Home on the Hill

And the Library. We have a couple of tons of rocks we've collected over the years and really haven't taken them out of the boxes. Need some display space for them. So when we had to move the low shelf from the living room to make room for the Christmas tree the libray got a display case. It has been unseasonly warm. Yesterday it go up to +12. Everythings melting. With dirt sticking out of the road in places. I don't know how long it will last but we sure don't use a lot of firewood. We haven't had the furnace going at night for the last four nights. I have been dismanteling the steering column on my truck to replace the ignition. It has crapped out and either sticks with the steering wheel locked or turns and won't start. In order to get it off to put the replacement on I have to drill out two security bolts. So far I've managed to get one out. Today the saga continues. My brother has a theory about why newer vehicles are so hard to work on. Appa...

This is the out takes from the new Endako hit movie, Jack-Hammer Jo . Thought they were worth preserving as a great example of what movie producers have to go through. So I was having trouble getting into the blue shop. The doorway is two feet lower than the road and was just dug out enough to swing open the door. Tried stabbing it with prybars to widen it to no avail. Then I borrowed an electric jack hammer from my Nephew who uses it in his contracting business. What a difference. the frozen ground was like concrete but I managed to dig out a five X six X one foot entrance to the joint. Nice to be able to walk through the door without having to be sideways. Jo-Ann couldn't resist trying out the ultimate testostorone power tool. She looks like she was having fun. I know I was. Next Blue shed project: replace the Chimney piping. The wind has blown it down and it's pretty burnt out anyway.

The skidsteer that is. It was down for the count the other day. No move on one side. Tom thought it was ice in the right hand chain drive channel. The left one would steer but not the right. So I wrapped the whole shebang in a canvas tarp and then a large poly one, put a 1500 watt heater inside, charged the battery and plugged in the block heater. Lo and behold after we drained and changed the chain oil it moved. Yippee. Sure makes keeping the yard clean a lot easier. Got some chains coming for it so I will be able to keep the driveway clear and maybe beat a path to Grandmas. I have to get a path up there for the upcoming skidoo poker ride. Got a cool tool for Christmas from the kids. It's called a FuBar . It seems that theres not much innovation in hammers these days because all the carpenters use nail guns. But the Stanley company caught some carpenters swearing about twisting some 2X4's and the FuBar was born. It's really quite the deal. Don't thi...

Our neighbor, Walter Read, came up last night with a four wheel drive tractor and dunged out the driveway. Easy Peezee. So we got to go to the Endako Hall meeting and yesterday went to town for lunch and toilet paper. In case of emergencys we like to keep a months supply of food and fuel. Now we've added toilet paper to the list. Got me to wondering who invented toilet paper . What a great scam. But better than the alternatives so far. Talk about an invention that hasn't changed in a long time. I mean they've consumered it to death with pillows and what ever the add agencies can come up with, but really perforated paper on a roll. What a concept. I just caught the Mizzes combing her hair with a metal spoon. Apparently this is not strange behavior but helps relieve the head demons. Static Electricity. She won't follow my suggestion and wrap her head in tin foil - which works for me. And the dog. I guess I will turn on the humidifier. I now get cell phone cov...

So were waiting for the grader to come yesterday and I get a phone call from the local YRB manager informing me that they won't be doing our driveway any more. It's just to hard on the operators and the branches from the trees hit the cab. J.E.E.Z. The local guy ( see previous post) had cleared everything but the top most part where it drifts and he's just driving a pick up truck with no chains. The grader has done it several times before when the snow was totally worse - but now: No grader. To Hard for the grader guy. CRAP. I am glad I have some people helping me or we would really be in a bad way. My Brother Tiny has got some chains for the Skid Steer but they won't be in for another week. And then he will have to deliver them by ski-do. Until then ration the toilet paper. Keep the fire burning and use powdered milk for the porridge. I guess it could be a lot worse. It's a beautiful day today. Clear and Sunny but colder than a Witch's nose. -28, so ...

What a surprise. We drove home from the Coast and our driveway down at Savory road only had about two inches of snow. Different story at the top where the road comes out of the trees and into the open meadow. The snow had drifted over the road so bad we barely made it. The next morning it was impassable. The fellow with the snow plow came by and managed to clear away the bottom part but couldn't clear the top part. The drifts were six feet high in places. So here we sit waiting for YRB to drop by with the road grader. Failing that I can work away for a day or so with the skid steer and get us out of here. Not that were in a big hurry to get anywhere. It's twenty below today and another foot of snow has fallen. I have been looking at getting another computer. When I tell people the machines I work on they tend to laugh. Well there was a time when an 800 MHZ machine was a big deal. And 500 Megs of ram was over the top. Now I am looking for a cheap 1.2 mhz machine with...

I had lunch today with a bunch of the guys from work. There all looking older. I don't quite know what to make of it. Anyway it was great to see them all again. I miss seeing them on a daily basis. Trying to talk them into coming up to Xanadu for a serenity trial. I think some of them are going to give it a try. Picked up my daughter Treena in the west end. Driving in traffic- like driving a bike, only faster and theres thousands of them and there all in a hurry. Xena couldn't believe how many new potential dear friends there were. Tonight is take out from the Memphis Blues ( we just call it the house of Meat ) and a bit of a Christmas celebration with the kids. I've always wanted to try the "Priscilla" but I think you need a rugby team to do justice to it. So before supper I had better go for a little walk and try and get some of the great lunch we had to disappear.