30 September 2009

Woke up to a typical Vermont fall day… 46 degrees and drizzle. My how things have changed in the 10 days I was in the south land. Trees are starting to turn; lots of leaves in the driveway. Took Delores into Middlebury for window repairs and fuel. The garbage bag and cardboard patch over the broken window lasted until I hit 40 mph, about a mile down the road. So we enjoyed some natural air conditioning… the RV needed airing out anyway. Ace repairman Todd Deasabrais at Deasabrais & Sons Glass took a long look at the broken window and recommended I call Ehlers. Seems that if you’re going to break a window, ALWAYS choose one that moves. Fixed glass, though maybe smaller, is MUCH more difficult to replace. Apparently the RV learning curve still has quite a slope to it... the price tag to take the door apart to get a piece of tempered glass back into the hole was likely to be north of $1,000. So then Todd says, “How ‘bout we at least put a temporary piece of Plexiglas over the hole while you decide what to do.” So he does that and I ask him what I owe. “No charge, glad to help”, was the response. Then Todd says, looking at the state of the RV, “Now, I don’t mean to be condescending, but your RV looks like it’s been around the block a few times and if I do such and such, that Plexiglas could be a permanent repair and nobody will ever know the difference.” So $20 changed hands and the deed was done. The amazing thing was that duct tape was NOT involved… though I think Delores’ feelings may have been hurt just a bit! Next stop was Agway for 15 gallons of propane. Then on to the Leicester General Store, who always has the cheapest gas in the area on Wednesdays and Sundays. “Only” took $135 to fill Delores’s tank this time. But considering that that tank-full should last about a year, that’s not that unreasonable, he says, thinking wishfully. After lunch drove down to Brandon Auto South in Pittsford to test drive a 1999 Ford Ranger. For a change, the four wheel drive seemed to work just fine, and other than typical Ford truck rust issues found in Vermont, the pickup seemed to be in okay shape and had all desired features (e.g., cruise control and air conditioning… critical to hauling logs out of the woods). Took the Ranger up to Junction Auto, where Zack Wright confirmed that the A/C wasn’t working, the illuminated check engine light means that the oxygen sensor needs to be replaced, and no matter what we did, we could not get the 4WD to engage. Returned the truck to Pittsford, where the mechanic there thought the solenoid that engages the 4WD may have gone bad. No 4WD, no deal! Back at Fern Lake, while making spaghetti sauce for dinner, found more shards of broken wine glass behind the stove. Also had to clean a bunch of glass out of the hydraulic controls for the RV leveling system…

29 September 2009

Only 8 hours 45 minutes from Springfield to Fern Lake, and that included an unintentional detour through Philadelphia, Trenton, and Princeton. Take a gander at a map to really appreciate the magnitude of that navigational faux pas. At least I missed the New Jersey Turnpike entirely… and found gas for only $2.28 / gallon. No mice (or signs thereof) and no mosquitoes! Disconnecting the coach batteries when leaving the RV unattended for awhile worked as advertised… refrigerator started right up. After stowing food and clothes, removed the remaining glass from the broken window and cleaned up the residual mess using the shop vac. Discovered why you don’t park an RV under a large (and apparently quite virile) oak tree during the nutting season. It may be a long night…

18 September 2009

Drove back to Virginia. Only took 9 hours with just one minor traffic delay in New York.

17 September 2009

Further calculations showed that the shed, as currently designed, would be too small to hold six cords of firewood (guesstimated two year's supply). So back to the drawing board... Moved, by hand, because we don't have either a pickup truck or a tractor, the huge brush pile adjacent to the shed turnaround area to other piles that will be out of the way of the construction site. Cut four more trees to enlarge the turnaround a bit more... and did not get bit by any yellow jackets even though the trees were close to their nest. Leveled the retaining wall footer trench (by hand shovel, because we don't have...)  Took Dolores to Kampersville for a pump out. Sewage hose sprung a leak while dumping the black water tank. Oh, crap... literally and figuratively! Discovered that the bread intended for today's lunch was COMPLETELY moldy... and I'm not real fussy about what I'll eat. Lynne & Perry came for dinner. As they were leaving, SOMEONE threw the safety latch on the RV main cabin door. Consequently, when I went to go back inside after seeing Lynne & Perry off, the door was quite definitely locked. As were ALL of the RV windows and the driver's door. Close inspection showed that whoever designed the RV had security firmly in mind -- NO breach points were apparent. Fortunately, I had just bought a two pound hand sledge. Picking the (hopefully) least expensive window to replace (fortuitously located just above the driver's door lock) one firm swing did the trick. And you thought the wine glasses made a mess?!?! Hah!!!! A bit of cardboard, a black plastic bag, and, of course, you can't call yourself a true Vermonter unless you personally own enough duct tape to hold together the whole State... While cleaning glass shards out of the driver's seat, I found a penny, so this must have been my lucky day...

16 September 2009

Up to South Burlington to do some maintenance and repair work for Alverta. Looked at pickup trucks on the way back to Leicester. Found a 4.0 liter Ford Ranger in Brandon... at a dealer with a not-so-good reputation and for only $7,000...

15 September 2009

Rained on and off all night. Stump fire still smoldering. Spent the day driving to Pittsford, Center Rutland, Junction Auto, and back to Center Rutland looking at pickups. No luck... but did decide that the 3.0 liter engine in a Ford Ranger is just not powerful enough for my needs, e.g., hauling logs out of the woods.

14 September 2009

Did garlic sauce removal laundry and internet search for pickup trucks at Lynne's in the morning. Stump fire still smoldering. Established stakes for shed turnaround retaining wall arc. Again attempted to use Egyptian water level to establish shed elevations and again got very inconsistent results. Stepped on another yellow jacket nest. Amazingly, even though they were buzzing all around, I did not get stung. Unfortunately, a couple of trees close to the nest will have to come down. Should be exciting... Took the first picture of the house site from the tree stand.

13 September 2009

Did a little branch trimming and cut two small trees at the house site. Now, once Bob LaPorte removes a couple of rocks and the stumps, will be able to drive from the leach field site to the shed site via the house site. Took inventory of the firewood stacked up alongside the driveway and elsewhere... well over 8 cords is drying nicely. Late morning Larry came and took away the Kubota. On a hunch, went across the road to Dave and Ceil Todd's house to see if they knew how to get hold of the Leicester Fire Warden, whose phone had been called at least 50 times (no exaggeration) this summer, but to no avail. In all those calls I never talked to the Fire Warden once -- no voicemail!!!! and the phone was only ever answered twice... by a young child who obviously didn't do so good in relaying a call-back message. All those calls were to find out what kind of permission was needed before burning stumps and/or brush piles. Ceil Todd knew instantly who to call - the Fire Warden's father (OF COURSE!!!!) That august person said, sure, go ahead and burn... and he would let his son know what was going on. Returning back across the road, matches in hand, the weather turned downright ugly -- gusty winds and threatening rain. Not the time to light a large bonfire! But an hour later, rain squall gone (the only daytime rain, by the way, in the last two weeks) ole One-Match Doug, fire-boy-in-charge, tried to light the stump pile... five times. On the sixth try (being a fast learner) I actually built a fire with real firewood upwind of the stump pile, whereupon the blaze started with gusto. Unfortunately, no longer having a loader / backhoe, there was no way to move the stumps around the edge into the fire, so after 8 hours of burning (halfway through which a quick plunge in the lake just felt sooooo gooooood), only about 2/3 of the pile was consumed and the fire was down to a very, very large pile of embers. Dinner was, (what else?) hot dogs roasted on a green stick over the burning pile... along with a bottle of cheap wine... Does life even get any better?

12 September 2009

Putting away the groceries after a morning trip to Middlebury, picked up the infamous jar of Bove's Roasted Garlic sauce by grabbing hold of the lid. Said lid was NOT secure! When the jar hit the floor (sans lid) sauce again went everywhere, including mounds of the stuff on the RV dining area carpet and onto the only pair of "good" jeans and running shoes that I had (note the past tense). Dolores now has a SERIOUS case of measles. Grrrrr... Figuring the day couldn't get any worse, was time to fire up the Stihl and cut down another white oak... this one with a 22" butt. Even though I completely miscut the notch and hinge, the tree fell right where it was supposed to: still on our property but right towards the Glassner's house. Being nobody's booby, had waited until after the Glassner's left for New Hampshire before dropping the tree. By the end of the day all evidence was removed - and logs sufficient for all needed shed beams were in the skid pile. Even though the Kubota's gas gauge was firmly on "E", back dragged the Glassner's driveway until it was smooth.

11 September 2009

While doing some shed design calculations over breakfast, realized that the logs set aside to be sawed into beams for the woodshed just ain't going to be big enough. Need to get six 8" W x 9 1/4" H beams out of the pile, which takes a log with a minimum 12¼" diameter to get a beam that big. So felled two white oaks at the house site, both with 20" butts - and managed to hang up BOTH trees. However, the Kubota proved quite adept at pulling them down. Gotta love the power of hydraulics... and the reach of a backhoe! Took inventory of the logs now on the skid and am STILL short the makings for two beams.

10 September 2009

Finished moving stumps from around the property to the BIG burn pile... 12' long x 8' wide x 6' tall. Used the backhoe to dig out several more stumps from the shed turning circle. Moved mucho loader buckets of compost to cover roots of the big white pine next to shed cellar hole. Bob LaPorte came by after dinner for a beer and to eyeball the retaining wall job -- to be done when I return north in early October.

9 September 2009

Larry arrived first thing in the morning to repair the Kubota's burst hydraulic hose; machine back in operation by 10:00. Attempted to remove the stump from the 16" maple taken down so adroitly on the 4th. No joy! Kubota just not manly enough for that job. On the other hand, was able to dig a footer trench for the shed turning circle retaining wall. Attempted to remove the stump of the former maple alongside driveway that once threatened to destroy RV passenger-side rear view mirror. Again no guts, no joy! Spent balance of the day moving stumps from alongside the driveway (and other places where they had been cast) to a burn pile in the open field where the leach field will be. Called Bob LaPorte...

8 September 2009

A Kubota LA480 loader / backhoe was delivered by Larry, owner of Shoreham Equipment Rentals. Used it to drag 10 logs out of the woods and put them up onto a skid, ready to be sawed into beams for the woodshed. Lynne came for a lasagna lunch and property tour. After lunch, moved the RV a "mere" 50 feet up the driveway. During the move, 3 wine glasses came out of their cabinet and shattered into a zillion pieces. Worse, a jar of Bove's Roasted Garlic sauce also did a swan dive. Even though the glass didn't break and the top didn't come off, sauce exploded all over the ceiling and walls, desecrating an area from the sink to the forward passenger seat. After cleaning up the mess and teaching Dolores a few new words, used the backhoe to dig out the four stumps under where the RV normally parks. Knocked off quite a bit of rust from my backhoe operator skill set. Also removed a few stumps from the shed turning circle. Hydraulic line broke during that evolution, ending the day's work.

7 September 2009 (Labor Day)

Tasi, Kristen, & a grunt laborer spent the morning widening / smoothing the path down to the dock. Moved the new dock stairs down the path using the hand truck, then installed them, but couldn't get them perfectly level because of a fair-sized rock on the lake bottom that will have to be moved. Long swim after dark... soooo relaxing!

6 Septermber 2009

Returned to Fern Lake in the morning, threading through the Tour de Vermont bicycle race. Repaired the seal around the RV emergency escape rear window. Alverta, Tasi, & Kristen arrived mid-afternoon for swimming, canoeing, and campfire dinner. Approaching the south end of Fern Lake while out paddling with Kristen after dark, we were just in time for a private fireworks show being launched from one of the docks. Though not nearly as spectacular as the Calais show, talk about "in your face"!

5 September 2009

Drove to South Burlington to pick up Alverta, then up to East Calais for Labor Day weekend party at brother Steve's. Nineteen people camping there for the weekend. Hiked up Spruce Mountain with brother-in-law Perry in the afternoon... fabulous views of the Adirondacks to Mount Washington and everything in between from the old fire tower on top. Then had fabulous lasagna feast (prepared by sister Lynne), followed by spectacular, professional quality, fireworks show, which was extra exciting when one of the launchers fell over and fired sideways, fortunately NOT at the crowd. Caught up on news with many of the Calais neighbors. Back to South Burlington for the night, by way of East Calais to retrieve a left-behind cell phone.

4 September 2009

Modified dock railing so canoe fits on the dock better. Dropped a 16" diameter maple that was in the shed turning area... trickiest felling job I've ever undertaken. Notched the two trunks above the "Y" (20 feet off the ground) VERY carefully so they would break off when the tree fell and tried to hang up in a big hemlock that the maple was pointed right at and was DEFINITELY going to hit. Plan worked perfectly! After lunch, spent time widening / smoothing the path downhill from the yellow jacket nest (that still seems to be alive and well). While trying to remove a 500 pound boulder from the path using logging chain and come-along, sort of kinda lost control of the rock, which proceeded majestically downhill through the trees. Thought for SURE it was going to take out the dock then sink the canoe moored alongside. Instead the rock hit the dock shack fair and square... but did NOT go through, though a couple of siding planks and a 2 x 4 stud are no longer intact. Having done enough damage for one day, went for a swim and canoe. Circled around a loon who seemed to be convinced that the echo from his call was another loon answering back.

3 September 2009

Spent the morning attempting to lay out the shed elevations using an Egyptian water level. Not successful... very inconsistent results. So spent the afternoon venting frustration with the chainsaw (which worked perfectly... earlier problems MUST have been bad gas). Cleared trees for a turning circle that will allow a truck (or, hopefully, tractor) to be maneuvered into the below ground storage area under the woodshed. Swimming afterwards was sooooo delightful... water temperature is 73 degrees. This is why we bought lakefront property!

2 September 2009

No mouse! Alverta came down to pick me up to go up to South Burlington to pick up the Sienna to go to St. Albans to look at / drive a Ford F-150 pickup truck to Junction Auto for a pre-purchase inspection. Whew! And it weren't over yet. The truck had major problems so won't be joining the Perkins' fleet. After returning the F-150 to St. Albans and dinner with Alverta (one of the 50 recipes from A Man, A Can, A Plan), drove back to Fern Lake. Only 250 miles driven today... and Vermont just ain't that big.

1 September 2009

No mouse! Drove Delores up to Ehlers RV Sales and Service in Essex Junction to fix water leaks and the inoperative furnace. Had been warned that they were good, they were honest, but they weren't cheap. Right on all counts... "only" cost $500 to get the keys back. Back to Fern Lake by dinner... 1/4 tank (20 gallons) of gasoline lighter. Lots of activity around the yellow jacket nest at sunset so "treatment" didn't work. Nor did the ice cube trick that Ehlers recommended to solve the black water tank level indicator sensor problem. (Other than having the tank overflow through the toilet -- not a pleasant alternative -- there is no way to tell how much "stuff" is in the black water tank, 'cause the indicator hasn't worked in who knows how long.) Found a mouse nest (in plain sight... previously not seen because of male-pattern blindness) in the cabinet under the RV sink.