Tomorrow I pick up the rental veehickul, return to my 1BR unit in the apartment anthill & pick up my supplies. Then I'm going down to my property for a relaxing idyll of tree work.

I'm posting this so all you followers know what I'll be up to for the next few days. It's important, since it's unlikely I'll log onto NG during this time. If you missed it, the opening two sentences are packed with sarcasm. There is nothing relaxing about any work involving a chainsaw. That is what my weekend will consist of: felling a few trees to make some space (enough for a place to park, at least), cutting up the downed trees to salvage what usable wood they have, & stacking the better small logs inside the rental to haul back to the apartment. Where I will lug them up the stairs, one at a time, & stack them to dry out. (They'll probably need a tarp over the pile, what with the weather we get this time of year)

Just to add a little spice to the mix, I have a chronic condition that affects my sense of balance &, to a lesser extent, my hearing. Already decided that if I have a flareup I'll either stop & wait until it's over, or quit for the day. So yeah...as if it wasn't dangerous enough already. This is small-scale logging, basically. Logging is one of the most dangerous activities a man can do; the only jobs I know of that are statistically more perilous are underwater welding (or anything involving a wetsuit & oxygen tank), hard-rock mining, serving as an infantryman & maybe being a NASCAR driver.

If you get a chance, gentle reader, do stop by this space from time to time. If I update it sometime next week then I'm probably okay unless I say something to the contrary. If the next blog entry comes after two weeks to a month, I may have been injured & will be recovering as best I can. If you don't see another entry after this one then I'm either dead or brain-damaged into diapers. Note that I scheduled two art posts well in advance so when they go up, do not assume that I'm here. I could be elsewhere while the posting module here does its thing.

Am about half-packed for the trip right now. Really need to do more, but I may not get the chance to sharpen the chain on my saw until after I get to my land. Hope I can do it before I leave town...it would be much easier to do it on a level surface in a well-lit area, like my living room. We'll see how things play out.

I don't have proper chaps or pants for tree work but I did buy a pair of armored jeans at a motorcycle supply shop today...they have solid kneecaps, & kevlar reinforcement through the thighs (I think the butt is armored too but if it isn't, that's not as important). Got an open-faced motorcycle helmet too (that was a while ago). None of these items are perfect but they'll have to do for now, & they're certainly better than "regular" clothes. If you go into the woods carrying a saw & only wearing normal clothes--shorts, jeans, blazer & slacks, sneakers, sandals, whatever--you might as well go butt nekkid, because that is what normal civilian clothing amounts to in this kind of activity.

Wonder if I should bring a saucepan?...if I do, then I could bring a couple cans of soup, cook it over a fire. I certainly won't lack for fuel. >|-D

Aside from getting crippled or maimed, my next worst fear is if a falling tree gets hung up in another tree. That would be serious. If it happens then I'll call whichever local tree service has the best ratings.

Items to bring:

• saw (duh)
• supplies for saw (fuel, bar oil, scrench, old toothbrush (for cleaning), files, mineral spirits)
• shovel
• underwear, socks, sweat-wicking shirts
• potable water (4 gal.+)
• axe
• maul
• soap
• 5-gal. bucket (for washing up), washrags
• mosquito repellent
• bandanas
• first aid kit
• ibuprofen
• pain-relieving cream, Tiger Balm
• motor oil (for rental vehicle--just in case)
• grate from the grill i.p.
• mtrcycle helmet
• shades (2 pr)
• FL map
• charging cord for phone (2)

If you feel like it, go take a look at my latest sketch.

I don't believe I've forgotten anything, but it's still possible. Of course I won't know for sure until well after I get there. And with that...