The Human Pace

Every morning or so bury soil enriching kitchen scraps under garden mulch.

Earth stove ash full, scoop out with left behind interesting metal piece - front,

back - serves as dust pan,

nearly fill repurposed metal kitchen drawer liner,

leaving cavernous firebrick lined firebox empty.

Spread soil enriching wood ash on garden.

Neighbor at other end of block donates unwanted compost.  Two trips to Swett Lodge in his little red wagon, spread in front of porch.  Dig in: early pea, lettuce planting ready.

Answer free pallets Craigslist ad, attempt starting truck; go to Kate's can't find her battery charger, trash night prep.  Home again scrape truck battery terminals, successfully fire up old Chev, hour later home fully loaded.

Three five foot high stacks pallets unloaded.  Zip up with carbide bladed skill (Kate says - more correctly? - circle) saw.  Maybe four hours work later: remains.

 

Reassuring sight from warmest spot - behind stove: fire wood bulged porch.  Unlike air dried tree chunks kiln dried pallet wood requires stove almost completely shut down else burns so hot, quick have to open doors, windows - still learning.

Origami fold newsprint plant starter pots/boxes,

soil fill, few days later starts show.

     In LA walked over fifteen miles/week.  Here ride bike, exercise regular, feel less fit.  Hoofin' lengthens muscles, loosens, warms; cyclin' shortens muscles, chills.  Bike, car event horizons arrive overwhelmingly fast.  Processing time aplenty on foot - mind & I wander together; find stride only after 20 minutes/half hour 'on the road'; feel more agile, centered.  The human pace. 
      Hike four plus miles to Bring return with front room ceiling fixture shade, gray conduit body (removable cover elbow) to route wires from circuit box into house, hydraulic door closer to keep front door from slamming like a rifle shot (now installed), pile of screws/nails collected while walking - figure no one wants 'em in their tires - on top of two strong yellow plastic carrying/garbage bags, unswitched kitchen sink lamp fix, back door dead bolt.

Kitchen sink lamp switch installed.

Pay $8 for gasketless conduit body discover new is $9 decide to return next day along with too shallow front room lamp shade.  Bike to Bring shattering $1 shade en route.  Plan to buy heavy, deep, old frosted $1 glass shades for ceiling fixtures; decide with house jacking/movement unwise to hang 'em.  Don't find items to mount bath sink, add hand shower to tub return home with conduit body, $1 plastic front room lamp shade (installed).

Locate bath sink drain, hand shower - need one more fitting to install - at St. V's.

Noodling the bath figure once structurally sound will tile all draining to shower/floor drain in far corner where water heater now stands.

Expect to sell claw foot tub - don't care to forever climb in & out for showers.

Have bath sink - left with the house -

ready to go under mirror toilet adjacent.

Floor so rotten under toilet have to shore up with plywood.

Before rigging temporary shower/bath, hanging/plumbing sink old fir flooring cupboards come out; scrape walls, floor - next rainy work day.

     Attempt mounting back door dead bolt with wimpy cordless drill, borrow Kate's corded drill gnaw out (drill, chisel - my wood chips smaller than beaver chews seen 'round 16" tree by Willamette River on Bring walk) dead bolt holes - outside (bolt in place),

inside.

Dead bolt accepting hole in jamb

completes installation.

Back door securely locking allows removal of nailed shut porch north screen door,

padlocked east door.

Want to preview planned roofed unwalled back porch will continue deconstructing - windows out next, covet north door wire mesh panel for replacing unsightly torn front door screen.

Back door glass naked to the world procure complete flowery king bed sheet set for matching kitchen curtains at Sal Army buck day this am - west window: flat sheet halved, back door window: pillow cases, sink window: 'unfitted' fitted sheet halved.  Also garage futon cover blanket, blue king sheet front bedroom curtain.

      Saturday morn walk two plus miles to thrift sale spend $1.36 on kitchen light fixture; silicone gasket maker (to form missing conduit body gasket, etc.); bath sink cold water hook up: two pieces flex hose, short piece pipe connector; second shut off valve for unvalved tub.

     Hike north three miles to stock up on Winco lentils, rice, peanuts Saturday pm.  Ten plus mile day interspersed with finishing cutting up pallets, turning over pea/lettuce plot feels good.  Local vistas reveal Eugene's lumbering roots.

     Walking enriched routine takes time away from house projects - trust posts as weekly events summary suits - well worth increased sense of well being, agility.  Enjoy destinations, looking for other 3-5 mile one way hikes - cheapo movie theater across river/interstate 5 one possibility.  Prefer joint friendly smoothness of urban/suburban walks over rough terrain.
     'Til next time: take care, be well, peace.