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Carla’s Niche
Avalon Journal
Copyright © 2006 L/L Research
Sunday, October 2, 2005
Hotaru’s Journal
My drive to MN was gladly uneventful. A couple of stops to close my eyes put me at Mom’s front door about 8:15 Friday morning. I was very glad to have stopped before I arrived, as she’s something of a chatterbox. We trotted all over the yard and she pointed out all her planting successes, as well as those areas she wanted to address with me over the weekend.
About noon, she went to work. I ducked into the shower—blessed, HOT water—and headed into town for my chiropractic appointment. Afterward, I did some small grocery shopping at the local market and coop. I got back to the house around 5:00, and curled up for a brief nap before dinner.
Upon arising, mother showed me a newspaper article about a benefit recital being given by a guy I went to high school with. What fun! He was in the grade just following mine, so I cannot claim to have been a classmate, but we did spend two years in the same choir room, and school musicals. I remembered him having a fine tenor voice—though he often clowned around and “helped” the baritones—and a delightful sense of humor. Mother had reported a rough day at work (she teaches preschool), and I nearly chose to stay home so she could relax. However, in the end, my appetite for live music, performed with heart and humor won out. We wolfed down our dinner and dashed off to town again.
Saturday was Mother’s birthday. We diddled with this and that—whatever suited her fancy—for most of the day. Late in the afternoon, as we were—yet again—pruning the wild rose by the front door, my long-time friend Rebecca arrived. The three of us went out for a birthday dinner to close the day.
This morning, I attended church with mother, offering a brief “hello” to people I once knew well. We had lunch at Perkins and spent a couple of hours going over computer stuff. I left at 3:00 for the drive back to Kentucky.
That drive, also, was gladly uneventful. It’s a 10 hour drive (straight through), and with the time change I arrived at 2:00 AM. After a quick check of email, I’ll be ready for bed.
Tomorrow I pick up my step-mom, Kathy, for her visit. Yay! In addition, P returns to Kentucky tomorrow, arriving just a couple of hours after Kathy. I’m looking forward to seeing them both. It’s going to be a fun week.
Monday, October 3, 2005
Ivory’s Journal
Getting Back to Avalon
I was sitting on the Grey Hound bus, staring at the bleak sky of Albuquerque New Mexico thinking about the days to come. Settling back into my seat I had two ex-convicts (4 hours out of prison) pack in next to me.
Conversations ranged from prison brutality, to the various crimes committed to get them in and during their stay.
The bus ride lasted about 9-10 hours instead of the estimated 6-7. Simple reason being the bus driver loved stopping for 30-40 minutes instead of the planned 5-10 minutes. (Resistance anyone?)
I finally pulled into Denver Colorado and departed from the bus. However I was now in a predicament. My check in time for the Hostel where I was staying had already lapsed (it was at 7:30 PM). So I called the nearest Days Inn and started hiking, as I had no money for a cab. At 1 AM, a 65 lb pack later, and 7 miles later I arrived at the Days Inn. Too much Ranchero music in this part of town for my taste, but, the warm shower was very much welcomed.
Morning came and I waited outside for BlueEagle to pick me up. He and I nabbed some breakfast once he showed up.
After that, BlueEagle and I decided to head up to Boulder to do some talking and girl gawking. We threw around a lot of ideas for the Rangers, had fun talking about Avalon and also realized he and I practically knew each other anyways. Basic point, he and I had a lot of fun! It was also a very productive time spent, too. If you have ever wondered about “counterparts” he and I would fulfill that definition. The weekend we had for visiting with each other was abruptly made very difficult! BlueEagle’s car broke down just 2 hours after he dropped me off that night. He called me so we could figure out how we would get together the next day (also the last day), and went down the list. The buses weren’t running on Sundays, his car was broken down, his sister’s car was broken down, all of his friends had gone out of town on some school event, and none of his parents were at the house. I also did not have the budget for a Taxi cab out to his place. So in light of no better options, we decided to hang loose. Now I have to make note: that was the worst amount of resistance I have received in a VERY long time. He and I really stirred up the situation.
My airplane from Denver to Louisville Kentucky was leaving at 6 AM on Monday morning. So Sunday night BlueEagle called me and gave me the info for taking the bus to the airport, we talked a bit about what happened and he checked my flight info for me.
The plan, for me, was to hike BACK to downtown Denver where the bus stop was. Take the bus to the airport, and then get on the airplane. To time it all correctly BlueEagle had found a convenient 3:25 AM bus departure time for the Airport, as that would put me in approximately 1 hour before my flight.
So at 11:30 PM I made the gruesome hike from my hotel to the downtown Denver bus stop. It was maybe 38 degrees out that night, and my heavy pack wasn’t helping with the sweat freezing on my back. I finally arrived at the stop and pulled out my fleece pants and fleece jacket to keep warm.
My plans to sleep on the bench till the bus arrived were interrupted by an attending short, skinny, homeless ex-convict who was jacked on speed. So instead of sleeping, I spent the 3 hours I had from 12:30 till 3:45 listening to my new found buddy on subjects ranging from sex (and how to avoid it) with transvestites, cheat codes for his Game Boy, and the best spots in the city for sleeping. He was interrupted mid sentence in his less-than inspiring life story by a bus driving up on the stop. I looked at my phone which said: 3:26 AM and stared at the bus as it trucked on past, whilst the driver rubber necked me, as if he was thinking-”Hahaha, now you have to WALK!”
On that note, I waited thirty more minutes till I figured it wasn’t a fluke, my bus had driven right by with me standing at the stop in plain view. So I called a cab, very chagrinned and the companion I had that whole time decided to go find a place to sleep.
I finally made it to the airport in one piece, but very cold, as my driver had some fetish for driving the cab with ALL the windows down and the vents turned on COLD. He of course, looked like a wooly mammoth with the jacket we was wearing …
I got inside the airport, and there was no Southwest terminal! So very confused and grumpy (no sleep and more resistance than Genghis Kahn) I called BlueEagle at 4:45 AM. He looked up my flight info online again and swore it said Southwest. So another 15 minutes went by and we decided ATA was what I should look for even though it still said Southwest. Looking for the ATA terminal, I found that not only was my flight leaving with the ATA terminal, Southwest is a subsidiary of ATA and Orbitz had failed to inform me of this. Sprinting, I got my ticket and made it through security (which was less than fun). I finally got on the airplane, vindicated I overcame the obstacles the darklighters threw at me and prepared to sleep.
Then a voice came over the intercom, “Folks, this is your captain. We seem to be having computer problems and may have to reboot the airplane, so hang in there and we will be in the air shortly.”
45 minutes later and seven reboots later, “Okay folks, we will do this one more time just in case.”
After that, we took off and safely made the connection into Chicago. From there it went smoothly, I had finally made it over the hump.
Back in Kentucky and greeted at the security check point, I gave Hotaru a large hug and began the description of events.
Tuesday, October 4, 2005
Ivory’s Journal
I am back in Avalon, last night I spent alone here with her. Avalon was quite happy to receive me, and made sure I could feel it. I am also quite happy to be so welcomed by the land and her tenants, as this place is home for me and hope to take care of her as much as she has for me.
I awoke as usual to the sun rising over the trees. I had spent the night in the shack and had Mocha sprawled out on my rear (I was sleeping on my stomach with my legs spread) with her front paws on my legs and her head on my bum.
I got a morning snack and waited for LoneBear to arrive. He got down here, and we had a lengthy talk about the physics of Larson, the Rangers, the various different races on earth and spiral dynamics as it is related to the sub densities of 3rd density.
After watching Mocha chew on grass and get spooked by grass hoppers we decided to head into town to pick up some groceries and materials for the renovation on the shack.
We picked up two new windows, insulation, a stapler and staples. We also found (thankfully before we left) one of the windows had been broken, and it would take about two weeks for a new one to arrive. After that, we made a quick stop at LoneBear’s and D’s home to pick up some books from his library for me.
So we headed back to the shack, we unloaded everything and soon Hotaru and her step-mother arrived as well. We sat and talked on the porch for a little while after that and then LoneBear went back to D’s for some sleep. Hotaru and I on the other hand couldn’t stop talking till two in the morning.
Wednesday, October 5, 2005
Ivory’s Journal
Wednesday began with my cooking the girls a breakfast of Corned beef, eggs, green chili, and cheddar cheese around the time when LoneBear arrived.
Right after we went into working mode. Kathy and I proceeded to move all the rotting wood off the side of the house to a spot on the other side of the access road. After which we worked together on taking down the very annoying chimney, which was more of an acrobatics trick 12 feet in the air than anything else.
During all of this, the moving of the rotted wood gave LoneBear enough room to work on the very poor window on the south facing side of the shack in the main bedroom … of which he did an AWESOME job, for the shack was giggling like a little girl. You could even slide the bottom part up for ventilation, as it had a screen. I took out the old one, the old framing and stuck in the brand new window we picked up from Lowe’s.
The work day concluded with my assembly of a truss for the vines to climb up. To which end Kathy also helped me while I was screwing it into the house.
J had also been down earlier during the day, and mowed all the grass on Avalon. She looks quite clean and happy with that done.
After that all of us sat around on the porch and outside a bit, talking, until Hotaru decided to take us all out to dinner as a treat (Thank You!) to Schiff’s Diner (? or something).
On the way there we took two cars, and I discussed with LoneBear the differences of ethnic backgrounds and sub density relationships with it.
Then Kathy and I piled into Hotaru’s little car and drove back to the shack. The three of us talked for a short bit, and then the two girls went into the office to watch BattleStar Galactica, while I sat and contemplated many things in the candle light on the porch. I soon retired to the loft in the shed and dove into “A primer on Jungian psychology” from which I couldn’t tear myself away from till maybe three in the morning.
All in all, an extremely productive day.
Thursday, October 6, 2005
Ivory’s Journal
I awoke at 9pm sharp and headed into the Shack. I had a bowl of cereal with the girls and then we all got to work. Hotaru was working on the foamboard in the office (she is quite amazing at fitting every little nook and cranny), Kathy worked on some extensive gardening (looks quite amazing on the eastern side of the Shack now).
I was working on digging a trench from the shed to the tree in front of the shack for a power plug outlet, so the light shining on the tree could be powered easily. The axe pick came in quite handy for this job, as I thought for some reason we were using the drainage pipes to run the electrical wiring in the trench. So I made the trench deep, and the clay was no fun to hack through either.
Then LoneBear showed up, and said, “Oh, it doesn’t need to be that deep, and why do you have the drainage pipes out?”
So all in all it turns out, I had to use the small, gray pipes instead. So, I laid the pipes, stuffed the wiring in, cemented the pipes together, and wired the wire to the shed. From there I measured a square piece of compression treated board cut it, and staked a stake in by the tree to mount the back board. Then I mounted the board, and the plastic socket holding piece to it. I wired the socket up, screwed that it, and mounted the face plate then finished with sealing the top hole on the outlet box.
Very proud with myself for accomplishing a project that I hadn’t done before, I retired to the porch.
You see, I grew up on a ranch in Nevada, and lived on it ‘til I was ten. Doing rudimentary chores and projects, my father never allowed me to really go wild because I was so young. I always watched him using the chainsaw, or wiring up the house, or building something but never got to partake in anything more than handing him nails and watching. So here at Avalon I really get to do the things that before I only got to watch. Like the chainsaw, or electrical wiring for the shack and shed. I have learned an enormous amount here too, and, I know I will continue to learn.
From there LoneBear and I talked some more, while Hotaru showed Kathy the creek, and caught glimpses of interesting bugs. We also had some good laughs at Mocha and her silliness in the grass while LoneBear gave her scritches.
Then the night of laughing arrived. The girls and I were talking about different kinds of toilet paper for use in the wilderness, and I had said the third best kind was moss. Kathy misheard me, sat forward, looked at me with a serious face and said, disgustedly, “A MOUSE!?” Hotaru couldn’t stop laughing. Then it turned into dominoes, and we ended up laughing about tangents of it for hours during the night.
Friday, October 7, 2005
Ivory’s Journal
Today has been raining quite a bit, I woke up pretty late due to it, as the amount of work is going to be limited.
I stumbled into the Shack where the girls where preparing for their excursion into town to have a “silly day.” I talked with Hotaru some about what needs to get done, and concluded I would catch up on books and computer stuff. So far I have been writing my journals, posting, and reading.
Will write more if it gets more exciting than that.
Saturday, October 8, 2005
Ivory’s Journal
After the rainy day on Saturday it has been pretty cold (humid cold) so my project for the day was to take off the window and loose boards on the east facing side of the shack.
I got it all off and ready for the putty removal. I got the putty removed and cracked the first window (very flimsy pieces, as glass, combined with my not properly doing it, didn’t add up to a FULL piece of glass …). Putty removed on the second pane and successfully pulled that piece out without breakage, Kathy was helping me do that.
Then it was time to measure and cut the frame to fit the place it was supposed to go. Well, without thinking I smashed it up, trying to separate the pieces to cut it.
So, I ended up gluing all of the little shards back together and letting them sit.
Sunday, October 9, 2005
Ivory’s Journal
Well, I got up slightly late with the girls, who took off fairly soon for L/L. Said goodbye to Kathy and got right to work putting my freshly glued frame back together. I fitted it all then cut it the way I SHOULD HAVE in the first place. I test fitted all the pieces and felt proud to have fixed the broken hardware.
However, LoneBear came by just in time. We got most of the pieces screwed in right, but a few of them had to be specially cut, as they weren’t fitting flush against the other piece. So I used the reciprocating saw and got them to fit nice and snug, then we screwed it all together and stuck it in the shack!! Again I was proud, even though I am pretty much learning all of this anew from LoneBear I still feel proud I did it.
After that I put silicone gel in the spacey cracks of the window for weatherproofing and insulating. Then it was time to cut the left over glass to fit the window!! So I measured the dimensions and LoneBear and I got setup to cut the glass. It was a close call, too, because there was a little crack on the window and we barely missed it.
We cut the glass but found it wouldn’t break after cutting it, which was odd. So we gave up and decided we would just buy two new panes. Going to measure it, we found I had been wrong with my measurements, so it wouldn’t have worked ANYway. Boy, I am learning so much out here through little mistakes like that…
The whole day we had been burning a lot of the junk in the fire pit as well. So after an unsuccessful trip to Lowes (their glass cutter is broken) we came back to a smoldering fire. Threw more wood on it, and the two of us sat on the bench with the fire talking and thinking (again I learned A LOT) till about 10 PM.
Monday, October 10, 2005
Ivory’s Journal
Today, I got up late again, for I stayed up the other night writing down notes and such.
When LoneBear came down he got started on sanding and repainting the Avalon sign and working on the tractor, while I got to start on the ladder for the shed up to the loft.
I measured everything out perfectly, cut the wood just right, and started nailing. Once I was finished, I found my 5 bottom steps were aligned quite well, however the top ones were severely crooked (looked like a tree house ladder). But I got it screwed into the shack with little difficulty. LoneBear and I also found that the floor may be sagging because one of the supporting bars on the left is lower than the right.
Soon, I figure I will pull it out, disassemble it and re-nail those top steps, as it looks really annoying. But for now, priority is to get the Shack and Shed insulated for winter.
After all of that, and LoneBear figured out his electrical problem on the tractor, we sat some more talking (with the fire of course) while Mocha came out to joins us.
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Hotaru’s Journal
Where did the week go? WOW. It’s just … gone!
Kathy and P arrived last Monday. It was wonderful to see them again. I saw P just a couple weeks ago, when I drove him TO the airport. Then, he was a bit melancholy, knowing he had to go home but not wanting to. This time he was grinning and enthusiastic. He had a heck of a time getting here—it seems to be a theme—but he persevered. We sat down to lunch there at the airport while awaiting the arrival of Kathy’s plane. She arrived on time, and I think I tried to hug the breath out of her. I hadn’t seen her in about a year, and she’s one of my all-time favorite people.
We headed back to Camelot, where we found Bear waiting. I dug out the receipt he needed to claim our windows (ordered for the Shack), and then while P got a shower, we—Kathy, Bear and I—ran some errands. Bear took P up to Avalon, along with a couple boxes of things from Camelot, thus saving my little mustang from major cramming.
In all the ruckus, I’d gotten NO bookkeeping done. So, Kathy and I stayed the night and most of Tuesday to allow me to do that. Kathy treated Carla and me to a scrumptious lunch down at Captain’s Quarters on the Ohio River. Yum! Carla and I used the time to have our weekly planning session. Kathy was unfailingly gracious.
Late in the afternoon, we finally got down to Avalon. We spent Wednesday and Thursday engaging in Avalon projects: moving old firewood, replacing windows, putting up and painting new framing around the new windows, and the ever-present clean-up.
Friday, we were going to try to do silly girl-stuff, maybe drive down to Mammoth Cave or a winery or museum. Knowing Kathy appreciated sushi, I stopped in Louisville to treat her to a sushi lunch (though she paid half). Sitting there at the sushi bar, we saw on the television there was a really bad accident on southbound I-65, tying up traffic in both directions (I found out later that 8 or 9 people had died there.) So, we settled in to enjoy our food, and decided to check out a couple local shops in which Kathy was interested.
Saturday we worked on the last foamboard in the office. Kathy wielded a hammer, pulling old staples, pounding protruding nails, and generally trying to get the worst warps out of the walls. I came along behind, cutting, fitting and gluing foamboard. Without her help, I would not have finished in one afternoon. It looks great, and feels better.
Sunday we drove back to Camelot, gloried in hot showers and participated in the Sunday Meditation meeting. All in all a very pleasant day. We spent the night and set our cel-phone alarms to get us up for the trip to the airport in the morning.
We got Kathy checked in at the airport in time to enjoy a real breakfast before she had to go through security. What a wonderful way to close the visit! Good food, good conversation, wonderful companionship.
Then, she was off, and I headed back to Camelot to do the bookkeeping. It turned out Carla had an appointment on Tuesday she needed me to attend, so I spent the night again. I tackled a couple more small Camelot projects while I was there, and sat with C today for the private channeling session.
It is good to be back at Avalon. It’s only been 2 1/2 days, but I MISS it, here!
October 14, 2005
Carla’s Journal
It was a glorious autumn day for a drive up to Milton, KY, to meet with LoneBear for a planning session. We had an excellent, lengthy session and on the way home I stopped by Avalon to say hello to Avalon and its workers. Two new Sugar Shack windows greeted me! One can even be opened. Hotaru was staple-gunning and measuring foamboard as busy as a bee in the bedroom while Parnell and Romi were just as busy outdoors clearing and burning scrap materials not suitable for chipping, in this case a stash of old bedding discovered in the rafters of the Shack. They had long ago been destroyed by field mice, which had used them for nests, toilets and food. I am sure the place feels and smells a bit cleaner now! Since the kitties, Mocha and Shawnee, arrived at the farm, the evidence of field mice around the Shack has all but disappeared.
Avalon herself was alive and vibrant and when I asked how she was, her burst of joyful energy was so strong, it rocked me back. It was a delightful visit! I sat by the fire and sang to Avalon for a while before heading for home up the hill, which was awash in violet-colored wild asters. It is wonderful to see the old Sugar Shack becoming more useful for housing Hotaru this winter. Much needs doing yet, but with the office now foamboarded and repairs to windows and stove ongoing, the Sugar Shack is growing more useful by the day, a grand improvement from the days when the walls leaked air like a sieve and the roof dripped in countless puddles whenever it rained. The crew has put coats of sealant on the roof to correct the leaks. Next will come shoring up the Ute’s walls with foamboard for Parnell’s winter sleeping. As to Bear, that winter sleeping arrangement still needs to be created. Spirit undoubtedly has plans in mind! They are awaited with eagerness.
The access road shows tremendous improvement from all the repair work, backhoe widening and drainage pipes and culverts laid. Stanley no longer is challenged to get back up Avalon Hill! Bear tells me that laying two more drainage pipes and widening one more curve should see the bulk of needed repair work done prior to the gravelling of the road. Every effort is being made to complete these repairs before the pleasant weather breaks. That break to true winter can hold off well into December here in Kentucky and we hope it will this year!
Bear also showed me a new property which has come up for sale across from the Kidwell property which abuts Avalon’s acreage. It is a tidy, new home with a pool and considerable land for about $98,000. I hope it sells to a friend of Avalon and L/L Research!
I sang to Avalon some private feelings today.
Let all mortal flesh keep silence and in fear and trembling stand.
Ponder nothing earthly-minded, for with blessing in His hand,
Christ our God to Earth descended, our full homage to demand.
King of Kings, yet born of Mary, as of old on Earth He stood,
Lord of Lords in human vesture. With the body and the blood
He will give to all the faithful His own Self for heavenly food.
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child, and a long, long way from my home.
Sometimes I feel like a feather in the wind, and a long, long way from my home.
Sometimes I feel like I’m almost gone, and a long, long ways from my home.
I had a little nut tree and nothing would it bear
Except a silver nutmeg and a golden pear.
The King of Spain’s daughter came to visit me,
And all for the sake of my little nut tree.
I dance over water. I skip over sea.
And all the birds in the air couldn’t catch me!
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