Thursday 20 September 2012

Nar Drop B'y

So this has been the best summer since the dawn of time. Warm. Sunny. Dry. Very dry. Locals have told me they haven't seen the pond this low in 40 years. I believe it.
This is the driest I've seen it. Its only our fourth summer here but its parched. Every drop of rain we have had has been collected in buckets for flushing. Drinking water is brought in. Over 100lbs those big blue containers are. The furred and feathered get their required ration. Veggies got whatever fell from the sky.
We have dug wells here on The Compound. Three of em. Primary well is in the house and has been dry since early June, I think. The secondary well has been down to less than 12 inches of water now for months. The tertiary well is up in the woods and it has a good bit of water. Getting that water from 3 to 2 or 1 is not so easy.
Now there was some panic a couple days ago when the pump on well 1 went haywire. Thought I'd have to get out the shotgun but it came back. Thank goodness.
Also thank goodness that its still warm and dry considering it could be cold and dry nearing the end of September. Himself gets what shower water ration is available. Why? Because I told him there was a little girl in the pond. Ages ago. But he is hasn't gone swimming since. What a sook. But this means my bathwater is getting cooler everyday. Nothing like hopping in the pond at 6am because Land and Sea is arriving at 9 but at least that was in August. But I'm no diva so as long as the well(s) recovers before the ice is on the pond we'll be alright. I know, but its a good thing I'm cracked and this isn't complainin' its explainin. Snort.
Gotta love the Laundromat. "Still nar drop, maid?", says ole feller.


Saturday 15 September 2012

Any Chickens 'Lowed in?

So I was out puttering about The Compound this morning. Burning a few branches and whatnot seeing as its damp and cam. Yes cam.
As I go towards the house what do I see but some of the chickens going up the steps....which is weird. But when I get to the top of the steps the Three Sisters are at the patio door wanting to get in. Chief and Spider were also at the patio door on the inside. They totally wanted the feathered ones to come in for breakfast.
No chickens 'llowed in today b'ys. The ladies did pretty well with the steps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BRyqKtPM0U&feature=youtube_gdata_player




Friday 14 September 2012

Larry Templeman

We had a storm blow in this week. Hurricane Leslie. And as she blew in, my uncle blew out.
I come from a very small family as they are reckoned here in Newfoundland. My mom only had the one brother. I got called Larry by my Nan T more times than I can count. I always chuckled about that.
Larry was born  and raised in St. John's but lived out on Mockbeggar in Bonavista for most of my lifetime. I saw him and Aunt Linda and my cousins Bonita, Krista ( Krissy) and Paul a good bit over the years.
Now in the past year or so I saw Uncle Larry more often than I did. He stopped by The Compound on his way to and from from Bonavista to town. He brought me a beautiful sealskin for me to make some boots out of. I had made a smurfberry cake that day and gave him and mom and dad some hunks for the road. He was a tall drink of water and I figgered a few calories might do him some good. Mom told me after that when she passed the bag to him in the backseat he eyeballed it and asked what kind it was cause it looked like what Nan T ( his mom) used to make. Sure 'nuff it was and he was impressed. Ate a hunk with fussels cream when he got home.
He had a couple of lovebirds; offspring of Olive and Popeye. We put em in a wee box for their trip. They got up to a lot of mischief I think. He was quite the artist and even when he was sick he drew me a picture of one of the birds.
This year I was told a few funny stories as well. I always joke about my Kramer hair especially when windy if my hair is pulled back. Well there were a number of pictures of me when I was little with my curls all brushed out. I could never figure out why. Well apparently Uncle Larry was the culprit. He'd always brush my hair and Nan would tutt tut at him and say Larry! What are you doing to that poor youngster's hair. That makes me laugh.
And there was a picture of me perched up in a boat. I had always thought why the hell was the boat so high in the air and why was I in it. Now Uncle Larry was really tall and I was higher than him in the boat. But apparently I wanted to be in the boat AND in the picture BY MYSELF so Uncle Larry coopied down so I couldn't see him and have a fit. Which is why he was smiling. Too funny.
Uncle Larry fought a hell of a fight over the last while. He had as many lives as a cat. Every time he would be on deaths door I would say...yeah right he's not going anywhere yet. He waited till there was a good exciting weather day. Nothing boring for him on the last going off.
He'll live on in the stories, memories and pictures of his wife, sister, children and extended family like me.
Gonna listen to some Johnny Cash later *wink*