01-10AUG08 - Everett, WA

After Dan’s return from his two business trips it was time to do something productive in addition to helping out at the Peters place, like seriously working on our property outside of Sultan, WA. The first thing Dan did, was rent a very powerful walk behind mower commonly called a “billy goat”. This machine has two large rear drive wheels and is capable of mowing down brush and trees up to two inches diameter. The “billy goat” is also capable of giving you one hell of a backache! After two days of this fun, Dan had successfully held back the black berries and the salmon berries for another year. Our constant battle with blackberry bushes reminds us of that 1962 horror film – Day of the Triffids. In the movie rapidly growing and spreading poisonous plants are threatening to wipe out humans. Luckily, the day is saved when it is discovered that common salt water kills the Triffids. Unfortunately, no one has discovered an easy, non-poisonous, way to kill blackberries.

On one of our return trips from the property we stopped at the Reptile Zoo home of the “Old School BBQ”, located between Sultan and Monroe. Dan was all for checking out the Reptile Zoo, but Corrie was only willing to try the BBQ. Turns out Old School BBQ is a displaced Texan who has converted on school bus into a BBQ kitchen and another bus into the seating area. Excellent BBQ, check it out if you are every traveling on US 2 in WA (and let Dan know how the Reptile Zoo is).

http://www.reptileman.com/home.html

During this time our friends and fellow RV’ers EJ & Sharon Herbert from Houma, LA, were passing through western Washington, and literally parked at a RV park right next door. So we headed over for a relaxing evening of conservation, drinks and snacks.

In addition to all the hard manual labor on our property, Dan decided to volunteer at Snohomish Heritage Museum we discussed in our BLOG entry for 26-30JUN08. Turns out that Jerry Senner the Executive Director for the Museum, wanted to add a twenty foot by forty foot extension to the building. Having little money the Museum was counting on volunteers to build the extension, and they wanted done in three weeks.

http://west.diverseworx.com/

While volunteering at the Museum Dan learned about an upcoming Antique Tractor Show, which was going to feature Mexican Dancing Horses. We had a pleasant time at the Tractor Show. It was interesting to note the enormous size of the first tractors and their extremely low horsepower. Today’s common gas mower has more horsepower than the first steam powered tractors. While at the Tractor Show Corrie located a 1950s Ferguson Tractor with front end loader for sale to use on our property.