24/7 Chat About Anything

[Gypsy108]

Happy Birthday TA  :heart:

 

[user 30781]

Lightning struck on the edge of town in Nespelem up in Okanogan County last night and started a fire. I guess the entire town went to Level 3 evacuation immediately. I just saw a video of a group of horses running away from the fire. No time to trailer them up and move them, just open the gates and let them run.

I have itchy feet again, thinking about another roadtrip this weekend to Western WA.

 

[highdesertranger]

Happy B-Day TA. Highdesertranger

 

[travelaround]

Thanks everyone for wishing me a happy birthday! Looks like a beautiful day so far - not too hot. Feeling sorry for the people of Nespelem and other areas evacuating for wildfires.

I hope there won't be any more fires near here this year. Right now it is just one area outside town that burned. It would be terrible for other local areas to look so bad... or for a fire to actually come into the town. I was living in a neighborhood north of town where about 2/3 of the homes burned.

So far I know of three people whose homes burned that day who since passed away. This last week a woman my age who lost her home was at the river with a few friends and suddenly fell into the water and was dead while her friends weren't looking her way. We don't even know why that happened yet. Did she have a heart attack? Aneurysm? Fell down and hit her head on a river rock and drowned? Her friends tried CPR but they said, "It was just so quick." Nobody saw that coming - she seemed so healthy. Last year just before the pandemic news we hiked together to the top of the Town Trail (about a mile up a hillside to where there's a nice view of the entire town.) I'm glad I got to do that with her.

 

[user 30781]

Do you know how you're going to treat yourself for your birthday yet, TA?

 

[maki2]

Happy birthday TA, and birthday wishing good health.

I had hoped my key issue would be bring a new unit home, install it and good to f
go. I got a ride into town to the autoparts store where they had an aftermarket one in stock. it was $350, the dealer wanted $1,000 for the same assrmbly and they did not have one in stock.

However I should have looked at the little slip of paper in the box before returning to camp. I will have to take it to a locksmith or more likely the dealer to get the keys that came with the lock programmed to match my car. All that anti-theft stuff sure is pricey.

So I am still stuck for now and looking at more expense for what  really just amounts to a bad pin in a worn out lock cylinder. On the way back from town in my new friends van he said uh oh! It appears his alternator died enroute. Good thing he noticed the electrical gauge reading zero and also the check engine the trouble light come on. He dropped me off without turnning off the motor and headed

Oh well, time to call a locksmith and see about that key programming routine.

 

[desert_sailing]

Wow.. those prices sure could take a chunk out of a emergency fund.

Thank goodness there is no fire bearing down. Hope your back in proper form quickly and for less cost than expected.

 

[nature lover]

I don’t I have much of a signal here. Will be better tomorrow on top of the mountain. But with my limited abilities I want to say happy B day to TA.

 

[shadowmoss]

Happy birthday, TA.

 

[maki2]

My first moonsoon rain event just happened, it was really pelting down strong with hail included in it. Now my trailer windows are fogged up on the inside  from the cold glass and warm moist air. Time to get the microfiber cloth out. Bonus points for it being a strong enogh rain to rinse some of the dirt off my screen room, trailer, solar panel and car. 

I am going to get a rain poncho this week so I can take advantage of the car wash aspect when there is not lightening along with the rain.

I really do appreciate this cooler, cloudy day after a too long string of hot days.

 

[user 30781]

I would love a rainy day. I'm going to go over to the west side this weekend and I might get one sprinkly night.

 

[jacqueg]

I would love a rainy day.  I'm going to go over to the west side this weekend and I might get one sprinkly night.

Where are you headed?

I've been hanging around Astoria. It's been great. Gray skies and cool air!

 

[user 30781]

^^ Just east of Seattle again, the Snoqualmie Valley. Not too far.

I have some rockhounding to do. lol

One of these days I'm going to go visit my daughter near Portland and then head west. Either down the OR coast a bit
or up the WA coast. Definitely will be visiting Astoria!

 

[GypsyJan]

Hope you had a lovely BD today TA

 

[travelaround]

Yes to Astoria - what a beautiful town!

Thanks everyone for birthday good wishes. I did manage to drive out of town but it turned out to be just a drive and not a camping trip. I'm just not ready for that. I went over Grayback to Obrien, Oregon, then Gold Hill, Grants Pass, Medford and Ashland. Then home on the Klamath River Highway. The drive was a good opportunity to think through the things that have been bothering me... foremost being I've already spent a lot on this van build and didn't want to change who I was going to rely on to get that done. I contacted him and he'll be at my trailer in the morning to discuss it.

Okay, I'll admit I spent a huge amount to register my van this year. Not a large amount, mind you. A HUGE amount. So today I got the license plates in the mail and they have the number 666 in them! After all I spent, this is something I have to live with for the next year? I hope not. It was the last straw, and I wrote to my state assemblywoman, Megan Dahle, to tell her about the entire registration debacle that included spending nearly two months income on registration... and then getting a 666 license plate that is, in my opinion, damaging to my reputation as a Christian in a small town. I know this is entirely ridiculous, but I can't even laugh about it. Can't wait to get a reply from the state assemblywoman. I wasn't going to complain about the cost, but getting 666ed by DMV on my birthday was the straw that broke the camel's back. I wondered if the ladies at Yreka DMV did it on purpose because I was wearing a cross and was upset about paying a HUGE amount for registration for only one year. Now I'll complain to any state officials who will listen. I don't even use this van for commercial purposes......... why should I pay prices for a commercial vehicle? To me it is more like a car... but they don't see it that way because it has no seats in the back. I have nobody else in my immediate family - so why would I need seats in the back when it is so handy for hauling large packages from out of town - something very helpful for someone living in the boonies.

Other than that my birthday was amazing. This morning I was woken up by a call from the State Department of Social Services, to confirm my addresses. They wanted to confirm the address of the damaged property and my mailing address. She said I'd be getting a letter in a few days to let me know how much they're sending me, then a check a few days later. I have NO IDEA how much they're sending. I heard of the program / grant to help fire victims but didn't even apply for it or take it seriously but they apparently had me on a list anyway. So it may be just ten dollars or it could be enough to pay for my van build. I just don't even know. Nice of them to include me though... unexpected money news first thing in the morning on my birthday.

More GOOD / GREAT news that made me happy today was hearing that the Brewers Spruce tree species that was obliterated on Grayback Mountain with this fire will have a come-back. Back in 2016 there was a grant for people to collect Brewers Spruce pine cones. This is a very rare and beautiful species of Spruce that grew ONLY on Grayback Mountain. Anyhow, baby Brewers Spruce trees are already being cultivated in a Forest Service nursery in Placerville. Happy Campers are very happy about this news.

From driving over Grayback today I could see the Brewers Spruce trees were gone - as was every other tree for miles around on the southern side of the pass and over the top into Oregon. The forest service cut a lot of trees up there but it will be years and years and years before all those burnt ugly tree trunks topple.

 

[user 30781]

"but getting 666ed by DMV on my birthday was the straw that broke the camel's back"

HAAAAAhahahahahahahahaha omg I'm sorry but that line is hysterical.

I totally understand though! I bought a small sewing machine from Costco and I forget if
it was the model number or what but it was 666 and I took it back. And I'm not
really a practicing Christian, I just didn't want a possibly possessed sewing machine.

We have another fire, this one near Cashmere but moving into the northern outskirts
of Wenatchee. It started about 7:00 last night and moved FAST. A friend who lost his home
in the 2015 Sleepy Hollow Fire is probably evacuated now, judging by the pic he posted from
his house at 4:00 this morning.

 

[VanFan]

TA:  Your birthday apparently came with many gifts--including opportunities to reflect on existing and imagine new possibilities.  Happy belated!

Frankly, I would be inclined to smile a little and poo poo implications of the 666, except I actually think it could impact your reputation and well-being as a practicing Christian.  I recall checking out at a conservative Christian retail outlet when the clerk (somewhat shaken)  informed me of the total:  $6.66.  The reaction of the people in line behind and beside me, while still "Southern nice," was not positive.

Great news on the Spruces!

 

[crofter]

I understand the vibe you are feeling about your plate number. Get it exchanged asap.

Car Dealer gave me a plate with the name of a deceased friend on it. Who died in his vehicle. That plate had to go. Now I have a bunch of random numbers.
-crofter

 

[user 30781]

Had son take a pic as we were on our way to his work. omg Burch Mountain is black! The fire started wayyyyy off to the left of the pic in Cashmere around 7 last night, Burch Mtn is at the north end of Wenatchee. Just saw it's burned 4k acres so far.



edit: This was just posted to the FB thread, someone's buddy got a pic of the fire right after it started.

 

[maki2]

Travelaround, I doubt the clerks had the ability to specify the plate number. But it is unfortunate for you to have gotten that plate number.