NFTNIF Volume 3 Episode 12, Parts 1&2

Part 1:  Love/Hate

Things I have learned to hate:

dogs barking

cold

barking dogs

dogs

a single dog barking

barking

dull blades of any kind,

whining, yapping, howling, keening, yipping, snarling, growling, and most especially, barking

zippers (zippers on pants, shoes and boots, hoodies and sweaters, coats, gloves, fanny pack, backpacks, tent, sleeping bags; all zippers jamming, sliding out of alignment, chewing on their immediate surroundings, not zipping);

trellis (a plastic netting used in horticulture, and then turned quite unintentionally into a deadly snare waiting to bring down all but the wariest of walkers),

cow flies,

absurdly numerous dogs exciting each other over nothing and then barking in waves and rounds for hours,

feral dogs, who do not bark but hunt silently, watching each other for cues to behavior,

mules, ill-tempered creatures full of obnoxious character,

litter and disrespect of the land.

I have learned to love

the ever changing splendor of the sky and mountains,

the interplay of light, shadow, smoke and fog,

well water,

warmth,

the absence of any noise even close to the barking of dogs,

the light of the moon,

the trailer, even gutted as it was,

internet and phone access,

being able to cook on a single hot plate (heaven to be able to cook!),

showers,

clean laundry and surroundings,

hot water,

being around big animals such as horses, cattle and donkeys but not, so far, mules,

walnuts picked up off of the ground!

propane and propane heaters (shout out to Hank Hill!),

local beef (wowsers!),

a relative absence of coldness

places with public bathrooms,

my utility knife, doubling as kitchen knife, then moonlighting as table knife,

tarps,

gorilla tape,

silicon caulk,

powerful trucks,

jellied alcohol hand sanitizer,

hot coffee in the frigid morning,

running water,

electricity,

being warm.

You may think you appreciate these things, but you don't really.

"Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone, they pave paradise, and put up a parking lot."

From the men of EarthMission, an early Thanksgiving for the simple things in life, as above.

Part 2 - Tires.

We awoke to a chilly, but not cold trailer.  One of our hosts pointed out that the truck had a completely flat tire. This was removed and the cause immeditely noted.  In what must surely be the supreme irony of our trip so far, the right rear tire was stabbed to the heart by a pair of trimming scissors.  I never trusted that tire anyway.  We did have with us a spare in good shape, and found someone in town who will mount it on the rim for us, even found a ride into town.  After breakfast this chore will be carried out.  After that, work.

It may seem at first glance that the flat tire is bad luck, but a closer examination of the issue reveals a different perpective.  Suppose that tire, the most suspect of a surly and mis-matched set to be begin with, had thrown itself into the abyss as we skirted a two lane (or in many cases, even down to one lane) mountain road, hugging the lip of the hard Earth.   Given my sense of responsibility, I imagine it almost every time we go anywhere.

The trailer has two low tries on the left side - they need to be refilled too.  Tires, before that zippers what next?!

Tire repaired, replaced.  We got a connector to use our heater with a normal propane tank, and had the first warm night last night.  Tonight I cook the first meal for the family boarding our trailer and I m preparing beef short ribs in chicken broth with potatoes and saurkraut.

We have at last dentified the thing people most want de,ivered here - salmon.  We are writing a business plan and have an ange to start twice weekly trips to the cost to sell salmon here.

From the men of EarthMission, wish us luck.