There is a Providence that protects idiots, drunkards, children and the United States of America.
Otto von Bismarck
Another day still alive. My heart is still functioning. Outside in the fog, snow was gatheredinto a giant bowl. I wanted to take a pic, but there was no use. I could have just shot a a white sheet of paper with a better result.
Cats were fed, all the snow was distributed into some smaller bowls for melting, right beside the monster bowl and placed on the cold woodstove.
Cardboard torn up with arthitic hands was placed on a bed of leaves and grass from frozen pallets brought in days ago. Then came cut up pallet 1×4 old wood piled carefully on the carboard.
Finally the propane torch that has been running on empty for the last three winters. There was just enough flame to ignite the brown paper. After a few minutes it all slowly went out.
I needed more quick burn material. Yesterday I opened a new bag of catfood. With the bag crumpled up and lit inside the stove. Would it do the job? I hoped. I would not know until the crackling.
Eventually crackling could be heard even over my yelling at cats determined to squeeze through a small gap to get water that was not there yet.
The temp was rising in the fire room, soon snow would be melting, for cats and for my coffee. I was over generous yesterday and fill there bowls before reserving enough for my kettle. Maybe I just forgot.
My wood stove duty, or should I say babysitting snow bowl duty would soon be done. The snow was shrinking slowly in my pot that would be poured through the funnel with the fine screen into a plastic jug, then into my kettle, then through coffee grounds and into my cup.
No drivethroughs here.
What happened next made me shake my head. My pot of coffee water was melted. I had waited 20 minutes for that. I looked over at the thirsty cats and poured it over the snow and ice in the cat bowl below my feet.
Oh well another twenty minute wait for my water. Or more. I poured two more for the cats and one for me. The snow came from the big bowl which was getting empty. Ya I know the fire was hot, I needed more snow. More waiting. Except it was getting stinkin hot beside the fire.
You I would go out again and get another giant bowlfull of snow. And I did.
12:36 PM
I finally did all the work that needed doing. A fresh bowl of snow was on the hot fire. Cats had more than enough water. I had more than enough 4l worth.
I was so tired when I got back to my room, I forgot that my purpose was to get water for coffee. The kettle is full, flame is on, feet up and I am in full recline while I wait for hot coffee. As usual there is some cold coffee in the cup.
My back is aching from fetching snow and cutting more wood. I kept busy while waiting for water. I cut the nasty pallet support boards. Lots of nails to avoid with the cordless circular.
Something cool happened. As I reached for another piece of wood to cut, a plastic t nut fell to the floor. I picked it up and had a look from where on the saw it came.
It was the depth tightener. The screw it was supposed to be attached to was about to fall into the blade. It would have done a ton of damage to the saw and maybe me.
Someone was looking after me.
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