by R Kralik
Dane says the tanks we got today should last through the remainder of winter. Pop is thrilled that he gets to sleep in his motorhome bed and be warm. He asked Dane if he could rig up heaters for the greenhouses. There's only a couple of months left before we put the seedlings in the ground, so one tank of propane should heat the greenhouses through next winter as well.
Elaine thinks Dane is the most incredible man in the world because he got propane for us. I'm pretty sure something is developing between Dane and Elaine.
All I can think about is a hot shower.
See ya later.
10:00 PM...
I am clean! I mean really clean!
I got the third hot shower. Dane got the first, and Mick got the second, and they earned it!
It takes a while in between showers for the water to heat back up, and we'll have to fill the motorhome's water tank a couple of times so everyone can take showers.
Pop kicked everyone out about thirty minutes ago and said he and Nana would be having the next hot showers and then going to bed. Everyone who was still dirty ran to Clinic Diane and I don't know who's showering there.
It was euphoric, even if it was in a teeny little motorhome bathroom. For the first time in weeks I feel like I'm really clean. I know we have to be careful and we can't use up the propane and the water getting hot showers every night, but it was wonderful and I'm already looking forward to the next one.
Jeremy didn't come back from the Masterson place 'til supper time. He said they ate some kind of "Mountain House spaghetti" for lunch. "It tasted okay" he said. Then, he scarfed down his supper like he hadn't eaten all day.
Mick says they'll go back to working on the fence tomorrow and Dane promised to help.
Yay! Pop and Clinic Diane have propane.
We stay pretty warm in the house with the fireplace and the cook stove going. I don't think we really need a propane heater but I'd like to get a propane oven.
Now, we have to worry about staying cool when it’s blazing hot in July and August.
Bye for now.
Friday, February 21
Glorious cleanliness and pancakes for breakfast. Who'd complain?
Jeremy and Jesse missed out on showers last night and say they'll wait 'til tonight to get one since they'll be doing dirty fence work today. Jeremy asked if we could invite Rebecca and her family for hot showers and I said no. We have to really be careful with our water because spring planting is just around the corner and our garden will need to be watered. He looked a little sad, but says he understands. I told him to head over there with a half-gallon of goat milk, and that turned his frown upside down.
Valerie, Carisa and Merry have underwear laundry duty today. It'll be a hoot to watch them hold everyone's underwear with just their thumbs and forefinger. It won't surprise me if they pick everything up with long sticks, but they'll still have to run them through the wringer. It's too bad that YouTube is no longer around.
I have no cooking duties today, so I don't know what to do with myself. Pop said he wants me to sit down with him and plan out our vegetable rows.
Every man on the place, except Jesse and Pop, is working on the fence. Pop’s in the greenhouse and Jesse is mucking out the barn. He thinks our doe is in early labor, so we may have more babies today!
Marisa and Elaine are standing watch and Elaine is knitting at the same time. I do believe she's knitting a scarf for Dane. Marisa saw Elaine and Dane standing close and talking on the back porch last night while all the shower crazed people were waiting around for their turn. I hope they fall madly in love and we get to keep Dane forever.
I'm outa here to help Pop. See ya later.
3:00 PM...
Dane is back at Clinic Diane and Elaine is there, fussing over him and driving Hisa crazy.
He was working on the fence after lunch when he suddenly became dizzy and weak. He told Mick he needed to lay down, so Mick and Jason took him to Clinic Diane. Hisa says he's been working too hard, too soon, after his bout with hypothermia. Mick said they got twice as much done. He says that Dane is a "moose" and "strong like ox," and the hardest worker he's ever seen.
Dane has been ordered to bed for three days and has to eat small meals several times a day.
Elaine insisted that she take him back to the Hobbs place so she could care for him and Hisa actually plans to let her do it. Elaine promised to keep him on the couch, in front of the fireplace.
I'm worried that we took advantage of Dane so soon after his illness. I'll be one of those who insists that he follow Hisa's orders.
Elaine will come here to prepare food and take it back to him. I doubt we'll see her, otherwise.
Our doe delivered quads this afternoon. I thought babies were never going to stop coming out! She gave us two doelings and two buckling’s. Everyone looks great, and her udder is huge. Yay for more milk!
10:15 PM...
We have a horse. She came right up to Jason while they were working on the fence before supper. I wonder where she came from.
I had no idea what to do with her so I told Jason to use our seventy-foot rope and tie her to a tree on the edge of the field behind his tractor shed. She seems very happy back there and kept her nose to the ground, grazing the wild weeds and grass. Jason says she can reach a little stream that angles across the corner of the property, so she'll be fine for water.
The kids are calling her "Buttercup." She's as gentle as a lamb, and I guess the name "Buttercup" kinda suits her. We found out that she can eat a serious amount of hay, so we'll have to get started on lootin' barns to keep her fed.
Elaine says Dane is resting and isn't feeling dizzy anymore, but he's still weak. She's taking good care of him, I'll bet.
Mick thinks they'll finish the right side of the fence within three days. He says the back won't take as long because it's a lot shorter than the sides. I guess that means we'll be sending someone out for fencing tomorrow or the next day.
We've decided on one hot shower per week. The rest of the time we'll take bird baths, as usual. If the pool is less than three-quarters full we'll have to cancel showers for that week. Thank goodness for deodorant from the coupon queen totes.
Bye for now.
Saturday, February 22
Jeremy was on watch when a large motorhome stopped at the foot of the driveway. We heard a horn blast about the same time Jeremy sounded the alarm.
The motorhome looked like it was riding about six inches off the pavement and had several metal barrels strapped along the side.
Mick, Jason, and Soo headed down the driveway with their rifles leading the way and their pistols on their hips. Someone was standing beside the motorhome, waiting for them to walk down.
The rest of us watched from the front porch as Mick, Jason, and Soo talked with the stranger at the foot of the driveway. After fifteen minutes or so, our guys turned and headed back up the hill and the motorhome slowly headed on down the road. Mick was walking with his shoulders slumped and his head down. I knew something was very wrong.
When Jason got about half-way down the driveway he recognized the man who saved his life in the city. It was Adam, and he was bringing a warning.
He said there’s a large horde of HDI's between forty and forty-five hours away. They are walking in a consistent pattern directly west, mostly following the highways and small roads, and destroying everything in their path. There are somewhere between 500 and 700 HDI's in all colors, shapes and sizes.
They use each other’s bodies to climb over anything blocking their way, including buildings. They'll take down a good-sized building to get to any live person inside. If there are no obstacles, they travel in a group about fifty-feet wide at the front.
The HDI's at the front are bizarre. They stay in formation, marching forward. They seem to have some intelligence because they step aside and allow the horde to form an HDI ladder before using them to climb over anything of substantial height.
There's a motorcycle gang traveling behind the h
orde. They occasionally use the slower horde members for target practice, but scoot away on their bikes when several horde members try to come at them at once. They're more dangerous than the horde because they will kill anyone, other than their own members, who tries to escape or fight the horde. They loot and burn any building in their path as well. For some reason, the front portion of the horde ignores them, and vice-versa.
Adam's group joined forces with four other groups in the city to fight against both the horde, and the gang. They were completely over run and barely got out alive. Adam's group lost three of their six members. The remaining members took refuge in a junk yard to wait out the horde's passing.
Adam found the diesel motorhome along with several empty metal drums behind the junkyard office. They strapped six of the cleanest looking drums to the sides of the motorhome.
They've been looting any diesel vehicle they come across and adding the fuel to either the motorhome tank, or the metal barrels, as needed. The barrels on one side are for fuel and the barrels on the other side carry water.
They're trying to make it to the mid-western plains because of wide open spaces, low population, and abundantly rich farm land. I pray they make it safely.
The horde is headed straight for us and will be here in less than two days.
Jeremy's headed to the Masterson place to tell them to get here as fast as they can because we are all in serious danger and need to have a meeting to discuss our options.
Jesse went across the road to get Dane and Elaine, and I sent Carisa to Clinic Diane for Hisa and Valerie. Everyone else is already here.
We have several major problems but he biggest of them all is the size of the horde and the fact that we don't have anywhere near enough ammo and competent shooters to put up a fight. We are all terrified.
1:00 PM...
It's been decided.
Everyone here will move everything we can to Pop and Nana's house until the horde and gang have passed our hill.
Mick says, if we had more hands and the fence was fortified, we would stay here and fight. We have to use common sense and try to keep our families safe from something this big. We were lucky to get a warning and we intend to heed that warning. We are not heroes. We're survivors.
We'll put any food we can't carry inside the tornado shelter and try to disguise the entrance. Dane says he'll rig it with some sort of explosive device he plans to make from things in the basement and the garden shed.
He wants to place several devices on the hillside. Marisa's old house trailer will be set to explode, as will the Hobbs house.
Dane is pure, all-out, wild man crazy and plans to stay and protect "our home." He'll be up in the tree tops with his guns ready. He'll also have the AR-15 and a bow with several flammable arrows.
I didn't even know we had flammable arrows. Mick probably got them at a yard sale. I hope they're still good.
Elaine is about to give birth to a calf because she doesn't want Dane to fight. I don't blame her. I don't want him to fight either, and I'm not even the one that's been "taking care" of him.
The Masterson's refuse to go anywhere and say they have a large safe-room in their home. They'll pack it full of supplies and stay inside. I think the pond and creek will protect them somewhat but I'm sending up a request to Jesus for their safety.
We'll take every vehicle we have, including Pop's motorhome and Clinic Diane, along with us. They'll be packed with food, clothing, linens, and personal supplies. The trucks and Jeep will be packed with tools, firewood, gardening equipment, water troughs, and any other outdoor equipment we can fit.
The Kubota in Jason's tractor shed will be loaded onto the flatbed trailer and taken along.
We'll load all the goats into the little goat trailer and take them with us. We can keep them in the empty stalls of Pop's barn.
The chickens will come as well.
We'll take Buttercup if we have time to come back and get her, otherwise, she'll be turned loose to fend for herself. We have no way to carry her because the trailers will be full when we head out..
While the women are packing up the trucks and motorhomes, the men will be creating, hopefully, a big problem for the HDI's and the gang.
There's a strip of land that's about twenty feet wide between the fence and the road, so there's plenty of room for a small "land moat" of sorts. They'll dig the moat as deep as they can before the horde is due to arrive. Mick's hoping to get down three or four feet along the entire length. I doubt that happens, but they'll give it their best shot.
Tarps will be placed along the floor of the moat and pools of gasoline will be ready for Dane's flaming arrows. I told them to remember that Adam says the HDI's will climb each other and they'll come right up the sides of the moat. Mick says the moat is mostly for the gangs and their motorcycles. Hopefully, a few of them will drive into the moat and be devoured by any HDI in there with them.
Pop and Mr. Hobbs plan to cut old bamboo canes from my big patch of bamboo at the rear of our property. They'll cut them into twelve-inch lengths and sharpen the ends. These "stakes" will be buried six inches deep all along the fence perimeter with the sharp end pointed up to puncture motorcycle tires and tear up HDI feet.
When the horde is due, Mick and Jason will be in the S10 on the outside perimeter to wait for them to appear. When they see the horde, they'll send up a gunshot to notify Dane, then skedaddle back to Pop's house by taking some of the dirt roads we have around here.
Everyone's out there doing what they need to be doing. I don't have time to write anymore. I'm heading out to move an entire hillside. See ya later.
11:50 PM...
I'm wired up. I can't sleep because there's too much to do.
After the meeting broke, we began filling Pop and Nana's motorhome with all the food we could fit inside. We finally got it full about thirty minutes ago. There's not even room for Nana in there, so she'll be riding along with me in the Jeep.
I'll be a "people mover" and so will Marisa. She and I will be carrying anyone who isn't driving something else.
Pop and Mr. Hobbs have a big pile of bamboo stakes, ready to install. The older kids will bury them along the fence perimeter as well as the opposite side of the road. Jeremy and Jesse will have their weapons handy in case any trouble appears. They're using my bulb planting tool to make the holes deep enough.
I'm nervous about the girls working that close to the road, but it has to be done.
I'm praying the horde and gang will pass through during the night. Please Lord, let there be big black clouds covering the moon when they pass through. Better yet, let it be pouring rain!
Dane spent the majority of today between the basement and the garden shed. He can't do any digging because he's still too weak and we don't want him to pass out or relapse any further.
Every available hand will be busy digging the moat tomorrow. The rest of us will be packing up Clinic Diane and the vehicles. I'm taking my laptop because I'll go crazy if I can't write. Pop has a small generator there, so I’ll be able to fire this thing up.
I'm heading back out to see what I can get ready to send our first thing in the morning.
I don't know if I'll have time to write tomorrow since we plan to be on our way right after supper.
Bye for now.
Sunday, February 23
9:45 AM...
I'm just popping in to say hello. Gotta run.
6:00 PM...
We're getting the last of it packed heading out. I'm here to grab this computer. See ya at Pop's house.
10:00 PM...
We got here about three hours ago. All I can do now is write, worry, and wait. Mick pulled a good one on me. I hope he lives to regret it. I pray he lives to regret it!
I've been furious, sad, upset, sick, worried, enraged and anything else you can think of during the past three hours. I've screamed, cried, sulked, and thrown a few things as well.
Mick drove the S10 over with the rest of us. He was last in line. I though
t he was gonna make sure we got here safely and head back out with Jason to wait for the horde to appear and warn Dane.
He stopped the S10 near the house and I saw Jason come flying out of the passenger side and hit the ground. His face was as red as a beet. Mick went speeding out of the driveway without saying a word to anyone. He left Jason to explain. Poor Jason!
On the ride over, Mick told Jason his plan to back-up Dane. He said he felt he had a responsibility to protect our home so we'd have some place safe to come back to. Jason wanted to go with him but Mick refused and told Jason to take care of the rest of us if anything happened to him. Jason argued the entire way here.
When Mick brought the S10 to a stop, Jason tried to jump out and let me know what Mick was planning. When Jason opened the passenger door, Mick raised a booted foot and sent him flying out of the truck. There was no chance to stop him. He sped away.
The horde should be there around daybreak. I think I'm going to need a Xanax of the blue variety and I don't think I'll sleep a wink.
It's so crowded in this house that I probably couldn't find a place to lay down even if I wanted too.
Carisa's upset as well. She's pulled herself into a little ball and is sleeping in one of Nana's fluffy chairs. I need to tell her to find a spot to lay down, or she'll be sore and cramped up when she wakes.
Well, since I'm not sleeping, I guess I can tell you what we did before we left today.
We got as many linens as we could into Clinic Diane.
We packed all our pots and pans, cooking utensils, dishes, and other food service items including any small electrical appliance that the generator might run. We also packed more of our food and all of our small water containers.
We had a plethora of backpacks and suitcases full of clothing and personal items to pack as well.
We got Pop's seedlings, and he took one of the greenhouses apart and stuffed it in. Soo drove Clinic Diane.
