Lest We Forget

Mandy in deep snow 12/12/2010

I'm in the basement throwing a log or two in the wood furnace when the phone rings.  That is an amazing feat in itself, since the basement could double as a fallout shelter. The walls are deep and made of poured concrete.  Earlier when the Santero called from AZ, I was sitting at the kitchen table eating lunch.  The phone never rang.  Several minutes after he called, my phone does it's voicemail alert.


Jorge is on the line asking, "Have you looked outside?"  I told him I'd just returned from the liberry.  "It's snowing," he says.  I took my wet windbreaker off the clothesline for the second time and trudged to the woodpile in the backyard.  Looks like I'll need more heat tonight.  I'm kinda tired of three layers inside the house.  When I'm not moving around, it seems chilly watching TV.

The Week magazine says coffee is a cure for depression.  It's too late in the day for coffee, although caffeine has no effect on my wife. It's also too late to take a photo of the greenhouse.  Before the rain/slush/snow started Jorge and I put four, fourteen foot 4'X 4's in the ground.  They serve as end beams supporting the roof.  It only took a half hour to drop the beams into the holes, add concrete and level the posts. Elmo previously dug the four foot  holes.  The really hard part is trying to ignore the constant stream of whistling, humming and grunting noises that come out of Jorge's mouth. 

I have no experience with post and beam construction. I'm at the mercy of Elmo and his Amish crew to get back here. My phone call to his message taker and a quick trip to his house( " Is Elmo here? I ask a kid in the yard. No.  " Is he working?"  No. "Will he be back soon?"  No.) is unsuccessful. Dawn  says she noticed the darker beams ( green treated lumber immediately as she drove down our road.If'n I'm lucky this greenhouse will be up and running by spring. I hope.  In the meantime, all you people who live up here near the arctic circle, brace yourself. I'ts only a matter of time. Put on yer snowshoes.