With the patience of Job,,, 

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And thats about ALL I have to say about the world at large.  

Finding that I’m not wanting to talk about much anymore.   Not even the kayaks, or kittehs.    FYI, Elbee is doing phenomenally.   Growing like a weed, eating like a horse, and the buggies(internal and external) he brought with him are no longer.   Mama is finally starting to show him the ropes, but only when we go walkies with Voo.   The rest of the time she ‘purt much ignores him.   He and Zoomie on the other hand: Brothers re-united, even sharing from the same bowl.    Play time is low-key on Zooms part: he knows the little one can’t take a full on BAT to the head like another Tomkat could,  and it shows in how he plays.

work is work, finances are steady, life goes on,

and Thirteen days from right now, we will know more about the future, or lack of, about this country and its peoples.

Only time will tell.

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With all the chaos that hit recently, and in some ways, was a blessing of God, in the case that the masks came fully off and the beast has shown itself.  but I digress

One of the biggest problems I had with all the ensuing mess in the aftermath of Helene was “WATER” H2O, Agua,,,,

Seems like no one had any clean water, and thats going to be a norm in times of catastrophe.   The Tap water we have grown accustomed to, treated, filtered, treated some more, (maybe even to the point its becomes harmful,,,) won’t be at our beck and call.    Even in my situation, one good change in the environment and my source could become contaminated, or even dry up completely.   By change in the environment, I am talking ‘strip mining’ changes to the mountainside I live on, disrupting water flows on said mountain side.

I was talking to a ghost recently about it and we both realized that water, that one thing that you can’t go for very long without (Air being the first, water, then food: Rule of threes; three minutes, three days, three weeks.)  and yet so many neglect that particular prep, other than having some bottled stuff or ‘jerry cans’ set aside with treated water in them.

Thats a recipe for failure IMO

Being a weekender kayaker, water is pretty important to me,   Not only is it my escape method, but its my source of liquid refreshment,

and I don’t carry a single ounce with me when I go.   I have alternatives.

and those alternatives are what you should be prepping.

everything (with one exception) are items I own, use, have used, will use again as need arises.   I stand behind them and highly suggest getting AT LEAST ONE.   And always have an alternative to your alternative is a thought to keep in mind.   One is none, right?

First up.

MSR Guardian water filter.  it is really useful for refilling ‘Camelbak’ type hydration bags, but can be used as a stand alone if you have some way of collecting its output.   Easy to use, but tiresome as you have to pump.

second.Lifestraw Hanging filter system   I like this one because you can use it anywhere, takes no effort to get clean water out of it.  Cons: it takes a little longer as it is using gravity,,,,

On the go options.Lifestraw Go bottle, and Sawyer filtered water bottle.   You will sometimes see the later on the deck of my Kayak in pictures: its a constant companion when paddling.  The first rides herd on my bedstand or in my truck if the weather is hot.   I prefer the Sawyer version, but both work very well.(and I believe there was a guy on Utoob that was testing these, and both worked well, but one worked better than the other, and I don’t recall which was which,,, apologies.)

Then there is the EDC types.  Stuff that you should keep in a bag or jacket pocket, for those JUST IN CASE moments.   II can promise you, if everyone in NC and TN in the path of Helene had had one of these, there would have been little to no need to truck in masses of bottled water.    Sawyer Mini, Sawyer Fullsize, Lifestraw hiker

Now the one I don’t have, but thinking more about it, like for those in the coastal areas, where salt becomes more of a problem, I suggest getting a portable reverse osmosis system.    I have one of two in my sights as a backup to the backups listed above, mostly for when/if I ever get to start paddling on salt water.

This one and it seems to be much better contructed

And this one.

I have no experience with either so, in this instance: caveat emptor.

(full disclosure, all links are through my Zon associates links,,, I will get a cut if you buy through that link.  Help support your faithful blogger. 🙂   )

Now, there was one thing that blew me away more than lack of fitration systems.   That area is KNOWN for ‘Shine, and not one person was able to set up a still and start purifying water?   Really?!?!?   With all the downed trees and debris, there would have been plenty to burn, water of any state was NOT an issue, (snark) so why was no one cleaning that shit up and helping keep others healthy with clean water.   

Dunno, maybe there were a few, especially further up in the hills when things got cut off hard for longer, dunno,,, Seriously though, all it takes is a big pot with a cover, some tubing and and a little (VERY Little) McGuyvering.   Use a nail to pop a hole in the lid, wallow it out to accept the tubing, fill with water and set to simmer mode or over a low fire and collect what condenses on the other side of the tube.   (always ditch the first few ounces as that is gonna have gunk in it from the tube and what not.)   Maximize the output by playing with how hot the fire is, how long the tube is and how said tube is bent (highly suggest coiled and slanting downhill.)

Anyways, that’s my two cents to getting a little further prepped, if you haven’t been (and if not, WHY NOT?,,,,)  Stay hydrated, it keeps the mind working better so you can focus on the other shit trying to kill you.

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Addendum: meant to mention, NEVER drink the water UNTREATED,,, That means filtration, purifying in some fashion; distillation or boiling, or chemically treatments.   If in truly hazardous conditions, double up, filter that water into your camelbak, AND chemically treat it, BEFORE you consume.    

Anything less is just asking to spraypaint the version of toilet you are using and that would be the lighter side of things that could/would go wrong for you.   Giardia is no laughing matter and is common in ALL fresh water system in the upper Northern American Continent.   E-coli is becoming pretty common downstream of anywhere there are cattle. (so make sure you cook your fish WELL, and wash your paws (with soap!)frequently.)

And that only names TWO of the nasties that you might encounter drinking tainted waters.    TREAT IT/FILTER IT.    end of PSA.

Glad as hell things worked out as well as they did with Lyssa: was much cheaper than driving 5 hours through a Hurricane to get a ‘new to me boat’ and find out I might not like it.   FAR CHEAPER and in a sense, I did get a new to me boat out of the deal, but one I am already comfortable with.  (just needs more cargo space,,,,   more on that later.)

Getting Elbee fattened up right now.  Little monster has become the Energizer Bunny Incarnate.   He zooms more than Zoomie zooms.  (probably just as much as Zooms did at this age, and how he earned that moniker.)   Zooms is being the quintessential BigBrother to Elbee.   Taking the abuse ‘up to a point’ then planting that big ol’ murder mitten right on Elbees head and holding him down, sayin’ “Had about enough of your shit little’un”

Usually kats don’t have very expressive faces: that ‘resting bitch face’ is permenantly in place.    But last night, Zooms was in my lap and Elbee was assaulting ‘tail’;  the look on Zooms face was, ‘Dad!, HELP!!!!’    I lost it,,,     Kats act so serious, all the time, but can be the most clownish of the four feets.

As much as I like and get along with dawgs, katz are my prefered pets because we are so much alike.   You can’t leave a dawg alone for days without causing distress, but you can leave a kat and they are good with that (so long as the foodie bowl doesn’t go empty,,,,)   Much the same as me: I can go days withotu seeing another face and I’m completely fine with that (and oft-times prefer that).  Guess thats why I am ‘alright’ with solo paddling.

Solo paddling,,,   kayaking is a solo sport by its very nature.   ( We call the tandem kayaks ‘Divorce boats’ because its takes a well established team to handle those long ass boats, and usually married types aren’t that flexible in ‘whos in charge’. )  Paddling in group? You’re still solo in your boat.  You may even be solo in a recovery incident if you are tail-end Charlie.   Add in ‘hard of hearing’ and solo is about the only comfortable way I can paddle; don’t have to worry about conversation (other than with Mama nature and IS, and I don’t need ears to hear them)

Since things went so well with gel-coating Lyssa, she’s my keeper for awhile.   Thought long and hard about ‘WHY’ I was wanting that longer boat, and the more I thought about it, the less attraction it held.   That I would like to carry more gear for camping is a given, but that ability would add a temptation of ‘running away’ doing some not so smart move and going on an expedition type cruise.   I still have my kids and Da still needs me about (more so as time goes by): I can’t be highing off and playing “ADVENTURER ” leaving others to pick up my  responsibilities.   That ain’t cool.   

So I keep the ‘shorter’ (by a whole 12″ ) boat.  They call them touring boats, good for a couple three days, but not for ‘weeks’.  And that is about all I need for the nonce.    I’ll keep mine eye’s open for that “Deal from beyond” on a P&H Cetus MV or LV, but I am not actively pursuing it. (though I am putting small amounts of cash aside on the regular ‘just in case’) 

One thought on things outside of my little world.   No matter what happens in the next couple of weeks, MONTHS, in a year, the issues we are stressed over today are going to seem meaningless.    Change is never permanent, but CHANGE is.   In another year, I may not have the responsiblities ‘for whatever reason’ and that escape pod may be my only source of sanity.    No one knows.   We can’t predict the future, we can only guesstimate it, and plan accordingly.    Could I make Lyssa work in that situation?   No,,no where near enough cargo space and not able to add more: but Blue Jean could,,,   and thats good enough.   Will that situation become a reality,,, that depends on which direction things fall over the next few months leading into Jan’25.    Some really like the idea of maintaining the DEEP STATE; ie, using Que-mala to keep on the path we are on.   Other (self) like the idea of wiping that slate clean, and, seemingly, the best option there AT THIS POINT, Is Trumped and Crew (RFKjr, Musk, Etc etc),,, Why do we want them in?   Because the other option is bloody, painful and risky as all get out…   Not saying its off the table, but conservatives know the other path is spiritual suicide.  We flip that switch inside us, we don’t come back, we are forever changed, and not neccesarily for the better.   Many may become the BEAST; like the one I have locked in the darker corners of my mind.  Once unleashed this time, very likely becomes the norm, wearing my face.   You won’t like that ‘me’.

I don’t like that “me”,,,, 

Live

learn

laugh

LOAD,,,,

Lyssa is at least 1/2mph faster than she has been the last year (since I put that epoxy finish on her hull)   The slow decline of that finish was not noticed, until, I started comparing logs from the past.   It was as steady decline in performance,,,,

And its not just a speed thing,,,,

She handles ‘differently’,, but in a damned good way.   Before, when putting her on edge (to get her to turn) she would need an assist with a sweep stroke, to get started.   Today, I put her on edge and she was sweeping into turns: more edge, sharper turn, no paddle needed unless I wanted a sharper turn.  And the bow rudder move was just flat amazing in responsiveness.   Skeg up, her weather cocking is more noticable, drop the skeg and she acts right.   But even in slight winds, that back end was slick enough to skootch around and point upwind.

NO MORE EPOXY FINISHES.

LESSON LEARNED!!!

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On a different note, sigh, the leaves are changing FAST

Another couple of weeks and this is all gonna be bare trees and blah vibes as everything green goes to sleep for the winter.   I noted the other day (in the view from my porch post) that the deer are all going that grey-ish ‘dissappear in plain sight’ color in prep for the seasonal shift.   Even Mama-kat is losing her ‘red’ tints.

Time to wind down a bit?

Not me,,, now that Lyssa is flying again, (and blinding in the sun when she is on Buffalo), gear is in place for winter type paddling, and I keep’a’goin’.    Krazy Nut I is, and I get all sorts of statements to that order,,,,

Better krazy and alive, than boring and (may as well be) dead.

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Yeah, snarkalufilous in that there title.

Some of y’uns might be in the know, might not, but I was OTH’ed by the Corps over that very thing called Posse Commitatus.   It was back in the days of the LA Riots and my unit was ordered to assist in suppressing the riots. (which I refused and was summarily courts martialed for.)

This was also about the time when the GOV was asking questions of Marines at 29 Stumps (twenty nine palms ) about willingness to use lethal force against civilians.   I know this because I was one that was asked,,, and the questionaire was LOADED as fuck.   If you had a working knowledge of 6000 english words or less, you would happily answer yes to a question that should have been stricken as “bordering on unlawful orders” . 

Me, being that insatiable reader since first grade, having a fourth year, third quarter COLLEGE reading level when I was age 12,,,, Yeah, much more than that 6000 word vocabulary resource.  (though y’all may not have figured that out by the way I write my blog,,,, LOL)

This whole ‘just before the selection cycle, authorizing lethal force to the DOTMIL,’,

They are planning on a shitfestivus of fun cuz they know the DON has it in the bag ( because even kneepads Harris can’t blow THAT many, in that short a time to sway the voat) 

The mental breakdown of the left is going to be epic, and the TANTRUM they throw,,,, Dude, I have no words, and honestly, can’t imagine the horrors that are being set to be released if the STEAL doesn’t happen the way they want it.

We have about three weeks to that date.   The waffling of ‘the count may take weeks to sort out’ bullshit is starting to wear thin, and even some courts are calling BS on it.   (and I still think we need to go back to paper ballots, IN PERSON, Purple finger, voting., but I digress.)

Anywhoos, I have shit to do, need to get a propane tank refilled (has two 100#ers) as the colds is on us, and gonna pick up some more ammo at the same place (gotta love the ol’timey country store where you can buy bulk propane, ammo and chicken feed, ONE STOP,!   F! wally-world!)   

And of course there is the kayaky side of things.    Still workin’ on gettin’ Lyssa ‘shiney and new’, and not that much to finish.  May have her done today in time to catch the warm period of the day, if not, there is always tomorrow.   Has some stuff to do on Da’s truck tomorrow while down there doing the laundry stuffs and what not,

typical bizzy weekender, before the storm of chaos is unleashed.

I’m gonna say it outloud, but I am sure there are some that are thinking it as well:   I almost wish they would kick this shit off, because I am getting a might pissed off with how they rub THEIR shit in our faces with the ‘whatchagonnado’bout it?’ vibe.

NOT THAT I DESIRE IT.

Just sick of the game

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Day started with a dead battery in Buffalo.

It DID improve, but man, the mad rush to get a jumpstart from my Unk in near zero dark hours,,,

Gonna spend the lucre to get a jump box, for future use.   Like the saying goes; “rather be lookin’ at it, than lookin’ for it.”  and today was a ‘lookin’ for it’ kinda mornin’.

anywhoos, once the Buff was running, she was just fine, and I did need to jump her again at the end of work.  Went to the battery supplier straight away and bought and installed new, and NOT a wallyworld Chinesium question mark.  

Install went well today.   Actually REALLY well, and I had Burnout with me.   Gave him something of an education on installing powered gates, even had him doing some hands on stuff, not just the backbreaking labor side of things (which is what he was there for; trenching for underground lines, etc.)   If he could keep his attention span a little more focused, I would be more tempted to train him to do my job so I can have some respite now and again.

I mean, Just like Buffalo’s battery dying because ‘cold snap’; this time of year tends to be when I start getting texts on the daily from powered gate clients with issues and gripes.   If there were another body with my skills, I wouldn’t likely get so backlogged on things.

Nopes, won’t be holding my breath about that though.   Burnout has been making strides towards being more reliable, but he is also dependent upon me for some of that (I am his ride in, in the mornings,,,,)      Like I told him this morning when he was eyeballing a high dollar sports car and saying he ‘would love to own that’,,,  “Dood, get your priorities straight and get your damned license back before you go dreaming beyond your means”

but I digress,,,, Tired, a little grumpy, and its cold,,, Gotta get some heat in the house tonight.   

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