Electrical system's been on the fritz around here since we've been trying to introduce the new batteries we salvaged to the house's electrical system. Jack's been muttering something about resistance or somesuch. I understand simple circuits but the battery system that we charge off those solar panels and the generator on the windmill that runs the well pump is admittedly a bit beyond me.
July 4th came and went - this year we celebrated by breaking out an assortment of Jack's weapon collection, some of the ammo stores we had been saving for barter, and the last of our fresh targets, and took them down to the little gully Jack turned into a gun range. It took us a lot of explaining and cajoling to get Annabelle to take that first shot...
But that was all it took. Girl took to a firearm like a fish to water. She might even be a better shot then me. After morning chores for the past few days she's been going down to the gully to shoot about twenty rounds. Jack will probably let her do that for another couple days, then give her what he calls a 'combat load' of ammo and it'll just be added to her usual kit. The extra 1911 commander model, and a 20 inch AR-15 will be her responsability, and probably a fair amount of her 'pay' for the work she's been doing.
I'm just glad she's learning to defend herself. I haven't talked about Bottineau much because we only go there now and again, and I honestly haven't paid all that much attention to the little town. We go during market days, barter our wares for things we need, then we go home. I've always thought it looked well defended and everyone we ever dealt with there had a firearm, just like us so I never really thought about it.
Annabelle's started to open up since Jack spent the 4th teaching her to shoot, and from the looks from Jack, he's not surprised at all. Guess I need to pay more attention.
Aparently there are two types of people in Bottineau, those with the guns, and those without. Those without are expected to work rather hard, mostly for the benifit of those with. In return they get a meager stypend of food, and 'protection' from the rigors of this world. I suppose from a certain point of view that wouldn't be such a bad system. But I'm so used to earning my keep *and* protecting myself that I can't imagine life under that system - it sounds downright cruel, listening to Annabelle tell it. Jack has reminded me that its not our business how other people chose to live, but I can tell it bugs him none the less.
That said, its not like we can just stop trading with Bottineau, without the outside goods we get there, we'd have to travel much farther to get the things we need - or find ways to create them ourselves. And thats not going to work out.
But I don't like what I've been hearing about our southern neighbor at all. I'm definately not going to go into there quite so careless next time.
We got the HAM radio back up last night, along with the lights and the computer, and Jack did his thing, listening to other HAM people report this or that, and then he got a message that perked him right up. Seems some folk from another part of Dakota have decided that the getting's good to move. Got the feeling he knows em pretty good, and he mentioned we might be seeing some new faces in a few days.
Not sure exactly what that means for our little farm - but if Jack thinks their good people, mayhap the Nelson's tragedy will have an upswing... and maybe I won't have to trampse over there every other day to look in on the place.
I guess we'll see.
Jack is very wise if he's bothered by the situation in Bottineau. It reminds me too much of this one. Not that we're unarmed. We've got a household rifle for wild animals and such. I know how to use it. My father insisted. We're too remote to not protect ourselves from wild animals.
ReplyDeleteGrandma has been spending more time lately outside talking to one or another of the gang. I don't altogether like it. Sometimes she glances back towards the house as if she's looking for me, or at me, and I get a weird feeling.
I can't figure her out. One moment she goes on about freedom and the ability to make your own way and how lovely that is, and the next moment she's telling me that I should learn how to keep house and arrange the food we cook properly and pour tea and marry someone who is rich and important. My father told me once that Grandma is a "first generation immigrant", but he didn't tell me what that meant.
She's been more interested lately in making sure that I remember my tea etiquette. I don't see why I have to be so careful about it. There's nobody around except for her and my mom.
I just realized that I hadn't mentioned my mom yet and you probably thought she was dead. Well, sometimes I wonder. She's had a hard life. There are a few gravestones out back, and many of them belong to brothers and sisters that I should have had. She called me her little miracle. When my little brother died a few years ago, he was a couple of weeks old, she just kind of blanked out and she's been that way ever since. My grandmother told me that the others were born dead, and then my father scolded her because he said I was too young to hear about things like that. Like I said, it was a few years ago.
Mom will do helpful things if she's prompted. If you hand her knitting needles, she'll knit. If you lead her to the sink and hand her a cloth, she'll start washing dishes and not stop until it's done. But otherwise it's like she isn't even here.
Anyways, Grandma is all bent on making sure I know all the housekeeping stuff, and
I just had a really weird thought. She keeps talking about a girl marrying someone rich and powerful, and then she keeps making me remember how to serve tea and such, and now she's spending all this extra time meeting with gang people even though we paid our monthly tax already.
I really, really hope my father sails home soon.