White Elephant

The little saw is good for small stuff, but you have to keep a tight grip on it. It's so small and light, it will kick back when it first touches the wood. But it's worth the money, just for getting the big saw out of trouble.

The lady {who sold us the house}, her son and DIL came and got a load of stuff this morning. Maybe one more load, then we can get started cleaning up inside.

They got all the toolboxes, a paddle and some of the rods and reels. Also said they are taking the kayak next trip. I had hoped it would stay.

I did get a nice gummy from them. I ate half of it, and had a mellow buzz all day.

I got inside the barn today. After walking up a downed oak until I was over it. Maybe two thirds of the roof is still in place.

Lots of barn things. Bikes, dollies, hole diggers, golf clubs, tools, etc, etc.

Not sure what the propulsion on these boats are. They have big batteries.

More pictures from yesterday's trip to the river house. {I did go down this morning, but just got high, moved wind chimes, swept, washed windows and gathered more caps and shoes}

Right behind the barn there are two big oaks that blew over, lifting their rootballs. This smaller oak is resting on the rootball of the bigger one {that's on the barn}. But it's hollow for at least 15-20 feet, with all the holes on the same side. I'm going to try to get it down and moved as gently as possible, then turn it into a planter.

And the driveway, wide and clear. Sadly it's so clear that from up close to the barn, sitting on the tailgate burning one, I could see one of the houses across the river.

too larry said:

More pictures from yesterday's trip to the river house. {I did go down this morning, but just got high, moved wind chimes, swept, washed windows and gathered more caps and shoes}

Right behind the barn there are two big oaks that blew over, lifting their rootballs. This smaller oak is resting on the rootball of the bigger one {that's on the barn}. But it's hollow for at least 15-20 feet, with all the holes on the same side. I'm going to try to get it down and moved as gently as possible, then turn it into a planter.

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Be careful with that one if there's any stress on it, I've seen videos of hollow ones that splintered when they were cut.

raratt said:

Be careful with that one if there's any stress on it, I've seen videos of hollow ones that splintered when they were cut.

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It's about 8 feet from the butt to where it rests on the rootball of the other tree. I'm thinking of cutting it just clear of that. But it's a good 50-60 footer, so lots of weight, even with it dead and hollow.

too larry said:

It's about 8 feet from the butt to where it rests on the rootball of the other tree. I'm thinking of cutting it just clear of that. But it's a good 50-60 footer, so lots of weight, even with it dead and hollow.

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I know, the first time I screwed up my back was moving a green piece of Doug Fir that I cut down. Don't bench press a log and throw it...lol.

raratt said:

I know, the first time I screwed up my back was moving a green piece of Doug Fir that I cut down. Don't bench press a log and throw it...lol.

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Sounds safer than my first back injury. I was bush-hogging on an old IH gas tractor on my neighbor's place. I had gone to work that day expecting to ride the Snapper, dressed in cotton shorts and boat shoes. No shirt, no socks and no underwear. But she ask me to mow down by the river. The brush was head high with me seated on the tractor. I got into a wasp nest and got 23 stings. {mostly on my neck and shoulders, but one on that head that does it's own thinking. Maybe that is what they mean by cotton kills}

You have seen Wiley Coyote when he runs off a cliff, how his legs will keep going for a few seconds before he falls. It wasn't like that at all, but my landing when I jumped off the tractor looked a lot like his landings. After a couple of shot runs and falls, I got to the river and got all the wasp washed off. Luckily the tractor run into a tree, and not the river. I came back down an hour of so later and by then the wasp had left it, so I could turn it off.

But I had hurt my back so bad on landing, that the wasp stings were an after thought. That would have been around 1984-85. Had a bad back since.

We called Ram Jack today, to get them to come out and give us a quote on leveling the river house. It will be Monday week before they can come. And it cost 275 for them to come out. Never had to pay for a quote before. But it will give us a ceiling when dealing with local contractors.

L. the son of the lady we bought the house from, came down this afternoon with his side job partner. They are going to do the decks and steps for us between jobs. They also said they could do the leveling, so we called Ram Jack and canceled the inspection. When we had asked how soon RJ could start on the actual job, they said it could be 2-3 months, or maybe longer. The roof is leaking {in the bathroom}, so we really need to get a move on. It needs to be leveled before the roof gets done.

They also put out some corn for the deer. I'm letting L hunt on the land. His tree stands are all still there. Some still pointing up.

L.'s buddy can't do the leveling job after all. At least he was pro enough to say it was more than he wanted to tackle. So I guess we are back to calling Ram Jack. Will ask my old contractor to see if he knows anyone local.

I've been working on the cleaning out the fridge and pantry. Lots of the can of food I tossed were from 2010. Lots of canning jars to be emptied out. I'm throwing everything like that in the river. Slowly making progress.

But we always have folks over on the new year, and we've been non-stop cleaning at the house on the hill the last few days. I've taken 3-4 cases of MRE's and half a dozen cases of water down to the river house. {from the hurricane} Really wanted to wait to take shit until we can do a whole house cleaning, but we have to have the space back.

I've been "camping" down there a lot over the holidays, so today dug out an old stereo, DVD player, antenna, etc, etc. Haven't taken it down yet.

I didn't get a picture, but after a couple three inches of rain the last little while, the low spot in the slough is 6-8" deep. Will have to wait for it to dry out to move the piles of brush. The river came up a foot over the last 24 hours.

New Year's Eve day we lunched at the diner. Ran into a retired fellow who kind of sort of, but not really, was in the same line of work as the wife. He offered to try to level and/or lift the house. {He's lifted one of my neighbor's houses five feet for about 3 grand. Lowest quote for the job was 20K} Came down later in the week to look, and the fact it's nailed to wooden pilings is going to make it a lot harder. He said it was too much for him, but he knew someone who would give me a good price.

BIL has offered to help, and we just do it. But he works full time, and is looking after his folk's place in the south end of the county, plus Sister's place. So the odds of us finding time at the same time is a pretty risky bet.

Those guys got another load of stuff this weekend. Sadly that included two pair {top and bottom} of Knotty Woodpecker long underwear. One red and white stripe, and the other blue and white stripe. It was cotton and not my size, so. . . . . I can live with the loss. They left two pair of horses' ass Knotty Woodpecker long johns.

Yesterday afternoon and this morning I worked on the power right of way out by the road. Power company should clean it up, but we are 15 months after Micheal. I figured if I wanted it clean, I may have to do it myself.

The slough continues to fill. I guess it must be water coming in from the river. There is a little down at the other end too.

I carried a few DVD cases of music, Doctor Who, Monk, Nova and Frontline down to the river house today. Got a DVD player hooked up to the big TV in the cowhide room. Even cleaned off the love seat the other night.

I think I saw a popcorn popper around somewhere. . . . . .