24/7 Chat About Anything

[maki2]

I have the day after blues. As in the day after a 55mph gusty day where every single surface inside my trailer is covered in brown dirt. I need to spend a few hours cutting and packaging cardstock snowflakes that need to stay as white as new fallen snow. My hands are likely to get puckered from all the washing of surfaces and frequent washing of my hands needed to accomplish that task. Window screens also had to be wiped free of the dirt. I can't use my 02 Cool fan until I give it a good washing as it too was coated with dirt.

This must be what it is like to clean up after a burning man event. Even the inside of the drawers are dusty. It was too hot to leave my windows closed. Too windy to have the shade cloth up. The shade cloth does help deflect a lot of the blowing dirt from breezes on regular days that might have up to 35mph gust. Even the wind in Quartzsite did not make this big of a mess inside my trailer.

 

[bullfrog]

^^^ Yep, every time I get a windshield replaced the technician has to spend extra time cleaning the red sand out of the channel. Never fails they look over at me and say “You live at Lake Powell don’t you.” Lol!!!

 

[travelaround]

For when you're done cleaning up - I can recommend a good book:
The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl, by Timothy Egan.

 

[tx2sturgis]

I do wonder if we are headed for the 'dirty thirties' again....we've had extreme drought, heat, high winds, and yes, blowing dust for so long here in West Texas it's hard to remember when it used to rain!

This happened just a couple weeks ago:

 

[NctryBen]

Well, what was shaping up to be an quick meeting my retirement came up at the end. We didn’t get outta there til 11pm.
They’ve been sandbagging me so I had to put my foot down. Ever have a job where they wouldn’t let you quit? Haha!
And after reading your last post Doug, I’m totally jealous...

 

[Morgana]

They’ve been sandbagging me so I had to put my foot down. Ever have a job where they wouldn’t let you quit? Haha!

So should we take bets on how many people it takes to replace you when you leave?
I'm betting three.

 

[bullfrog]

Jobs that become a burden and interfere with other important things like family or sanity need to be left behind. It is nice to be recognized for your efforts but many times it involves organizations not having the funds to replace you. Ask them if they are willing to pay you a little more than what it will cost them to replace you, then I bet they will change their tune and let you go! Lol!!!

 

[NctryBen]

It’s all good. No, it won’t take three guys to replace me. But I’m recommending they get someone to focus on the cemetery. That is a lot of work in itself! So maybe two. Haha!
My body is really not cooperating today. My neck has been flaring up again too. At one time I was in a neck brace for two years. It took going to Arizona / So California for a few weeks to get outta that funk.
Maki2... just be glad your not having to clean a big house with all that. Kinda like when I left the desert. I stopped at a tractor supply that had a pet wash. I hope we didn’t clog the city’s sewer system. Haha! (Kira not me, haha).

 

[maki2]

Ben my last "home" in Seattle was a workshop space, I was there for approx 10 years. Plus I had two cats and my friend whose workshop it was had his dog running in and out. It was never clean or orderly.

Before that I spent about a decade living in a constant construction zone with my ex who was a chronic remodeler. Fortunately my trailer is tiny compared to the volume of those previous spaces.

Miss you, Kira and......your tablesaw

 

[BelgianPup]

The cause of the wildfire just north of Flagstaff has been released. The camper (who is in federal NFS custody) put his used toilet paper into a hole and burned it instead of burying it. You can't cure stupid.

I would bet all of Elon Musk's money that the dimwit lit it and WALKED AWAY FROM IT.

 

[bullfrog]

It is truly amazing how quickly wind gusts can spread a fire. Even with their best efforts a lone person with a shovel and good water source most times can’t keep it from spreading, which is the reason for burn bans and red flag warnings. Anyone doing campground hosting that has used a leaf blower to clean sites can tell you some stories I bet! Lol!!!

 

[maki2]

No need to speculate on what the guy the Forest service arrested did. His statement to the arresting authorities has been reported in both local and national news. Look it up.

 

[maki2]

New Coconino forest closures just came out this morning. Fortunately for me and the friends I am camped with the criteria for closing all of the Coconino Forest dispersed camping was not met. There were county and city of Flagstaff authorities, including a state Senator who were requesting full closure of the Coconino National Forest for recreational use.

My current camp site is just outside of the area closer boundaries and I was very happy upon looking at the closure map to find out that I do not have to leave in the morning.

But given the heat, wind and drought, I suspect I will sometime before the rains come either leave this northern Arizona area or find camping off the NFS lands.

 

[VanFan]

For when you're done cleaning up - I can recommend a good book:
The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl, by Timothy Egan.

View attachment 31927

Always fascinated with this era, and have checked out the e-book. Thanks!

 

[NctryBen]

Well maki2... I could be out your direction in a few short months. I have to wrap things up here... including my job. I see it’s posted yesterday. Yay!!

 

[maki2]

Ben congrats on getting them to loosen your shackles just enough so that you have a chance to become a free agent.

You certainly have succeeded at one thing...making yourself pretty much indespensible. A good man is not easy to find

 

[maki2]

Weather report for Flagstaff..windy with strong gust and overly warm mid 80s.. But a windy cool front is going to come in for a couple of days with a low of 36 tomorrow night. Then a 40% chance of rain but only a chance for a few hours with very little amount of rain. Problem with that is higher chance of fires from lightening strikes without enough moisture to prevent fires from it. This is the risky time of summer as the real monsoon season heavier rains that dampen fire risk have not yet begun.

By contrast the Pacific NW has not yet dried out from a very wet rainy season. Unfortunately high gas prices are going to make traveling to Washington state a financial pain in the wallet. But if it becomes essential for safety with Southwest National Forest closures I guess that will just have to happen. Of course I would enjoy seeing family and friends in that area.

 

[maki2]

Yeah, at least some rain today, it has definetly cooled down the temperature.

 

[travelaround]

We've had rain the last two days but today is warm again. My neighbor is mowing down the empty lot between our homes. The people that lived there before the fire have not returned, but last time I spoke to her she said they might eventually find a way to do that. The main noise in this neighborhood is always lawn mowers and weed eaters!

Not much happening here. I do my outdoor activities in the morning (wash laundry, minimal gardening, whatever else needs to be done) then come in to read (and/or create art) all afternoon and evening. It is a quiet life, except for all the noisy weed-abatement equipment.

I've decided to go into town only one day weekly, to do all my errands on that one day, including go to the library where I've been helping to put away returned books. We have no paid librarian. Everyone's a volunteer there. This week while I was putting books away a teenager came in to volunteer. I was so happy to see this new helper... someone with actual youthful energy!

 

[NctryBen]

Well Travelaround, your youthful love for books is rubbing off... part of my job is I head up a small youth workforce to help me out with the manual labor side of things. They start Monday and are eager to work. Youthful energy is real. YARC camp is full of that! Haha!
Finally a nice hot day here... 90 in the shade! 70 for a low tonight.
Maki2, stay safe... even if it means going north a bit. Monsoon season sounds kinda cool. But doesn’t sound like a place I’d care to be at during the rains. When does it typically end?