The Dynamic Duo

It has been an absolutely beautiful day. After a week or more of freezing temps with rain and wind, today was like a gift. I went for a long bike ride and after lunch UltraDad and I did something I had been wishing for for a long time; we loaded up mounds of household garbage and went to the dump! Those of you who live in the city are probably used to the convenience of trash pickup at your doorstep, but we have to haul it off ourselves. The cast off junk piled about the burn barrels (we are allowed to burn our paper trash out here)had come to resemble a mini-city. : old microwave, broken plastic table (you will remember that one, UltraBob. I actually fought to keep it, but Udad overruled), broken toilet from the camper Jim lived in for the summer, old plastic snowboard, broken pots, old shoes, etc.
We had been warned that the rules of trash-dumping at our local dump had recently changed. UBob, you may remember backing the pickup up to a pit and throwing the junk out the tailgate. There was a separate pit for dead animals, which we occasionally needed to avail ourselves of when a cow, sheep or horse died. Now there is a trailor that you pitch household garbage into. We didn’t bring the burn barrels this time to dump the accumulated ashes, but if we had, this would have represented a major, back-breaking enterprise. The old microwave and wire went int the metal dumping area. Poor microwave; it never liked metal and would let me know by arcing and sparking when I forgot.
Anyway, it feels like somewhat of an accomplishment to have banished the year or so’s worth of unburnable trash.
There was a very unusual occurence on our remote road as we were leaving for the dump. An ambulance and police cars were racing towards an area near Bill Stauffer’s house (this will mean something to you if your name is Bob). When we returned from our trash errand, we found out that two neighbors had a head on collision in their pickups, probably going about 40 mph. Wade Williams, so the story goes, was upset and focused on his wheel line, which had started up without permisson and the end had doubled back and wrapped around the middle. Not good. Arturo Gomez was in the other pickup with his son (not hurt). We saw Arturo’s pickup. Also not good. Not at all. Anyway, the ambulance took Arturo away, and Wade was going in to be checked for broken ribs on his own.
We have Chewie again for an overnight. He is much more at home this time, but has still managed to pee on my dining room floor twice. I’m trying to be alert to his old dog signals, and I think I’m improving.
This weather has been great for the wannabe tomatoes. I may get some yet!
UltraDad may have finally landed a job in a Nevada mine driving truck. He’s been looking since he decided to quit farming last spring, and seems to have his heart set on Nevada. He has a physical next week, and he has a sister living in that town, so that will help. We will just see how it goes.
Whew! Hope you enjoyed the “This is what I did today” episode. Lots going on!
Later,

UltraMom

My Tomato Jungle

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