Howdy everybody! It seems like a long time since I added a blog post so I'm catching you up now on my Fall.
I've been staying at J + J Ranch, an old mining property recently acquired by some friends of friends (and now friends of mine) southwest of Tucson maybe 30 miles as the crow flies and 50 miles-ish by road, most of which is paved except for the final 8 miles, for most of the last 6 weeks or so, helping with some construction projects when J + J come down on weekends and working on my book most of the time when they don't. (The book is actually coming along quite nicely in the last couple weeks, I'm pleased to say! It's great having peace and quiet and no internet connection so I get so bored I actually have to work on writing!)
We have been enclosing the large wrap-around porch of the house with framing to support bug screens and animal wire to keep out insects and predators which might go after the owners' dogs. When that is done there seems to be the possibility of several other projects so I might be able to continue as writer-in-residence for a little longer yet.
I don't have a phone connection at the main house (as I mentioned above) so most days I drive a short distance (taking the car just so I have somewhere to sit out of the wind) in the late afternoon to stream the news and download podcasts (which I can then listen to back at the house) and make my moves in my online chess games and check the weather forecast and practice Spanish on Duolingo and catch up with texts and emails. It's working out quite well.
The weather has been pretty cool, though not unseasonable, recently (lows in the mid 30s although the house retains heat inside averaging probably a pretty constant 50 over the course of the day, though outside usually gets much warmer, especially in the sunshine), occasionally windy, and with sprinkles on two different nights. We got the old solar system working to the extent that it can charge my devices, run the pump (so there's running water and a flushing toilet. Luxury!) and generally keep the refrigerator going about 12 hours each day. I think the problem is that the panels are very old (like 20 years) and have lost much of their effectiveness.
Other than that I've been reading, watching Netflix, and painting my "skull" (see pictures, link below).
I hope you've been having a fun and healthy Autumn and I wish everyone Happy Holidays and a Joyous New Year!
