Sweatback, the truck

During the work week I was stressed about this past weekend.  My little cabin project is developing into a big logistical challenge.  I have a lot of material to get into place and the challenge is getting it in place prior to the weekend it is scheduled to be installed.  I need to be able to show up on any given Saturday and get straight to work, I don't want to loose one half of the day moving in material.  The latter approach means I stay late on Sunday and drag my sorry ass around on Monday morning; I don't plan on doing that.

So load #1 consisting of 4" x 6" beams and sub floor material was ready to go and loaded on sweatback, our 1997 F-450 beater flat bed.  I failed to meet my wife's requirement of no solo work trips but promised a safe approach to the tasks at hand.  Which does not necessarily soothe her concerns. I beat my guys in on Sunday, Sweaty rolled away from the shop at 4:30 am, straight to the fuel station so I could windex the damn windshield...is vision overrated?  I think not.

Using the forks of our bobcat loader I divided the overhead load into three lifts and picked each off the top rack with no issue.  The rest of the day was quickly consumed by a broken bobcat people mover thing and a broken generator.  Both received mechanical attention and are on the mend, sort of....

Shortly before 2 pm I finished painting the hand rails for the front porch and jumped in a cold shower, it was 104 degrees out.  I was certainly reminded of why we call the truck Sweatback on the 3 hour drive home.

Stuff.

I need to get a load of material out to the cabin this weekend but I have no companion to go with me.  It can be a solo mission however, Erin objects to this maneuver.  She's not far off base, although the events of the past few years have made me much more safety conscious.  The problem is, I run an algorithm in my head about the logistics of my project and I have way too much material to move in too little time.  I have to go up....

Yesterday I was back at the Melones Power House.  After two years this job will finally start next week.  It was supposed to be a winter job, instead it's going to be 100 degrees and snakey.  We expect to encounter 1-4 rattle snakes per day.  I'm nervous about the concept of somebody getting bit and hoping we don't have to deal with the issue.  The whole company just received new Danner boots for extra traction and snake protection. 

On the way out I stopped and peered over the banks at the 'Hot Springs;' the uppermost section of Lake Tulloch.  We lovingly try and trick people about the 'warmest 'part of the lake but in reality the 'Hot Springs' is H2O that is pumped from the bottom of Melones lake a mere 500 yards up the river.  The water isn't a degree over 45...ever.  It takes the breath out of you as soon as you hit it.  I looked at it for a minute and wondered if my guys would still be beating their brains out and fighting off snakes when I'm on vacation at Tulloch later in August.  I wouldn't want to be sitting down there in a pontoon boat with my guys up above me working, but it could happen.

Snorkels

While in fishing in La Paz last week one of my compadres, Morsa Blanco, really wanted to go snorkeling off the beach at the piece of shit resort we stayed at, he didn't get much support from the other guys.  Finally, envoking the buddy system I appeased the the guy by commiting to the fun event.  I swam 20 yards off the beach before a jelly fish draped it's fat ass across my left shoulder.

"Puta madre whey!!"

Despite his offer to piss all over me I left my compadre to fend for himself and recovered at the swim up bar.