Crisis brings out best/worst in folk, they say; six inch wet early spring snow amounts to Emerald City crisis; halts Eugene life. Few anecdotes, no particular order, follow: quite a time.
Fireside easy chair ensconce big snow morn, notice upper part pickup cab stop at Swett Lodge corner: window/seat position allows only partial view. Pickup has extreme difficulty pulling away, figure ice/no truck bed weight. Few tries later fella gets out cab; recognize Tony - local package store clerk - we share casual jibe relationship. Get up, go to door, 'bout to yank open, give Tony slip/slidin' pickup raspberries; broad view reveals Tony's pickup tows by chain, full size sedan. Not sure Tony's ethnicity - American Indian, Hispanic? - but approaching door see car/pickup loads Samoan like clan members disembark, slip truck assist: quietly slink back fireside easy chair - that's my speed today!
find he's OK, no sizable damage either house/auto, down electric wire still provides electricity - don't touch that tree 'til power company has at it - will await utility company attention.
More distant reports follow: hundreds Emerald City trees - especially flowering ornamentals - wet snow damage; four MLK park alone.
Midst morning meal; surprise; unmet - but known - in the area for years cane leaning neighbor knocks. 'Gotta help'; 'couldn't think of anyone else capable enough'; 'just need some advice'; 'wanted to introduce myself, hear ya playing blues, should jam some time'. Put oatmeal down, winter accessorize, grab hand saw, neighbor's home snow trudge - park benefit: bunches neighbors.
He goes on: 'used to be strong, in shape; can't do much now'; 'I've got ladder', 'pushin' fifty'; 'cable's threatened - if we lose that we lose it all'. Through fence gate into backyard, size up situation: main electric wire snow laden limbs surround, threaten not; few flowering ornamental branches vaguely threaten cable wire. Beckon ladder, he retrieves from fence hold up duty, sets up, back legs rot/crumble at once, attempt use steps, they crumble; lay ladder on side, 2'x3' plywood leg strengthener atop - stool; hand saw few limb ends: all I'm good for.
And on: 'got sixteen track recording set up'; plays his electronic run of the mill sampled music creation; 'in transition'; 'gear for sale'; 'I'm bored to death' .... assure cable not direly threatened, break away, sludge home, finish cooled breakfast. Don't think I'll be blazing over there any too soon to jam: really, you don't know anyone else capable enough?? How 'bout the father of the two young kids, lives in the big house in front of you, doesn't work?? Cable goes you lose it all?? You're bored ... how interesting. If you had any sense at all ...... !#*@^>!
Despite journey's obvious negative aspects; nice, catch Emerald City gone white, pretty much locked down. HO train scape never as successful as God's hand/real thing.
Have feeling commune hippies - The Hive - down the street; won't cotton Swett Lodge corner curmudgeon. Thursday afternoon clean up crews out; enjoy fireside, neighbor companionship, 'bout one Hive hippies bow saw, extension ladder descend still hung up branch across street. Junk elm not good fire wood, not claim hurry, understand liability disallows private sawing on public property. Once wood safely to ground by crews, available for citizens. City official drives up, stops hippies, strings 'Caution' tape round limb. While later, city crew comes along, dislodge snag, chunk limb; about 3pm move on, take down, chip other dangerous MLK park leaner.
Relax, still not anxious deal big chunks wood. 'Bout seven another wood burning neighbor appears: 'I'll bring my wheelbarrow, help me load, we'll split'; sure, why not? Load huge multi hundred pound chunks into wheelbarrow he - 6'3", maybe 250lbs - muscles nearly block home. Chain saw mince few pieces, haul smaller branches over to Swett Lodge wood pile - even rile another neighbor with few last minute chainsaw dices round eight thirty.
Friday breaks sunny, warm, snow melts well: music practice front porch in sun's warmth. Music time = me time so when hippy walks up says 'we had deal with city for wood cross the street', tell 'em 'no big deal to me, take what ya gotta have' figure that'll end it. Saturday continue garage side dirt cleanup/grade; grade round house,
blood up from work; hippies show to claim wood. Hardly believe it; launch into my side story, work/general intensity scare young guy half to death; let 'im know lay of the land - first come first serve after woods safely aground. Mention during conversation if they really gotta have it - gonna freeze to death or ... - young guy nearly lunges to take wood. Come on! - thousands board feet trees down, readily firewood available, all ya gotta do is haul: Swett Lodge keeps these twigs. Our culture advances itself through these mechanisms. Continue amazed actually works: wouldn't be more direct if folk communicate/learn from one another stead constantly attempt recreate wheel?
Finally understand super thick callous exacerbates deep painful finger crevices. Moisturize ineffectually, decide removal in order. Spend thirty minutes, 50 grit floor sand paper abrade fingers, result: inch square, eighth inch deep pile callous powder. Getting better.....
Soot scarcity burning kiln dried wood causes chronic floppy - no, not that - flue damper: rifle Swett Lodge hardware; locate axle press on cap nut; hack saw off cap's top; press onto damper shaft tight to flue. Draft now micro manageable, revolutionize stove use: door/draft open, adjust draw, allow steady, slow burn highly combustible brush, kiln dried wood - more heat stays IN Swett Lodge. Sweet.
Remove number wheelbarrows fill garage side haul to back porch/yard area. Nice level slow drainage from dark stump between buildings to front street gutter. Pink flag marks Latvian neighbor jasmine bush donation.
And from back towards front. Slab jut out from underneath garage readily visible. Remove clay soil length of 'drain', gravel refill; should make consistent effective rain run off.
Quick check under house during snow melt reveals ground water continuing issue, seepage controlled by new grade. Grass growing on new fill, surface water running away from house in time will aid keep under house dry. Garage 'water feature' mostly eliminated too. Swett Lodge changes seem minor, sensitive perceptible.
Scrap man did some yard work, ended up with about one yard unwanted sod/fill. Stop his place way to grocery; shovel/load sod/fill, scrap wood onto his pickup. Next morn he rolls round, off load truck. Shovel mince sod, level back yard next stump; strategically - below roof drip line, around crawl space entry - place few clumps sod 'starts' in new house side fill.
Set hefty walnut branch stove side to dry: will shape, replace metal axe handle finally broke from too much flex below head while pry roots loose.
Procure caulk; reinstall parting stops, stops; seal four front room windows; order/pick up bath/middle room panes. Seal kitchen windows, glaze couple east side windows all remains 'tween me and west side rot assault - gettin' there. Glance cross street assures Emerald City once again fulfills name, sole storm reminder well bent basket ball hoop.
Not quite out the woods winter wise yet, fortunately firewood on hand still: be safe, warm.
Peace
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