The first two weeks of June has been a continuation of the great weather that started in the middle of May! In fact Seattle missed tying or breaking the number of consecutive days without rain for this time of year by one day. Some of the locals are questioning the area’s “good luck” and wondering if July and August will be constant rain?
Between working on the property and running errands we have stopped by Dan’s cousin Paul a few times for impromptu get togethers, and to borrow some tool or implement we need for the property. During one of our visits Paul “gave” us a free Sears lawn mower/tractor that hadn’t moved in years. After clearing out one of the largest mouse nests ever seen, couple hundred dollars in parts, and freeing up several seized bearings, it will run if you jump the starter straight from the battery. As the saying goes “its worth exactly what you pay for it”.
During one of our errands we drove through the small town of Duvall, where Dan saw another sad casualty of the failed economy. The Duvall Tavern was closed after over 70 years. In the 70s the tavern was a dive bar home to an Iguana kept in a big plastic cage. Even after the lizard’s death, the cage remained with a mural of the Iguana in the cage. Dan didn’t go their often, and it was usually with his brother-in-law, Tim Tompkins. These visits usually resulted in some sort of adventure (ie misadventure); for example Dan’s only bar fight (but that’s another story for another BLOG).
We finally got all the tree limbs and wood debris chipped into mulch, which should last us forever if we had some use for it. Our next project was to pour a concrete floor in the middle of the barn. We decided to do this because the floor of the barn was several inches of fine dust that constantly covered everything. When the concrete truck arrived, Dan advised the driver to walk the long dirt track to the barn because it is not level or dry (ie very easy to get stuck). Next thing Dan knew the driver was blasting through the property straight to the barn. When Dan asked him why he hadn’t checked it out first, the driver said he might not have driven it and we still pay for the concrete even if they don’t pour it! Anyway, all went well and the dust problem is solved.
On 11JUN, the day before the digital TV conversion, Dan decided we should do something to insure we had TV reception after the change over. We had tried twice to get federal coupons for converter boxes, but for some reason the federal government won’t mail coupons to RV’ers that don’t have a “street” address. We had been shopping HDTVs for some time and had settled on 32 inch Vizio at Costco. Even though these TVs were at the store the day before, they were gone when we went back. Dan drove to every Costco within fifty miles, with no luck. We ended up buying a lesser model HDTV, and special ordering the Vizio. Our intentions are to install the Vizio in the main living area of the RV, and the other model in the bedroom. Funny to think in Houma, LA, we had a four bedroom house with two TVs; but soon our small RV will have four TVs!
Meanwhile back at the property we started to drill for water using a firm called Dahlman. Within 20 feet we hit a muddy trickle of water at 2gpm. We could use this water but it would require an expensive treatment system and a 1000 gallon holding tank. So we went deeper and at 35 feet we hit 40gpm of clear water! The next day they put in the casing and pumping system and ran it for four hours, and all looked great. Unfortunately within two days the well silted in and none of the screening systems they tried could prevent the well from running dry. They continued drilling down to 85 feet, and again the well silted in. Looks like next stop is 200 feet?
One weekend Dan’s cousin Paul had an impromptu get together at his house with his brother John & wife, Michelle, & kids; and youngest brother Jim. It was a beautiful day, with Paul barbequing drunken chicken, hamburgers and hot dogs. Another great day with family. 
