Earth, Wind and Fire

That and a lack of water equal a bad combination for burning brush. This Thursday at lunchtime I decided to squeeze in a bit of brush burning- my version of a lunchtime work-out. I wanted to burn just the dry stuff from the cleared path for the electricity. Well, a gust of mighty wind helped the fire skip onto an adjacent pile of newly cut branches and from there things went downhill (or rather downwind). Before I knew it I was running as fast as I could from fire edge to fire edge, stomping and scraping the fire inward with my hiking shoes and even my gloves until they got so hot I had to throw them off.

I quickly reached the point where my chest was burning from all the sprinting, and I seemed to be losing the battle. In a quick moment I made the decision to call in Somervell County’s finest. Twenty-six minutes later as I was stomping out the last of the burning edges they arrived, first one brush unit then another and quickly went to work dousing the entire thing.

The whole thing has ramped up my respect for my smallness in the scope of woman verses nature. It also confirmed the decision to have the roof rain water collection system with a reservoir and sprinkler system down hill from the house site.

I went back out there on Saturday and dragged the half burned remains of branches to the very well cleared out fire pit area in the middle of the future house. No more burning on grass.

And please, please please, don't tell Dad!

Still waiting for electricity. This has been a very long process. I have word from United Cooperative Services that my path will be staked on Friday. That’s 2 weeks after I cut the swath for them. I have a feeling I need to sllooowww down in my expectations of turn-around time for any jobs related to this house building, or else I will find myself to be one very frustrated single professional lady.

I am also waiting to hear from Mike the total construction estimate. He has asked a lot of questions and in so doing has shed light on all the decisions I haven’t begun to make. I will just keep to my new mantra…form follows function. Form follows function.

On the current home front, The Tour of Homes last Sunday was a hoot. I had over a hundred folks come through my little house. I was still in my work clothes decorating and cleaning when the first (ok and when the 20th) person showed up. But now everything is all decorated and clean and repaired. If I hadn’t already promised myself I wouldn’t add another thing on to my December schedule I would throw a party!!!