We will trust God

11/18/10 Thursday
The cold came. I tried to get some antifreeze into the tractor but wasn’t successful. When I went to start it I saw that diesel fuel has continued to leak into the oil, to the point it is coming out of the top of the dip stick. Really not good. I started it anyway in an attempt to circulate the water and it spewed diesel out of a vent tube that comes out of the top of the engine. I already knew that there was a break in a gasket or cracked block because the radiator pressurizes and there are lots of bubbles in the water as gas escapes. I asked some of the guys at church about the diesel fuel in the oil and they said it’s a sign of a bad fuel pump. The paranoid part of me wondered if someone was sneaking out and pouring diesel in the oil filler tube, because the fuel pump is external and I can’t see how it’d fill the crankcase with fuel. We’ve had dogs shot, Midnight poisoned, evidence of someone tampering with the water well (I’d marked the small screw plug that is removed when you need to pour something into the well, like I did with bleach when it was contaminated. The mark was rubbed off purposely, and not by me) so there is some basis for paranoia. There’s lots of other things that make me wonder but I recognize that it’s all speculation until I can learn something concrete.

Meantime I have a tractor that needs help. This is my most valuable tool, most needed resource when it comes to creating this farm, and I can’t afford any major repairs. That along with not really knowing a whole lot about tractors brings in a lot of uncertainty into the equation. One of the guys at church is a diesel mechanic so I plan on asking him to look at it and give me an idea of what I need to do and the cost. I have three months over winter to fix or figure out how to pay for it. It will work out.

Friday I go back down to the prison and meet with the guys. Catching a ride with Brice so that makes it easier. Saturday we are planning on finally putting in the bathroom but there’s work I need to do in preparation for that. First I must cut a new access hole into the floor so we can crawl under the house as the existing access is directly under where the new tub will go. Figuring out where to cut will take some doing. I think I’ll have to crawl underneath and drill holes to mark where the floor joists (is that the right word?) are so I cut the floor out in just the right spot.

If any of you want to come out and help us build a new bathroom we would welcome you. There will be food and fellowship for sure. Ricardo said he will bring some people he knows who have experience in plumbing and construction out. We must tear down a support wall, put in beams to support the roof, and build a new wall to expand the bathroom. Then we will install new flooring, something called “hardy board”? because I plan on putting in a tile floor, and the existing floor is a little soft in spots, probably due to water leaking over the decades. There’s a new sink we got dirt cheap because it was damaged that will go in and the old tub must be removed. So there’s plenty to do for sure.

I get so frustrated at this laptop. Heard the dogs barking outside so set it down to see what was going on. Unfortunately the power cord had once again worked loose so it lost power. I’ve rebuilt it several times, putting in a new hard drive, mother board, screen, and other parts to keep it alive but never could figure out how to fix the battery. It’s got a new battery I bought but doesn’t seem to charge up so the battery doesn’t do any good. When I lost the power I lost everything I’d just written so now am rewriting it all. The dogs were just barking at a pickup that pulled in across the street for it’s daily check of the oil well. They got yelled at for making me run outside for nothing.
All this corn will get mowed down and turned into mulch

I intend to work hard at being prepared for spring, harder than I did last year for I was way unprepared when it became planting time. I have to first of all remove all of this years plants and place them in compost, then start preparing the beds with composted horse manure and stuff. I will do this despite the fact that the VA seized all of our funds, the funds that had been earmarked to buy seed, starter plants, fertilizers, organic pesticides and herbicides. We have faith that God will supply all of our needs and I will proceed based on that faith, believing that when we need it the means to get it will be there.

There’s lots to do but I will start my day by going to the jail and ministering to the guys there. Time’s a wasting so see ya later.