A wood whore is as a wood whore does...or, ode to a woodchuck!

We have found ourselves once again amidst a heatwave here on the peninsula. The past couple days have rendered unseasonably warm temps in the mid 30's. Now interesting thing of this is, that once again the moose are all over the place, and although snow is not really melting, the 3 or 4 inch layer of winters' perma-ice has become slicker than cat crap on sweaty tin roof in Georgia mid July. And there is chatter around and about that break-up is coming early. And there is chatter around and about that those who are chattering about early break-up are gonna find out different as it is by no means over yet. Meanwhile, us 'sourdoughs' are just lying low and obserbing quietly form a distance of the chatter. Personally, as much as I love the minuses....yes, crazy or not it stimulates me....I suppose I am getting a little antsy for the spring and ensuing 20 hours of daylight we will have before long. However, I am hoping that things cool down a bit and we get some more snow. It has been a really good money maker this season with the plow, besides the fact that we love snow. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Meantime, the wood scene is dwindling. we had 8 cord split, stacked, and burnable come fall. We are down to about a cord and a half now. Good news is that we won't be eyeballing any wooden furniture or the sauna with it's seasoned log sidings. We do have about a cord and a half on the 'ready rack', meaning it just needs to be processed and we are good another 1 1/2 cords. Or should I say were. We were good another cord and a half until today. See, there has been a little bit of timber harvesting down the road from us. These die-hard tree guys have been felling trees on private land the past month on and off as the weather permitted They pull out the trees through the snow with a tractor, cut them to timber length and haul it off between storms. One day a couple weeks back I noticed on my way home that there were tailings being left behind, and some were in excess of 6 feet or less long. Fortunately the guys were finishing a load and I stopped to ask them for whoring rights. They said to help myself, and so there, in -5 degrees below 0, were John and I loading my truck and making several runs home adding to the pile. Not a typical sight in Alaska I suppose, but nonetheless a necessity for the ones who burn wood for primary heat....especially for those who went through darned near 10 cords in a winter! As Scott says, wood is always a good thing. Thanks for the support buddy! Then there was today. I was coming home from work just floored from a long and tumultuous day and there again is a small pile of tailings and the guys pulling away. Now, I wanted it. Bad. I mean real bad. But body was telling me no chance. I continued the forward trek to the house all the time feeling a bit of guilt and a slight sense of self betrayal. But body said once again, "don't". As I came in the house it was killing me. I got a hair brained idea and called John because he was working with me this afternoon and I knew he was not far behind. Unfortunately as he picked up his phone he was pulling in the driveway. Fortunately through a trade off of his chores for the evening, I was able to coax him to go back and pick up the few tailings that were laying roadside. As I am getting ready to start dinner shortly after the negotiation of responsibilities, John returns with a sizable load of wood in the back of his truck. Cool, the pile is growing and I am feeling better about my bout of self betrayal. I figure John is going to come in after he is done, but no. He pulls away, stereo thumping and takes off down the drive. So I am going about things and a short time later he pulls in again, with another sizable load about his truck. I am watching him unload and now I am feeling really good about the activity in the woodpile. I am going to make John a good dinner for his effort....as he pulls away stereo thumping down the drive again. I say to myself, "your a good boy John. Make your daddy proud." Those words to myself I wood eat. Whole. A little longer a period of time transpired this time before he got back. He parks his truck and comes in the house, me in the bathroom oblivious of his arrival. As I come out and round the corner, there he is with a big shit eatin grin on his face and simply says, " I am proud of this one dad!" As I come to the door I glance out the window and I see no tailings in the back of his truck. No. Instead I see logs the size of half telephone poles hanging 10 feet out the back of his truck, ass end slunk down like an overloaded manure laden ranch truck. I look at him with my mouth agape and simply asked, what...did...how... Before I could finish my tongue twisted riddle of a sentence, he blurts out....still grinning like a Cheshire cat..."I put it in 4 wheel drive and backed down into the low end of the road, then I was able to just lay em on the tailgate and slide them in!" I am still looking at this spectacle in complete awe trying in my head to figure out how such a feat could possibly be done with just 1 person. Then he has the mind to say that he will need help unloading them. Ok! He was still glowing on his way out the door to soccer practice. Indoor soccer practice! I am still glowing knowing that the proverbial woodpile is getting bigger and spring hasn't even sprung. It is a good thing considering how much wood we have consumed. We are just thankful that the buyer of the Dorrington cabin let us take the woodstove. I still look at that thing sometimes at night as I am watching tv, snuggly warm, with a gleam in my eye! Just more space to heat than Dorrington, and extremely colder temps. Good thing is we do have the central furnace as a back up if need be. But with the price of heating oil, who wants to use that when wood is free. John is my hero!!
On other notes, Maryann and I are taking our first trip away since we moved here. We are taking a few days off to go down to Homer and explore. Our home away from home in California was Pacific Grove, and although the many memorable times we had, and the many wonderfully loved and missed friends we made will never be able to be matched, we are going to try and find new places, and new adventures. Now the really cool thing about this trip is that we are staying at a bakery that has an Inn above it. Is that sheer suicide or what! I am not sure what in gosh doodle Maryann was thinking when she booked that, but I am sure glad that she was!! ;) Best thing next to wood is baked goodies....I always say. I will mount a courageous display of self control. All I know is it ought to be a hoot, and what better than with the greatest woman in the world. Speaking of such a person, she should be home soon and I have to go and warm her dinner. And Johns. He should be home soon and I am going to adorn him with food and gifts for the gallant effort he put forth in the rebuilding of my wood empire. Maybe next post we will get a pic. As you may figure, crazy Jack down the road as well has already begun harvesting his pile for 2008. His pile will shadow that of the compounds' supply! At least it will be a running shot....of which I will need after living in the upstairs of a bakery for 3 days! Good times are here again. Until next time, take care and watch what wood you knock...as it may well be the wood of one who will keep your ass warm some day! Love to all.