or bartered food - for a long time."
"You'll be able to grind corn meal and wheat flour?"
"Yes. Take time to look at the grinding wheels on the semi trailer. The grooving is different on each side so they can actually do three different levels of grinding: coarse to coarse, coarse to fine, fine to fine."
"How do you switch sides on the wheels?"
"I plan to use a chain hoist in place of the block and tackle used in the original mill. If I can find the right 12 volt winch, the power from either solar panels or the small turbine generators in the new dam could charge batteries to power that winch. That would be much easier than the chain hoist but I plan to have backups wherever possible."
"Understood. Do you have plans to defend the mill if needed?"
"Gun and arrow ports in these places that are high enough to have a commanding view of the entire property and the trees with a red 'X' will be removed to improve sight lines."
"You have something like this for the other properties?"
"In the cabinet next to the breaker panel, you'll find a 'Things You Need to Know' binder."
"I thought there'd be something, just didn't know where to look."
"Remember that these houses and barns are old enough to potentially have some secret passages. I know what we have but the properties you and Charles are on have not been explored in depth. You might find some things by just measuring the outside of the house, the inside of each room and the spacing between windows."
"Sounds like a dinner theater production of some 'Murder in a Secret Room' book."
"You never know."
"We'll check."
---
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Post by texican on Dec 16, 2018 21:02:28 GMT -6
PP2,
Sounds like the sisters and bro-in-laws will be moving into okieland with their kids....
Texican....
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