BS: At Mudcatters' Houses...

Subject: RE: BS: At Mudcatters' Houses...
From: Mudlark
Date: 21 Nov 04 - 02:17 AM

Small black Jotul type woodstove is the soul of my house in the winter, even in this relatively mild climate. It's my only source of heat and I burn 2-3 cords of wood every year. Ijust finished stacking a cord of oak. My, how things change--I've always loved this job and it used to take me an afternoon to stack a cord (that's 4' x 4' by 8' long, stacked). Took me 2 days, an both new and old hips are complaining loudly. Lots of book, lots of tapes and CDs, lots of sheet music, totally unorganized...I can never find anything I need. Luckily, I love all the music I have, so anything that comes to hand will be appreciated. I've got a good porch for summertime pickin. This is more wine than beer country, but I try to keep both on hand. And the spare room bed is always made up and ready for visitors. I think your description is amazingly accurate, Susan!

Subject: RE: BS: At Mudcatters' Houses...
From: GUEST
Date: 21 Nov 04 - 06:09 AM

No tire chains, no stocking hats and gloves, no snow shovels? Geez, how far south do you spoiled wussies live? It's November. You don't need the fridge to keep beer cold. Just leave the whole case on the back porch (you'll need the fridge come January, the stuff will freeze solid out on the porch by then).

Subject: RE: BS: At Mudcatters' Houses...
From: wysiwyg
Date: 21 Nov 04 - 07:04 AM

I like a house which has an "ark" function -- someplace where you can stay warm and cook when the electricity goes out.

In this old country farmhouse we rent, that space would be the addition on the back of the house. It contains the laundry room, the playroom/extra sitting room behind that, and the attic dorm up top. There is a wall-mounted gas heater out there that can warm food, rooms, and people. We keep a canned-food stash and spare gallons of water out there. (Guess I oughtta stash the portable kitchen bag out there too cuz that's where the can opener is!) The gas grill on the adjoining back porch is handy too. Unless we are out of town, the back door leading into this is usually unlocked, and people who have been here before know they can come any time they're passing through.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: At Mudcatters' Houses...
From: Rapparee
Date: 21 Nov 04 - 11:14 AM

Because, GUEST, I don't even like to think about work! But for your eddificashun:

1 -- 22" dual stage, electric start, gasoline snow blower. It will and has chewed through heavy, wet, snow 36 inches deep. Out here we get that dry powder stuff, so it's more than adequate.

1 -- "ergonomic" snow shovel.

1 -- scoop type shovel.

2 -- "winter kits," one in each car. They contain MREs, toilet paper, matches, sterno, a candle, warm gloves, a woolen blanket, a telescoping snow shovel, and so on.

1 -- 2004 Honda Element, with all wheel drive and a stick shift.

1 -- 1999 Honda Civic, stick shift, front wheel drive.

No tire chains, because in THAT sort of weather I'll stay home and sip hot buttered rum.

2 -- cell phones, as well as corded phones (them fancy-shmancy cordless don't work if the power fails).

HEAVY coats, hats, parkas, gloves, etc. Also Sorels that are rated well below zero F.

Oh, yeah -- two pairs of cross country skis.

Subject: RE: BS: At Mudcatters' Houses...
From: open mike
Date: 21 Nov 04 - 07:13 PM

mudcat t-shirt in the wardrobe and set of mudcat c.d's in the collection

Subject: RE: BS: At Mudcatters' Houses...
From: Gypsy
Date: 21 Nov 04 - 09:21 PM

I was surprised to read so many references to woodstoves, an item I associate with the most rural settings

Pretty funny, since in my neck of the woods, it is unusual to NOT have a woodstove! And i can still remember when the last of my friends got "indoor" plumbing......quite the party. Oh yeah, no guinny in our house....we've found that people keep better rhythym without it.

Subject: RE: BS: At Mudcatters' Houses...
From: kendall
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 07:04 AM

Abandon all dark clothing ye who enter here. My yellow dog sheds all year around. Furthermore, he is very friendly in spite of what the sign on the door says: BEWARE OF EMOTIONALLY UNSTABLE DOG. He weighs 100 pounds, but he still thinks he is a stole.

Subject: RE: BS: At Mudcatters' Houses...
From: Janie
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 09:12 AM

Inside--complete, total chaos. One bath, but enough privacy to pee in the back yard if need be. Papers, books, music stuff, camping gear, toys, large bags of dried herbs, plants, seed packets, sweetest, smartest mutt in the whole world, and the occasional wren that flies in and hides out for a day.

Outside--wonderful porch, gardens and garden rooms, 3 vehicles that do not run, 2 that do, and one that does sometimes, and three remarkable trees--1 china fir, 1 huge holly and big pecan, plus lots of old boxwoods, nandinas, privets, etc.

The place to visit and make music at my house is OUTSIDE.

Come see me when the weather is fine.

Janie

Subject: RE: BS: At Mudcatters' Houses...
From: Tinker
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 09:46 AM

Inside --complete and total chaos-- Janie dear you will be right at home in my house. 'Cept my garden is pretty much following the same motif. Add four kids and a 100 lbs of mutt who is slightly neuotic (scared of strangers) and ditto on the excess of instruments, books and CD's ... Oh and did I mention the Mister reads four papers a day???

But there are 3.5 bathrooms so we can usually do without the "pee bucket" The woodstove was disconnected when we moved in as the insurance agent said we couldn't prove it was installed to code at the time of installation and it doesn't meet current standards. But it looks good. The house just seems to absorb extra people painlessly. Six or a dozen it doesn't seem to matter. As long as the clutter doesn't send them running...

Subject: RE: BS: At Mudcatters' Houses...
From: SINSULL
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 12:48 PM

We called it the 'alf 'n 'alf bucket - half mine and half the old lady's.
Uncle Joe circa 1957

Subject: RE: BS: At Mudcatters' Houses...
From: SINSULL
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 12:52 PM

Almost total non-sequitur:
Aunt Jen and Uncle Joe had a summer home in the middle of nowhere somewhere in upstate New York. It had an outhouse named "Miss Purity" after a picture that hung there from a calendar - a lovely, scantily clad maiden bathing by a river. Imagine my surprise to find a full size version of Miss Purity in Tinker's upstairs bathroom. Funny coincidence?

Subject: RE: BS: At Mudcatters' Houses...
From: MMario
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 01:05 PM

It's a sign that you should bathe, scantily clad, near rivers.

Subject: RE: BS: At Mudcatters' Houses...
From: Tinker
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 01:20 PM

You mean my hastily framed print Paul Chabas' September Morning ?

Years ago in our first apartment, she was the center of a display in the bathroom where guests could unexpectedly find their butt displayed on the wall from a "candid" photo (fully attired) shot on a previous visit.... Haven't thought about that for years.

Subject: RE: BS: At Mudcatters' Houses...
From: Micca
Date: 22 Nov 04 - 01:59 PM

Tink You have a copy of THE " September Morn" Picture???? and didn't let me see it!!!???? You are a MEANY!!!! I read about the "controversey" surrounding its publication aand always wanted to see the original!