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By Dave, April 17, 2005 10:57 am

Up and at it this am earlier than I should have been considering I saw 3 am come and go. Went for a ride to the top of the hill and sat for a bit looking at the world. Walked around and took a few pix here and there of spring wild flowers. None of which worked like I had hoped so headed back down to the foot bridge and took a few more of it with the metal roofing in place. Going to be a chore to finish but will get there soon (i hope). Back up here and downloaded the pix and did a quick write-up on each and published it.

Then started loading stuff into the van for the trip to Calcis. We spent a good deal of time packing and loading for a overnight trip but I think we both were looking at it as a trial run for a long overdue vacation. Anyway after an hour of locating and packing we headed out to Wildwood and filled the tank up. They were still at 2.03.9 but still costing about ??? Ok stop and figured it out and don’t like the figures:

18.10 / 2.039 We spent 18.10 at 2.039 a gallon so got
= 8.877 gallons of fuel which had been used since the last fill up which was

149 / 8.877 149 miles ago so divided by the amount of fuel consumed leaves us with a really crappy fuel milage of
= 16.785 miles to the gallon.

2.039 / 16.785 So taking the cost of a gallon (today as it will go up next time they get the storage tank refilled at the gas station) and dividing it by the millage we come up with about
= 0.1215 or roughly 12 cents per mile traveled.

Guess the wood gasification project needs to be moved forward on the list.

Anyway headed toward Calcis. Stopped at the Chinese place in the Wally world parking lot on the way down. And I actually went into WW and bought some sleeping bag ground pads and a pack of 8 AA batteries. The pads are out-gassing so that I am having trouble being around them and may have to take them back.

I had to leave the line due to folks with cologne or perfume or some stinky crap on that started elevating my blood pressure. So waited out front while Cat paid. We went to the Chinese place and Cat got Shrimp with Chinese Vegetables and I got the Kung Pau Chicken off their lunch special menu. Not bad. Not the best I have had but for the price not bad.

Then to the American Thrift Store and got a bunch of books. Spent a bit over $40 and I haven’t counted to see how many we got yet.

Then onto Calcis. The shortcut road is still closed and I am not sure that it saves much if any time getting there rather than going by paved road. Need to check the milage sometime.

Get there and Martha isn’t anywhere to be seen. Had called earlier and no answer but figured she was out but would be back soon. But no. She got back at 4:30. Byron and I had gone up the road to get a couple of big timbers someone had thrown out on the side of the road down from the Cemetery. Got back and there she was. Cat and she did the computer thing and Byron and I talked and watched the cats. Many cats… Along about 7 Cat came up for water and I talked to her about the need for food. Some minor cleanup and shifting things to the kitchen in the house and we were ready to eat. And did.

No problems so far in this story, right? Or nothing major that was more than the cussing out and flipping off of other cars on the road that were doing stupid things. And the stink in WW…

So we clean stuff up and then Martha starts washing dishes. Odor kind of bothered me so I go out on the front porch. Cold out there so get a coat. Go back inside and get to the middle of the house when the odor hits me in the face. Blood pressure goes up. Go out to the porch. Martha finishes and her and Cat go back to the trailer to do some more computer things. I try to go back in figuring the stink would have dissipated some. But is worse. And now is filling the entire house. I go and holler at the front door of the trailer for Cat. No answer. Getting more angry and upset by the minute as this kind of reaction tends to hit me emotionally. Never have figured if it triggers the fight or flight adrenal response or what but it always leaves a bad metallic taste in my mouth afterward.

Go to the back door and holler again and request her immediate presence on the stoop. Explain the situation and tell her that if we stayed I would be sleeping in the van but that I would much rather head back home. She agreed and cut the session short. Her and Byron got the stuff from the house as I was still shaking from the previous exposure, and we loaded the van and came back in.

Got behind a truck with a trailer and load of cross ties that didn’t get above 45 for the entire trip from Ragland to the dam which is posted 55. But other than that irritation the trip it’s self quiet.

Wondering now if the problem I am having with her trailer is the trailer or something she is using. Either way not sure I want to be the test subject as I REALLY don’t like the way the crap effects me.

Think I am going to call it a night and start on it again in the am…