And, living out here, too far from anything and I'm becoming a bit too .... how shall I say? Inert?
The days - some cold, colder, and I have no incentive to just go walking up the highway. I want to be looking for something. I need a raison-d'etre. I have one, several, but they all keep me inside, and I'm restless.
I've done a few big walks along the rail tracks North of Procter - abundant pegmatites, some black tourmaline, but - well, snow, short days - as they lengthen I'll get farther along and maybe - just maybe - I'll find something good.
Wednesday last, windstorm, power out, here, only for a day and a half and I'm worried about the food in the fridge spoiling. I shouldn't have - by 24 hours in the temperature inside matched that outside, head to town to charge your phone, by the time I'm back the powers back on. Only 36 hours out - which - compared to other places that had to wait until Sunday to have it restored - is pretty good. Along the highway, for a full mile, every line downed by trees, flattened, these localized windstorms, how to explain them? Microbursts? And then, another 20 KM along the highway and everything's fine, then another microburst, trees, power poles, lines, everywhere.
Sunday, Snow, a thin white blanket over everything.
Too slippery to walk far, but at least there's power.
This week, befriending the local Blue Jays, more accurately "Steller's Jay", there's been a pair outside the deck every day, I leave them some breadcrumbs, pumpkin seeds, almonds, Tuesday there's 4, Wednesday I count 6 waiting for me outside at 8:00 AM. This could get expensive. They walk along the rail and try to catch my eye, wake me with their cawing - scold me if they think I'm late and if the bowl is empty they squawk and stare me down from the patio.
And so that's been it, the reason I haven't been writing - no reason at all, really. Now, a beautiful day outside and I must go and get some exercise - when I come back I'll tell you all about "The Invisible Machine", which is as unbelievable as the Medium channeling Little Timmy and Silver Cloud, but I should be making hay while the sun shines.
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I've seen her kicking around, proper Kootenay gal, she hangs out at Oso and hovers in my general direction, socializing, talking about love, making uncomfortable "meaningful" and "soul searching" eye contact. This morning she's wearing a tan leather jacket and trousers, looking for all the world like Daniel Boone or Davey Crockett without the fringes or coonskin cap. In her hand she's clutching a broom, but a proper broom like they sell in Crawford Bay, a Harry-Potter Quidditch broom, the Nimbus 2000, and in the crook of her arm she's got a Tibetan Singing bowl and her pottery coffee mug. It's an armful for sure, and something gives and her mug falls to the floor and shatters into a hundred pieces. She looks helpless for a minute, then yells "I have a broom! I have a broom" and begins to sweep up the scattered shards. One of the baristas grabs a dustpan and helps her to gather the pieces - "do you want to keep the pieces?" he offers helpfully, they know her here, not in a good way...
Another Barista steps in to ask she put on her mask, masks are required while waiting in line, and she begins to argue: "I have a medical condition...I have an exemption..." and the barista's not having any of it, she orders, then slips her sweater up over her nose, then pulls it down to complain and explain, when her coffee comes she takes it outside where she can sip it mask free.
Now, a note, there are only 2 possible exemptions to wearing a mask, they are stupidity and entitlement, and neither are acceptable.
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So, I've been far and wide and upon returning found my sofa sublet in the great Kootenay Sofa shortage. No computer and the past couple of weeks have been living out of the back of my jeep (still) - without a computer, which makes for an erratic blog.
My apologies.
Last trip to Calgary, some jewelry making supplies, a cheaptastic tiny laptop, I'll attempt to catch up now...
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The Jeep, no sooner is the radiator repaired then I need to get the brakes done. The brakes, grinding, nigh onto failing, and given the places I am this is not an option.
So, back into a shop, Kaslo this time, to get the brakes done.
It proves to be a 2 week (still in the shop) job, almost (verily!) $5000 job, there's a helluva lot more wrong with it than just the brakes.
I should really just go back to Alberta, find another, but time here, I'm out of it, there's no time and so I OK the repairs, pray I get a couple of years trouble-free motoring.
This is my summer, busting my ass at the restaurant to finance my second home on wheels, only home, really, but I'm finding the goods, if - and when - I find the time to make something of my finds next summer will be a damned sight more lucrative and I'll be doing a helluva lot more prospecting...
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