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LIFE

Chapter 32

I should have known our luck was not going to hold out for long. We got a call that there was a severe bout of snow, and more cold weather was coming our way. I was hoping to get an airlift of supplies flown in this week. Looked like I was going to have to make that call sooner, and hope to get it quickly. We were getting kind of low on a lot of grocery supplies, and if I could drive into Fairbanks I would do it. The road conditions were not favorable enough to risk it.

So, I ask the ladies to get me an inventory of what we got on hand, even the contents in the freezers. I ask Alice to run, and check the contents in the trailers, too. About an hour later they hand me a sheet that looks pretty pathetic. I can not believe we are this low on supplies.

I open my laptop looking for a large grocery distributor in Seattle, and I can't find anything. I'm not sure where Jason has been going for my supplies, and I was trying to avoid calling him. Looks like I really have no choice, but I'll call those guys to see about a delivery as soon as possible.

I type up a list of supplies I need in an email to send to Jason, and then give him a call. Once he answers I tell him I tried to do it myself, but wasn't sure of the companies he used. I told him to go ahead, and get what I sent him in the email, and I would call to see when they could pick it up for delivery to me.

I called Phillip Marks, and asked him when he could deliver me some supplies. I told him I had already called my lawyer to get the supplies together, and delivered to the usual airfield. Phillip said he could do it this evening, and if not ready he could do it first thing in the morning. I told him just to arrange it for then. We were going to have to improvise about his drop off spot, as we were unable to reach any of the big equipment to clear any areas.

He told me to get some flares, and find a spot as close to the building as possible, and he would just drop off the supplies without landing. He said to get it as close as possible to the building so it would be easier for us to unload. I told him alright, and I would just look for him in the morning. He said it would be around eight thirty, but depended on the weather. When he got close enough he would give me a call.

I turned right around telling Jason what he said, and he assured me everything would be there ready to go.

I went in search of Edward, Emmett, or someone to see if they could find me some flares. I came upon Sean, and Paul so I asked them to see if they could be a help. They said to give them a little bit, and they would have some flares. They came back in an hour, and had about twenty flares for me. We sat them near the back doors for in the morning.

The ladies were cooking up a potato salad, corn on the cob, and marinating quite a few racks of ribs; assorted deer, bear, and beef. They made a BBQ sauce from someone's home recipe. It smelled wonderful. Maggie was talking about using a bunch of the fresh fruit to make a bunch of pies, as the fruit was starting to go bad. So, dinner was taken care of, laundry was caught up, everything that could be checked on was done.

I was bored, so I decided to take my babies for a walk while we were able too. I put on my coat, gloves, put leashes on all my babies, picked up Lise, and off we went or a walk. It felt good to just get away from everything. I was getting an idea what the winters were going to be like. I just hoped we had good springs, summers, and falls. I wanted to work with my horses, and hopefully by the second, or third year be able to do some breeding.

We walked down to their trees, and then took off down towards the lake. It is so very beautiful, and partially frozen. I was hoping to find more water sources on the land I bought. There didn't seem to be a problem finding the water to dig wells. I've already got three, but I need quite a few more from different parts of the land. I definitely need one down where I'm having the heifer sheds.

I look down at Baxter, and he is growling like crazy. I turn around looking to see what has him stirred up. I see a mountain lion in the trees right off from the lake, and I turn a bit more I see Edward, Sean, and Paul with rifles pointed at it. Edward motions for me to stay still, and then...the next thing I see is the lion leaping through the air straight at me. I hear three shots, and the lion almost falls at my feet.

I'm almost hyperventilating, Baxter is about out of my hands, and my other babies are just whimpering. All three men run up just as my knees give out on me. Paul leans down checking the cat, and no heart beat. Edward barely caught me, and Sean grabs Baxter. Paul is standing over us looking out over the landscape.

A few other men came running out when they heard the shots, so a few came down to help. One of them grabbed the cat taking it up towards the building. It got pretty chewed up by three shots, but they were going to see what they could do with it. Edward had picked me up in his arms, and the rest took my dogs taking them indoors.

We all head indoors, and Edward places me in a chair near the fire. I try to assure him I'm alright, but he won't listen. He takes my coat off, rubbing my arms, gives me a glass of orange juice to help my shock. It was pretty scary, but I had one of my rifles with me. I'm not that crazy. Baxter jumps up sniffing, whimpering, so I give him some loving. I know he would have jumped on that cat, and that's scary itself. All my babies want attention, so I take a few minutes to love on them. I know they were scared, too.

"Baby, are you alright? Sean came, and told me you were wanting flares. I was fixing to take a break, so I came back, and you were gone. I walked up front coming outside. I grabbed a rifle, and only got a few steps when I saw that mountain lion. I called for help, so Sean and Paul came running. Damn love, your a danger magnet sometimes. I swear, I can't leave you for very long. Something always trying to take you away from me."

"Are you sure your alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine. I was just shocked to turn around seeing that, and then the three of you with guns pointed at it. Just a little to much. I'm fine, really."

"So, tell me about why you need flares," and I explained about the air delivery of supplies coming in the morning around eight thirty, or so. Phillip said to lay some flares as close to the building, and he would just set it down as close as possible."

They already know about the weather we got coming at us, so they are getting things taken care of. They were checking the generators, the propane tanks, and making sure everyone had enough fire wood handy. Jake's yurts were very warm. They had a plastic sheet that covered the frame, and then a big canvas outer layer. Then it was all held down with deep spikes, and it was very nice.

Well, we're all set for tomorrow, and this coming weather.

ANOTHER TIME JUMP

Time For Some Developing Excitement

My God, I have never been so glad to finally see the snow melting away. We can finally get to work on getting this ranch up, and running. We had a very rough winter, with tons of snow, and unrelenting temperatures. We had breaks in between some of the blizzards, where we were able to do some work clearing places on the property. We needed the wood for fire wood, or turning it into lumber to help us build.

The guys were getting up early to start preparing the land so they could start pouring the foundations for the many buildings. They were starting with the individual cabins for the employees, then the foundations for my house, horse barn, and storage building.

They were finally able to get the big machines out of the snow, and had been moving a lot of trees, and earth. They were preparing the areas for the twenty five employee cabins. They had to dig down seven inches, laying three inches of gravel. Then they had an army of cement trucks coming in to start pouring concrete for the foundations.

Once the concrete was poured, leveled even, they had to wait at least seven days before they could start to build. It takes thirty days for concrete to totally cure. This means the concrete is at it's strongest. I was totally learning a lot of new things. I had been looking on line at some different horse barn plans. I found one I really liked. It was for twenty stalls, but it could be extended to a hundred stalls easily.

I was also considering building single bedrooms for people that were only looking for temporary jobs, to live in them. They would be singles in the loft of the horse barn, along with a small laundry room. I was having twenty five employee two bedroom cabins built. I was also considering another five more being built down near the heifer sheds. I am still debating buying between one hundred fifty to three hundred head of cattle. It just depends a lot on my employees, and having enough people working for me.

But, things were starting to come together, and I could hardly wait. I needed to call the Alaska 511 information line that could give me info on road conditions. I was thinking about taking the Kodiak into Fairbanks, but would not risk it if the roads were still bad.

I talked to Emmett, and he has about five dump trucks coming in with gravel. Then, by this time next week there would be a parade of cement trucks coming in, and then the fun would begin.

The ladies are having a ball. They can finally make more use out of the fire pit out front. They were wanting to BBQ some chicken, and pork chops. They were making au gratin potatoes, peas with baby onions, buttermilk crescent rolls, and Maggie was making a multi-layered chocolate cake, along with a coconut cake. We were going to have a wonderful dinner.

My babies had been having fun for the past few days. Baxter even, stupid dang dog, tried to jump in the lake. It's still partially frozen, but he managed to get in for a few minutes. Crazy dog, still to cute ! Sasha, and Lise had no plans of joining him. The looks on their faces. To funny!

Edward had been working so hard. He has been driving the one dump truck we got, bringing trees up to Jasper, and Peter to run through the saw mill. We have already had to replace the saw blade once, and looking at having to do it again real soon.

Jake, and his men were really making a dent in the tree lines. I was trying to picture where the buildings were going to go, and I was fixing to recommend Jake move his men up on the little hill, and start cutting down those trees about three deep. That should get the tree line back enough that men riding on horses guarding my horses, and cattle should be able to see anything coming out at them. They would be riding with rifles regardless.

Gianna came by to tell me she reached a friend of her's that would like to talk to me about the job of being my house keeper. She told me her name was Angela Webber, and she was a very sweet dependable woman. She was like Gianna, and Leah, just looking for a better paying job. She gave me her phone number, and email address so I could contact her when I got ready.

Emmett was having some more big equipment brought in, so they could start on the house, and horse barn. I just needed to decide where this barn was going to go, and how many stalls I was wanting.

When they got the cabins built, and habitable, they were looking into getting the foundation poured for the storage building. They would then move the building we were living in to it, and that would be my storage building.

The lumber they were making at the mill was going to go pretty much for the interiors of the cabins. Emmett wanted me to look into a prefab beginning horse barn. I told him I already had floor plans for it, but it was going to need to be heavily insulated with multiple heating units to keep the horses warm especially in the winter.

It was getting awfully late, the ladies were already cooking on the fire pit, and everything else was being cooked in the ovens. Maggie made the cakes, and was in the process of cooking the crescent rolls. Gianna, and Leah were out at the fire pit cooking the chicken, and pork chops.

Here comes my baby, Edward. He looks so tired...and definitely dirty. My God! Didn't matter, I would still eat him alive. Mine! He was walking towards me, gave me a wink, and that lopsided smile. Devil! Oh hell no. You better get your ass over there, and wash up before you even think of touching me.

I so want a kiss, but I don't want all that dirt on me. He get's washed up, beats off some of the dirt, comes over grabbing me pulling me close, and kisses the daylights out of me. "Hey baby. I've missed you." I so need to look into getting him some chaps.

"Missed you to, love. Whydon't you go take a shower. The girls still have about thirty minutes until everything is done. Go on, love," as I push him towards the trailer. "I'm going to help them set the table, and everything. Hurry now," giving him a kiss as he leaves.

Not even thirty minutes go by as I'm setting plates, and stuff on the tables someone comes up behind me kissing on my neck. I turn around, and it's my very clean baby. "How about a kiss now. I'm good, and clean." He continues to kiss on my neck, up to my ear lobe. I wrap my arms around his neck, into his hair pulling him in close. We kiss for a few minutes, trying to consider everyone else probably watching.

I give him one more kiss, and tell him, "You can count on us continuing this later, alright?"

"Definitely, love," as he goes to sit down. The ladies start to bring all the food over to the tables. Gianna, and Leah bring in the chicken, and pork chops. Alice has the crescent rolls, and Maggie, along with Esme are bringing over au gratin potatoes. Alice brings over green peas with baby onions, and everyone goes to making their plates.

I get a couple spoons of potatoes, and a big piece of chicken cutting it up for my babies. I mix it all together, dishing some up for each one of them. It sit it down, and they go to town on it. Dang, someone must have been hungry.

I fix Edward, and I a plate. He get's us both a glass of sweet tea. My baby barely sat down before he was already eating. He was apparently very hungry, too. I reach over getting him another piece of chicken, and some more potatoes. He didn't even stop eating. I just laughed at him. I run my fingers down his cheek, leaned over kissing him on it saying, "I love you."

He just smiles looking at me, "Love you to baby."

Dinner starts to wind down, dishes being taken to the sink, and Maggie brings over the cakes. Alice, and Esme behind her with plates, and flatware. I ask Edward which one he wanted, and he wants some chocolate. I reach over getting him a slice, along with a fork, and he practically inhales it. I got me a small slice of coconut, and it was wonderful.

We got all the leftovers put up, dishes washed, everything wiped down, and everyone was winding down.

I mentioned to Jake about moving up on the little hill, and to start cutting down trees three deep. Also to be sure to take some rifles in case there were any animals a little to inquisitive.

I talked to Emmett, and told him I didn't care what it cost. That if there was something he needed to accomplish what I wanted, to just let me know, and it would happen.

I also talked to Sean about his position, and he would be kind of like an assistant to Edward. That Edward was the head foreman, and it was pretty much what he said goes.

Yes, I was planning on a future with Edward. A very permanent future. Forever...

Well, we're finally going to see the ranch come to life. It has started, and I can hardly wait to see it. I have done a lot of research, and if I were a LOT younger, I would work my ass off to make something like this my dream.

Please let me know what ya'll think.

Thanks muches...