Backwoods Boy

Another great chapter, tim. I've learned to keep the tissue box close at hand, even when there doesn't seem to be any reason for it. I'm not sure how you do it, but the intense emotions are always there, even during the most mundane activities.

An outstanding chapter, definitely requiring a box of tissues. Thanks for sharing your wonderful talent this way. Thank you also for the insight into the land and culture of Newfoundland, details which make this chapter even more special.

@Mikiesboy @WolfM I've been struggling all day to find a way to describe "normal". It always came out like a scientific essay, so I gave up. Thanks, Wolf, for doing a perfect job. I'll only add my oft-repeated quote, "Why be normal when you can be yourself?"

Since this combines (bad) poetry, Valentine's Day, and a recent word-of-the-day all into one frame, it seemed appropriate to share it.

Nice. Be glad it's just rain. I may be inspired to write some more about snow, and it won't be quite as uplifting as before.

Thanks. I am indeed warm and safe, and much happier after a bowl of chicken soup accompanied by a glass of red wine

So, having dug the truck out of two feet of snow yesterday and getting it to the street, I decided to go to Portland today for groceries, etc. All was well going in, but on the way back I got into non-forecast blizzard conditions. Went the last twenty miles at 30MPH in 4WD behind a truck. Had to dig out even more to get back into the driveway. This is effing nuts.

I'm with @Thorn Wilde

A good one. I think it is one used a lot by the last generation - that would be two back for most of you. My mother overworked it.

I love them. I got them for winter hiking, but they are very useful outside of that, as you indicated for your barn application. They are available at a lot of outdoor recreation stores, sports stores, and here they are available at Les Schwab Tires, a regional tire store. Also online. I just got back from shoveling the sidewalk, hauling the garbage can to the street, and inspecting the pickup. It's iced in and has a three-foot berm of snow in front of it. It ain't goin' nowhere for several days.

So, this morning we wake up to ... 29 degrees F and freezing rain. That's right folks, the standard never-forecast finale to a Columbia River Gorge winter storm. Temperatures are supposed to moderate during the day, with rain and snow eventually changing to rain. Probably a little less than a foot of snow overall. Ice Trekkers (photo attached) are on the hiking boots in preparation for a little sidewalk shoveling. It's conveniently my turn to do the weekly regional and state emergency ham radio check at the courthouse, fortunately only a few blocks away. I plan to make it on foot. The pickup can sit in the driveway until it thaws out. At least this time it isn't covered with fallen branches requiring a month in the fix-it shop. Good news is that traffic is moving on the highway, so it can't be all that bad out there. Everybody have a great winter day!

Phase two of Snowmageddon is underway. As advertised, the first phase (Saturday) only produced four inches. It's been snowing hard for several hours now. With the temperature hovering just above freezing, it's hard to tell how much will hang around, but it's supposed to keep this up through tomorrow with up to a foot and a half. Up higher, the forecast is for multiple feet of snow over the next few days. I'm glad I don't have to go anywhere.

It's interesting that you as the author had issues keeping track of who was the current letter-writer. I know I did as a reader, even with the salutation at the top - between chapters, I would forget who was Watson and who was Sherlock . However, eventually I would find a clue and be back in tune. It worked better early on when both letters were in one chapter, and I was glad to see that happening again this time. I'm enjoying the story and its novel form of presentation. The process of gaining each other's trust sometimes seemed long, but also highly realistic. I think now they are there. I'm looking forward to the next chapter.

Seriously, I like the installment approach. It allows for more time to reflect on the past chapters and speculate about the future ones

Damn! Now I have to wait a week like everyone else It's a great story, and obviously benefits from a great deal of research as well as personal experience. I'm looking forward to next weekend.

I'm glad to finally be reading this one. I was already emotional before I finished the prologue. I know it's going to be a great read. One thing I noticed again is how very different each character is, specific personality attributes that show up regularly. After a while, one knows the characters so well one can almost predict certain reactions to entirely new situations.

I remember my mother taking my younger sisters and me to the "nursing home" where she worked when we were young. I never was excited about it, but she insisted that it was important because the older people were lonely and loved to see young children. I'm not quite to that point yet, but I understand it now.

I've got about five chapters or so to catch up on too, so I better get about it, and it's a good day to do that. Only about four inches of snow so far, but it's blowing around, and I have no desire to even open the door. It's a reading day for sure.

A gas generator is an option. It would be particularly useful for a longer-term event, like the predicted major earthquake for example. However , I'm not quite there yet. I have a gas fireplace that works without electricity, a propane heater and stove, and a couple of power packs to charge electronics and run my ham radio for a few days. So far, that has been more than adequate, even during a serious multi-day freezing rain incident a couple years ago. Even with the generally-overcast climate, there are folks in this area who generate enough electricity using solar collectors to make a profit by selling back to the supplier, but those systems don't operate independently, and only the real die-hard survivalists have completely stand-alone systems. I haven't looked into temporary systems, but I doubt if they would be practical, especially during a storm.

Thanks. The plus side of this, given a break in the snow, would be a snowshoe hike from my front door with camera in hand. That has happened before. If so, I'll try to get something worth sharing. I just went to the shed to get my propane heater, and it's snowing lightly.

Look like our turn for winter - a somewhat late one. Up to two feet of snow forecast over the next three days with more below-freezing temps beyond that. Accompanied by the usual east winds. The lack of snow pack in the mountains may disappear suddenly. The snow shovel is standing outside the door. I'm all stocked up for the duration, including the emergency propane heater and camp stove. Silence will mean the usual lack of electricity.

Good grief! I thought it was a word my mother made up.

I'm in complete agreement with his three rules to be broken. I'm fairly sure that at least two are no longer rules, really. Like "ain't", they've become part of the language.

When I first read this, there were no comments, and I didn't comment because I was reasonably confused. I've said before that there are a lot of lifestyles and gender issues to which I was never exposed before arriving here - I've lead a rather sheltered life. So I appreciate the conversation with @droughtquake as it makes me understand more where you're coming from. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

A world of white this morning. A nice quiet world of white, with about an inch here near the river, but fantastic beauty going up the mountains on the other side. Tomorrow is supposed to be clear but cold, and photography may be the order of the day Hope everyone has a great day.