The Future Home of Iditarod Dreams: When it Rains it Pours

The Future Home of Iditarod Dreams: When it Rains it Pours

I got an early start yesterday, hopefully to miss some of the rain that just so happens to fall every day here in Willow. It reminds me so much when I lived in Portland. As I was walking around the property I heard something that sounded like a turkey and I crouched down to get a better look. There was a mass of birds that really did look like mini turkeys (I later found found out that they were from the Grouse family, ah the power of Wikipedia).

As I walked back on the decking near one of our outhouses I slipped and fell hard on my right forearm and think I cracked the bone. It would have been hilarious to see I am sure. My feet went out from under me and I flopped down like you see on those stupid video shows on TV. You see, everything is covered by a green slime and moss from all the rain and the place not being taken care of for years. What’s worse is the noise scattered the birds and they made a real fuss. I guess I was bothering them! Here I am 200 pounds plus laying flat on my back in covered in slime and the birds are upset?!

I gathered my composure and my wits and headed down to the kennel determined to find an elusive “second” electric meter that I have looked for for the past week. MEA (the local electric co-op) has been calling me daily saying they need a meter reading or they are going to turn it off because it was not in my name.

I searched high and low wadding thru chest high brambles and weeds and getting attacked by mosquitos the size of dragon flies. I finally found it on a little post about a foot and a half tall covered in foliage. This had to be it I thought. I found the treasure! I looked at the little wheel and it wasn’t turning at all! Anyhow, I typed the numbers into my iPhone. Of course I didn’t bring a piece of paper and a pen, who needs that stuff in the bush when you have a fully functioning iPhone with full 3G. I am still amazed how my iPhone works here with full service but would drop calls like mad in the middle of two million people in Denver.

I went back up to the house and called MEA and gave them the numbers and the lady sarcastically said, “oh, I see it hasn’t been used in over a month. We will put it in your name with a fifty dollar deposit and a $15.00 recording fee. Thank you very much. Have a nice day!”

A fifteen dollar recording fee? I should have been the one that was paid the fifteen bucks! I was the one that had to find the buried treasure. Wasn’t it THEIR meter anyhow? Oh well.

I called it a day about 6 pm and decided to watch a couple movies from Netflix. I am amazed that they got here in just one day like they do in the big city. I watched them on my MacBook because I didnt bring a DVD Player with me but they were good flicks none the less.

I also realized that I am going thru severe caffeine withdraw. I quit drinking coca-cola when I got here ( I bought nasty tasting Diet Sierra Mist) and there is not a Starbucks within 25 miles. But I have noticed that there are all of these little roadside coffee shacks called cute little names like Aroma Borealis. My wife commented by saying, “They have all of those coffee stores to keep the people awake in the endless daylight in the summer and to keep them alive when it is dark all the time in the winter.”

Today, plan to stack all of the junk in the far side of the kennel outside so that I can at least have eight serviceable kennels to use in the near future. With all that junk, it will take me the better part of the day.

I welcome your comments and suggestions. Please comment below.

Robert Forto | Team Ineka | Alaska Dog Works | Mushing Radio | Dog Doctor Radio | Denver Dog Works

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Dr. Robert Forto is a musher training for his first Iditarod under the Team Ineka banner and the host of the popular radio shows, Mush! You Huskies and The Dog Doctor Radio Show

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