The 4th are a-coming!

July 2, 2007 (4:51am)
55º F, Cloudy, Calm wind.

Good morning,

I have a happy Woman in the house. She has hot water and the range is working. It took a bit to get all of the new piping and the existing LP lines free of air and filled with gas. After getting the range working, I tackled the hot water heater. As with every hot water heater I have ever had experience with, it is difficult to light as the burner is so close to the floor. Also as with most in the past it is in very tight quarters, requiring a very flexible person to get near - which I ain’t. Finally, after an intermission, the mission was accomplished. Both of us took very long hot showers, which felt very good, but afterwards some strange. Kind of squeaky, something we aren’t used to around here. Will be nice to get to a normal routine in that respect again.

We celebrated the working of the range by going out to eat last night! We have not been out since coming here, so it really was a treat for us. Went into Crystal Falls and Fob’s for an excellent roast pork dinner. On the way out, I picked up a flyer announcing the 4th of July activities in our closest town, Alpha. I have mentioned the little town before. They are going all out for the 4th. Activities begin at 9:00 A.M. with a welcome, invocation, raising of the flag with music by the local high school band. Also there will be an introduction of local veterans and active military service folks.

At 9:30 A.M. a parade kicks off, being lead by the Iron County Sheriff’s Department, with prizes for the best decorated bicycles and costumes for the kids, and a local car club providing cars in the parade too. After the parade there is free ice cream and Cracker Jacks for all. Now that is my kind of parade! Bet my Dad would like the ice cream part the most. Me too.

After the parade the fun starts, mostly for the kids and goes all afternoon. There is a pie social sponsored by the Senior Citizens group, a coin scramble for the little kids, races (wheelbarrow, three-legged, sack, and egg) and an egg toss for the bigger kids, and a horseshoe pitch for the adults. Music during the afternoon is provided by a local band, Spontaneous Human Combustion, and the day is capped of with a dance, music by the Swinging Seniors! Of course there will be fireworks at dusk.

We are very impressed by the program and probably will wander over to see what is going on. At least for the free ice cream! The local volunteer fire department is organizing the events. If it goes off as planned, it seems to be a modern day "Little House on the Prairie" kind of an event. It really is nice to see such a small community do this kind of thing. Kind of reminds me of life when I was a kid and every little town had a "big" celebration for the 4th and other holidays, especially during the summer time and especially with kids in mind.

Our immediate neighbor is apparently trying to sell his property. It is a 10 acre parcel with a "house/garage" on the property, which looks like Topsy - never born, just growed up. The owner’s wife died and he wants to get rid of it. He has a mortgage on it for way more than the value of the place and wants to get out of the mortgage. Think he will be sitting on it for some time with today’s market. His niece or some such, was over to clean it up and get it ready for sale. She stopped over to use our phone as her cell phone died. Wouldn’t mind having the property, but not at that price, even if we could swing the deal. Hope someone buys it who will get things in some sense of order. Time will tell.

We really didn’t do all that much yesterday, other than hook up the range and water heater. Now I need to fill in the trench and get the area some cleaned up. Next will be to work on the water shut-off, where I started with all of the water problems here. Will be nice to get that hole filled in again and then - maybe - we can work on the original plan of activities. I keep looking at the trees needing to be cut down too. Never a dull moment for us old dinosaurs in Mastodon Township!

Time to get a-going.

In Christ My Saviour,

Chris ><>