{"id":13458,"date":"2020-12-13T08:28:39","date_gmt":"2020-12-13T15:28:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rodbinder.com\/journal\/?p=13458"},"modified":"2020-12-30T15:37:43","modified_gmt":"2020-12-30T22:37:43","slug":"dec-13","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/rodbinder.com\/journal\/2020\/12\/13\/dec-13\/","title":{"rendered":"Dec 13 Powerless"},"content":{"rendered":"

In presence of Nature’s grand convulsions, man is powerless<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jules Verne<\/strong><\/p>\n

8:24 AM before daylight.<\/p>\n

We all survived My old poorly designed woodstove, the one with a brass door hinge shoved in between the door latch and an aluminum c-clamp holding the air intake closed, made an 8-hour burn. It was 20 upstairs in the loft, less downstairs but liveable.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I just tried to start the big generator. It laughed at me. I haven’t started that in years. Add insult to injury I left the fuel valve open. That means drain the tank, drain the carb, take off the carb clean it, put it all together. And still pray it would run.<\/p>\n

Looks like I will be melting snow for water. I am not sure what I will do for power. The sun is not in the right position to generate solar power.<\/p>\n

For fun I tried the old gen it laughed even harder when i pulled on the starter rope. My only hope would be the new gen arriving soon.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I am going out to chop wood and to gather snow. I hope I have the power to do that.
\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I went outside gathered snow. Nothing out there except low snow. Full of grass, leaves and twigs.<\/p>\n

I realized it was really fookin cold. I brought the snow indoors right away. Mostly so I could justify running indoors for more clothes and a bandana, glasses, and even hearing protection. I didn’t really need those, but it did keep my hat from sliding and expose bare ears to the frigid wind.<\/p>\n

Ready with gear all on I went out to the woodpile and started to split. In a few minutes, I remembered the extra jacket was not a great plan.<\/p>\n

Soaked in sweat in -30 I kept splitting. That was made easier by the cold temp, the moisture in the wood, made the axe go right through the wood.<\/p>\n

I still had to take breaks by dropping to my knees and piling wood closer to the wheelbarrow. An invisible enemy would never know I was so fatigued and in so much pain I could hardly stand.<\/p>\n

The final piece to split couldn’t have come at a better time. I was exhausted. I got the wood on the rusty old barrow and started my trek up the icy driveway. I had to stop after twenty feet, posing for a picture to hide my pain.<\/p>\n

I made it to the back door. Pushing it up the ramp I stalled again right at the top, 6 inches to go. I didn’t have any strength left. I reached in somewhere deep inside and summoned enough to finish my trip inside. I really don’t know-how.\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>
\nOh, come on!!! That’s not a booger that’s ice from my exhalation. Hahaha made you look.<\/p>\n