21st Century

Indoor running water thanks to Carolyn at H2O to Go.  

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a day late

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nurses limited

Two of my favorite girls brought me a wagon load of goodies and provided some good company (and mimosas).  I didn't get any sponge bath offers so I think they were really here to see Ben.  They both met him when he was just a pup... 40,58,34,W,0

it's what's inside

Just got a near exact duplicate of my leg hardware.  My insurance company was billed just over $9,000 for what they hammered into my leg bone.  This titanium tibial nail arrived (sealed in a sterile package)...cost me $50 on Ebay.  46,62,34,0,B

cold flight

Brandon came out and got one quick flight in this morning...cut short due to cold air and choppy winds.  Here he is taking off for flight #34 on his 43rd birthday.  31,48,29,0,B

last ugly day of winter?

No precipitation but cold, cloudy, and windy all day...and I thought cabin fever was bad with two good legs.  30,47,30,0,B

rescue

Danger, Harm & Loss from River Church Family on Vimeo.

flying

My buddy Brandon is coming out Monday to fly again at TFL.  Can't help but think of all the flying I have missed since I chose to roll the ATV rather that jump into the sky.  Blackhawk Ranch is one of the places I am considering for additional training once I am able.  63,76,52,0,B

vela creations

From the folks who first lead me to the area...a revamped website and a new book for sale.  58,71,44,0,B

splint wrap

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something for the boys

Something perhaps to divert Bud's attention away from destroying the barn.  54,71,30,0,C

boot cam

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lost a day

Lost my Saturday due to another extra night swamped out.  Got stuck at The Mission Lodge with no wifi.  Had to resort to regular TV for my evening entertainment.  Forgot how painful it was to watch a movie with commercials every 10 minutes.

Before I finally headed home Sunday afternoon, I had a chance to visit with Dr. Doug for the first time in a very long time.  ATV accidents at top of the conversation list.  His brother Jon had a very nasty one just Saturday.  He flipped over backwards and the vehicle landed on top of him.  He was taken by ambulance to Alpine then airlifted to Lubbock with a broken nose and several broken ribs and so far has spent 2 days in ICU.  45,57,48,0,B

keep evil away

40 Steps

almost home

Swamped out of The Field Lab for one more day.  Bunking at the Big Bend Motor Inn.

touch and go

Another long round trip to Odessa to see my surgeon.  So far so good - bones are still aligned and evidence of them beginning to heal could be seen on the xray.  I can start doing some ankle excercises to loosen it up but can expect at least 2 more months of non weight bearing.  He also confirmed for me that my hardware will not have to be removed.  I really feel that I am in pretty good hands ...when I asked my doctor how many of these procedures he has done he said thousands.

The trip started off very slow and slippery.  My buddy Rick did the driving as we plowed through a steady snowfall from Alpine to Fort Stockton...then clear and mostly dry for the rest of the trip.  Returned to Alpine around 5PM and checked in down south.  Seems the area got a 1/2" of rain so I am hunkered down for another swank night at my hotel with the hope that my road will be dried out by tomorrow afternoon.

on the road

exhausted

Did two loads of laundry today.  Although the machines did most of the work...it still took quite a bit of effort.  68,76,38,0,B

curb service

Lately I've been getting curb service from the country store just across the highway.  I pull up and honk and get my order filled.  Not sure how long I will be able to get away with that.  65,74,47,0,C

to the only...

Jude 11 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:2 Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Bad Bud

Buddy has decided to start playing with the barn.  So far he has poked some holes in the siding and removed some trim.  He actually dragged a 2x10 all the way to the other end of the pen and managed to chuck it over the fence.  Must be a case of the "terrible 2's".  Just ordered another ball for him to play with...hopefully that will take his mind off destruction.  62,78,37,0,B

foot bath

Soaked my foot for the first time since my accident (exactly 2 months ago).  Used a mix of epsom salt with tea tree, lavender,  rosemary, peppermint, and eucalyptus oils followed by a chlorhexidine gluconate rinse.  I took a picture of my foot too - but it still looks kinda scary.  Felt pretty good scrubbing off a bunch of dead skin.  60,70,33,0,C

Allegiance

Scott Cohen, a friend from my upstate NY days is back on network TV.  The new show premiers tonight on NBC.  Scott hired me to babysit his old farmhouse for a couple of seasons.  Their weekend getaway was prone to freezing pipes or a flooded basement depending on the season.  All these years later, hardly a meal goes by without me thinking about him and his family - they gave me this trusty Swiss Army knife one year for Christmas.  49,57,38,0,B

here'n'there

One of many reasons why I don't miss New York... 55,63,43,0,B

sunset

Another day of healing topped off with a decent sunset.  

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off grid opportunity

My friend Emma Dempsey sent me this casting call today.  It might be a good opportunity for a family or small group looking to make the off grid move soon.  If anyone finds this of interest, contact Emma at  EDempsey@blastfilms.co.uk or go through their website.  www.homesunplugged.tv/  Tell them The Field Lab sent you.

"The program is an eight-part series for a network here in the US. Each episode features a different family who want to leave the city and make a new life for themselves in an off grid, utility bill free home. Each episode has two halves; the first is a straight property show where the family are shown around three properties. In the second half they get to try out living in one of the properties for three nights to get a taste of what life unplugged is like. All through the process they will be guided by our homesteading expert who will teach them, depending on the life they picture in future, a number of things that will be useful to them (canning, milking, hunting, etc.).  He’ll also advise them on modifications they could make to the property to help make their off grid dream life a reality. At the end of the show the family will decide which, if any, of the properties they want to buy."  46,55,37,0,C

sharing news

Luke 24:13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.35 And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.