stories4

My Cat Orion

Back in 2014,I had adopted an orange tabby from
the animal shelter and he cost $150 as he needed
to be fixed and chipped.

The next day i went to get him and he had to be in a
box to get him home and was told he couldn't go outside
for 12 days so he could heal up plus he needed to stamp
new home into his head.

Upon arriving he was pretty scared and immediately
climbed the ladder into the loft and hid among the boxes.
I headed off to Poker at the lodge and returned late in
the evening and found he had used the litter box.

I made his bowls with food and water and went into the loft
to greet him.
Well he came out from behind the boxes and in a lightning
flash tagged my arm with his teeth and thats how we became
friends...And he would bite me everyday afterwards as he
wanted something,so we were trying to read each other...

He soon started sleeping on the bed and thats cuddle time
but then theres play time..."catch the hand" and boy did he..
I had to let him win anyways cuz if I didn't he would get
really pissed and throw his ears back and then I was in trouble.

He eats his food and drinks his water and demands his window
is always open so he can come and go as he pleased,after all
it was his house too.

I had a computer table set up along the wall with a big 42 inch
tv as a computer monitor but he ended up knocking it over trying
to open the window so i downgraded to a 32 inch and that worked
out better....

We got used to each others company pretty quick and as it turned
out he was quite bossy....Meow Meow Meow as he would say and he
loved toys and all the attention I would give him.

Orion loved going outside and would spend all day hunting and
carrying on with a few feral ladies meaning they were wild.
He had several girlfriends over the years and most notably a
black and white cat i called Daisy. He was with her for 2 years
before outside life did her in. I would put food and water out for
her and she would come within 20 feet of me but no further.
She never would come inside.

In 2021 my friend Miss Kelly gave me her grandfathers computer
desk with cd trays built in which i took out and set up my speakers
and held my NAS,Network attached storage device "synology"...

At some point as i recall I built him a landing at the window with
a piece of plywood and shelving bracket and placed a clean towel
on it for comfort at the suggestion of a friend so he could have every
thing he wanted. He could have his high spot and look out the
window and be next to me....One thing he was constantly doing
was laying across the desk in front of the keyboard telling me
he wanted his rubs and tickles which i gave him whenever he
wanted and the landing solved this.

He has been with me for 10 years and we adore each other.
His landing is still in place although he doesn't use it that
much anymore and in April of this year I switched from the
old desk to something more convenient which is the unit I
use now. See the desk went from the wall out across the room
and blocks the heat from my ceiling mount heater from getting
to me and the fridge creating a rather chilly spot in the cabin
and my toes would be freezing.

I pulled the unit apart and boxed my stuff up then used
existing materials to build the desk i have now that goes across
the wall eliminating the cold spot.
Orion still uses the landing but as a rest spot from coming in
from the cold. His bed is at the corner...A bed i bought last year
that is a large dog bed with fleece but he wouldn't have anything
to do with it so i threw it up in the loft bottom up then he took to it
so i brought it down and layed it on the floor up side down.

He sure is a picky cat but now thats his favorite napping spot
and he gets to be next to me within reach for his rubs and tickles.

He loves going to sleep time in the loft as he lays next to me and
gets all the attention he can handle then when i go down to brush
my teeth because i forgot then he takes my spot so i have to curl
around him the other way....its not very comfy for me but ive learned
to just grab a pillow and lay across the lower half of the bed and let
him have whichever section of the mattress he wants.

Often times I get up in the morning and find he has filtered to the
downstairs to his bed....hes been doing things as of late he didn't
generally do for the long time Ive had him..

Hes getting old and pretty fat and doesn't go outside much anymore
but he just likes to sit at the doorway and look outside.
Something out there keeps him in here,maybe a fox is giving
him trouble but not sure..In 2020 he stopped spending time outdoors
and stayed inside for 2 years with the exception of going out the door
a few times each year for a couple minutes.

No more chasing squirrels or giving spruce hens a good chase.
This year starting in April i get up in the morning and open the door
so he can just view the outside but he does go out more this summer
but not too far.As long as the door is open he feels safe at the end of
the walkway just chillin in the sun.

Whatever the case may be hes 12 years old,I got him when he was 2
so hes an older kitty and doesn't do the things he once did.
Oh he does have a zest for life just close to me,i protect him from
ghosts and the boogyman but hes still a cat.

I know one day probably in the next 8 years his time will come.
Cats generally can live 20 years so we still have a ways to go yet
but i cant help but think that time could come anytime.

So whenever it comes his time to cross the Rainbow Bridge Im
not exactly ready i mean who is but he will get the most Badassed
Pagan sendoff i can give him....A bonfire and some vodka and
dancing around the fire hootin and making primal noises so
he will know that he will always be remembered.

I have taken many pictures and have had many wonderful times
with him,we have quite the life here at the cabin.

He gets to inspect every can i open and loves ice cream and Cool Whip.

I shower him with love and kisses so he know hes very well loved.
I couldn't ask for a better companion.

Peace, BigT

Alice Cooper...God Healed Me

As a young man in my mid teens I went to a second
hand store a few miles down the road and bought
my first Alice Cooper vinyl records.
I was drawn to the album art which was kinda
spooky stuff.

I started off with Pretties For You then The Alice
Cooper Show,a live album.
From The Inside was about a mental institution
then Welcome to my nightmare.

These are just a few to name here but he was speaking
to me thru his music.
Alice was the embodiment of evil and against everything i was brought up in and taught. He was every mothers worst nightmare.

As a young adult out on my own i bought Flush the Fashion
a punk album and Clones We're All was a wonderful tune.
Alice was singing all the songs nobody else would touch.
Every sick and twisted theme and macabre and hideous,
Alice was writing them all.

Alice had a rough life.Sex Drugs and Rock and he went
down a path of destruction and self destruction.
I watched his story in an interview and at first i said
out loud,Dang We Lost Another One, then shook my head.

But his story was gripping and as i watched and listened,
it was if he had reached out and grabbed me and said,
"Wake Up"...

I have gone on my own way for a smidge over 10 years
and rightfully so but Alice was making some dead sense.
He was brought up in the church,his father a minister
and his grandfather an evangelist and he went his own
way and actually in the opposite direction of what he
was taught for a long time.

Alice said God Healed Me as he states in his own words
and has been a Christian for over 20 years now which
strikes me as odd.
The Master of Evil,still has Rock shows,writes music
and records albums but without the prison he built
for himself,he was set free.

I was up late until 5:30 am,couldnt sleep so i fired
up my editor and dropped these 3 videos next to this
story so you can hear it for yourself.

In closing I would like to say, "Thanks Alice"

Peace, BigT

Fall is upon us .... yet again

Whoo Boy,its September already?

Early August I was firing up my heater once
again but oddly its early this year.

Usually about mid September is when i fire
up the electric monster but i had to look at
my calendar and thought Shoot Dang,its
coming early this year.

The leaves are turning early and a couple
weeks ago the Pass got its first snow.
I thought perhaps we Alaskans are going to
get it good by the snow gods but its happening
in Washington State where I am from.

With all the fires,floods and disasters it seems
the planet weather machine is going crazy.
Global warming is REAL and its affecting the
entire planet.

My sister sent me an email describing what
i am experiencing up here.
With all the crazy weather comes higher
food prices as well.

It seems that every time i go to the store for
groceries,the prices get higher and i get less
and less each time but of course everyone
is experiencing the same thing too.

Its not just weather anymore as i thought,
all sorts of chaos in the world drives up
prices and you think the rich are getting
off scott free,nope.

You know things are getting bad when you
cant afford chicken.

Its the whole ecosystem that is in jeapordy.
Droughts drive prices,bird flu,floods and the
all inspiring tornados and hurricanes.

If just the planet would calm down and go
back to normal maybe we could all afford
chicken again...lol

So here i sit looking out the window wondering
about whats coming this winter,20 feet of
snow and a very big earthquake to shake
things up a bit....all kidding aside...

Before winter i was going to plant some seeds.
Tomato,Bell Pepper,Pablano,Potato and Corn.
Apple and Pear.
Just let them grow wild on my 4 acres,I dont
want them all,gotta save some for the critters too.

I think having wild fruit and veggies will do me
some good as the doctor keeps saying thats whats
missing from my diet but i just cant afford any
of it and so i think everyone else has the same
idea i hope....

So go out and enjoy this early autumn and
cross your fingers we dont get too much snow.

Peace, BigT

My Arctic Cat Adventure

So long ago when i was a younger man I
purchased an Arctic Cat Panther 440
trail machine in Big Lake at the dealership.

It carried 2 people and because I was a
bigger fella got heavy duty springs and
ski skins for better flotation in the deep
snow. Price $5500, I paid Cash.

I never had a snow machine before and
would go out every day and constantly got
stuck in situations id rather not mention.

If I didn't get stuck one day i would get stuck
twice the next day....LOL It was my rule and
digging that thing out was a real back breaking
chore and how stuck....REALLY STUCK

I would quite frequently go out in the bush
all alone which youre not supposed to do
because if you do you are walking out.

One day i found myself on some new trails
and was lost for several hours and was
really perplexed but just kept on going
anyways.

I finally came upon a groomed trail so being
lost i continued on only to come across a
sign that read Big Lake Trail System and an
arrow saying "you are here"...well that helped
and so i was off and ended up on Big Lake.

I got up to speed and cruised around 80 mph.
I stopped about half way across and set up
my new digital camera a 1.4 megapixel camera.

I took a great picture kneeling by my rig as
it was 20 below zero farenheit.

There were lots of others out on the lake with
bonfires knocking back beer and roasting
dogs and marshmallows.

I continued on and took my time crossing
the ice while being passed in a flash by speed
junkies on racing machines,honestly i dont
know what their hurry is all about anyway.

I made it to the Parks Hwy and took my time
getting home as the trails along the road
were very bumpy but upon arriving back
in Willow I stopped at Newmans and refueled.
Another 30 minutes and i was pulling onto
Terra Home and was just exhausted after
all the excitement.

All in all that was the best day out in the wilds
of Alaska and now home as my dog Astro was
there at the door to greet me so i let him out
to run alongside me up and down my street
so he could have his fun too.

Maybe one day i will get another Arctic Cat
but this time i would like a powder machine
and although i chose a trail machine i found
myself testing the limits repeatedly.

Peace- BigT

No End In Sight

Back in 2002 I started having trouble sleeping
and was wide awake all night and only getting
30 minutes of sleep a day.

This will pass I thought,I mean we all have
sleepless nights once in a while and some
people have nights where we get a little sleep
but not enough and our day just goes to shit.

All said,this was what i originally thought.
I went to the medical clinic in Wasilla and
spoke with a doctor in detail who informed
me i was going manic.

I was then referred to a shrink who started
me on meds to calm me down but then theres
always the side effects.

Back then she was giving me schizophrenia
medications which alarmed me because of
the historical abuses of those people.

She was playing Dr. Frankenstein with her
Mad Science laboratory of crazy mental health
drugs...then theres the cross pharmacology
where you started mixing several drugs.

Nothing really helped and the hand tremors
were really bad amongst other things.

Some years ago, Olanzapine came out and
that worked very well but because of Mad
Science my doc was always going max dose
to max and a half and that stuff shoots your
blood sugars crazy high.

Her advice was to take more insulin but you
only get so much in a vial and at one point
she had me on a really high dose that caused
me to use more insulin than what in the bottle
so i had to ration insulin a week before i could
get some more.

I had that experience one month so i dropped
from 30mg Max and a half to 20mg max dose
then i only used half a bottle but the hand
tremors were severe and using my computer
went from almost impossible to very difficult.

A couple months ago i had a separate doctor
get me a lower dose 15mg to see if that would be
a better fit to decrease hand tremors and blood
sugars which worked out well.

The tremors went down by 50% and my insulin
usage dropped to a third of a bottle.
The trade off was being a bit more manic.
I can now with ease use my video/website editors
and i am getting back into gaming.

Im very please but Dr.Frankenstein is pissed
i went around her system....I am not a person
who enjoys being experimented on and i am
well read,we do have the world wide web so i
use it to my advantage.

Life now is so much better and i am enjoying
the Autumn Leaves.

Peace,BigT

Miss Bobbie

A long long time ago in 1994 i was on a late
night shopping run to Carrs in Wasilla and
to Shop Rite one blistering cold December
evening.

Back then it was 40 below zero in the eve
and i left my van running while inside both
stores doing my shopping.

Honestly i dont know why i was out so late
that night but on my way out of town the
Key bank digital temp gauge read the nights
temperature.

So on my way back to Willow it just got even
colder and i was amply prepared as i had the
heater on top the propane tank in a plastic
milk crate so it wouldn't tip over and boy was
it warm inside the van.

I had cardboard blocking the radiator and
its called the Willow Special...

As i was nearing my turnoff onto Hatchers
Pass road as we called it there was in complete
darkness a woman in short skirt,heels and small
coat thumbing a ride.

I pulled over immediately and she got right in
begging for heat.
I parked there for a few minutes helping her out
of her coat as she was close to freezing to death.

As it turned out some bad person dumped her
there to freeze to death because she refused a
sexual favor to the driver and his friend.

In a deep voice she said,Can you take me
to mile 83. Shocked I said youre a dude?
She explained that she was Transgender
and on the way to her home she briefly told
me what that was.

Upon arrival to her home she invited me
in for coffee and she offered me a bowl so
we became friends and i was welcome to come
by to hang out with her as she liked to party.

There was always other people of like mind
at her place for BBQ,Parties,Holidays and
card games etc.
It was a safe place for all of us to hang out
and get together for cards,UNO & Poker.

....It was my Clique for years.

The towns people would talk major crap
about her but she paid them no mind and
one day in 2014 i was told by a certain
Mr. King Crap that if my rig is seen
at her place again the same would be said
about me,so next thing i know rumors went
around claiming i was sporting around town
in a red dress,calling myself Rachael and
claiming im getting a sex change.

Bobbie and i and the others that were present
at me telling my tale had a really good laugh
about that....I mean i was 450 lbs with a big
raging beard in Carhart bibs....you know that
was complete crap but people are just mean
out here to others with no apparent reason
other than theyre just bored silly.

Miss Bobbie died from emphysema related
pneumonia in August 2019....
I enjoyed her company and friendship for
so many years and she knows she is dearly
missed by all who had the honor and
priveledge of knowing the classiest girl
in Alaska.

Peace, BigT

My Good Fortune

All the way back into 2021 I got into a good
car namely a Ford Escort 5 speed with no
1st gear.
The car lasted a couple weeks shy of 3 years
and got me around pretty darn good with
3k in work to make it go down the road.

Both myself and my mechanic knew the end
was near as the tranny was extremely worn
out and that the clutch will give out soon
as i was starting out in 2nd gear.

July 22 2024 was the day i lost my clutch.
R.I.P. Ole Girl.

I texted a friend in Anchorage and gave him
the news and he said that he and his friend
were coming out around 7:30 pm.

Scott brought the mini van he had purchased
and had me test drive it and gave it to me for
free and as he recounted,it has extensive rot
on the underbody and frame and that it will
snap in half/collapse under its own weight.

As it turns out i had my mechanic take a look
and found nothing of the sort and the only
work i had to do was a complete brake job
and radiator flush as sludge had built up
in the bottom of the radiator.

Quite honestly the van came as a blessing
because it solved my transportation issue
and now i can get out of the Port of Anchorage
with ease,why cuz i need to pick up my shipment.

There were 3 things that had changed in my
life for the better so ive lost 100 pounds
and my back issues vanished and now i have
a great rig that i can use in my next enterprise.

The third thing is the dinky community I
live in and all the BS that goes on out here.
Oh sure its a good place to live and there
are so many new people out here with their
crafts making a bit of money and now come
next June I will join them in my new
candle making venture.

Yes you heard right I am a candle Maker.
I had to give it up long ago due to lower
back issues due to my weight and back
strain so now its all resolved and i will
make a comeback.

Back in the day it was beeswax and i do
have a hundred pounds left then after
that is sold i will buy paraffin wax because
beeswax is now over $9 a pound so its
no longer affordable.

I have unique designs that no one else has.
I have made half my molds and bought
some as well.

Do or die,come June 2025 Im back into
making candles once again and rightfully
so.
Oh sure i wont make millions but its the
boost i need to have a better life.
Owning a vehicle is expensive so i need
a repair fund amongst other things.

And you will see it when it happens
here on this publication.

Peace,BigT

Minuteman In Alaska

Back when I was in school as a youngster
we were indoctrinated into American
Pride and the recruiters for various
branches of the military were coming to
the school to get us to sign up.

The way my mother was going off,I was
going to join the Army and go fight the
Russians.

Back then Russia was the evil empire and
we were going to kill and be killed.
That didn't appeal to me in the slightest
so I dubbed myself a Minuteman.

My first few years on my own,there was this
guy who was in charge of the National Gaurd
in Juneau and he was always trying to get
me to join.

I had balance issues though and my feet were
always hurting so i went to a doctor and
found I had an inner ear disorder but the
Ear Specialist was in Anchorage.

As it turned out I also had flat feet and that
i would never serve in the military.

In 1992 I found myself in Anchorage and
got to see the Ear doctor who informed me
I had Mennaires Disease and the procedure
had an 80% chance of losing my hearing
in each ear.

Well i didn't go that route because i love
music and dont want to be deaf as hearing
is key to survival in the wilds of Alaska.

I did have a Yamaha 500 dirt bike but
had to sell it to make sure i wouldn't ride
and get maimed in an accident.

Having inner ear issues keeps me from
lots of jobs and careers which really made
me sad so I became a Candle Maker.

To this very day I am still a Minuteman
Ready to defend my country on a
moments notice.

The citizenry of the U.S.A. are all armed
and if we are invaded we will make the
enemy pay for every inch of ground the
might take.....

Mad Respect For All Who Serve.

May the Gods Bless Our Nation

Peace,BigT

Time & Time Again

Yanno,this business with the Ford Escort makes
me wonder about what is really going on.
It breaks down,I fix it by throwing money in
its direction and poof, clutch goes out then
voila im hosed and its parked.

I did get 3 years of use out of the old girl
and i knew along with my mechanic this
day would come.

The work it needed kept compounding more
and more til the day i limped it home and
parked it forever.

I know,list it and sell it for a mechanics
special or a parts car and that answer is no.
First off i was told 3 years ago by a tranny
specialist its worthless and that all the parts
cars are parked and this is the last one on
the planet so when the trans/clutch gives
out just park it and walk away.

So the very same day a close friend gives me a
minivan and it was a dumpster fire so I was
told to drive it into the ground.
As it turned out,the issues weren't what he
thought and it just needed about $1200
in work to keep driving it.

Now its parked for the winter, I think
i know the issue but i was told it could
be any number of things so im going
in blind.

I have to save a grand,300 for the tow
and 700 for possible work.
Any monies left over will go for gas and
an oil change....

So how do i get around? Sunshine Transit.
Those ladies at the barn and drivers are
way cool and very reliable.
I would be completely hosed without their
services to which I am forever grateful.

Sunshine does Medicaid rides,foodbank
and water runs,laundromat runs and grocery
store/shopping runs and downtown postal
runs,Willow,Talkeetna,Trapper Creek.

Most usually they are right on time and
always give riders the heads up if something
is amiss.

Now that I am parked for the winter,the
only way to get to town to buy smokes and
tobacco is with the transit .....LOL

I never actually buy enough so i am always
running out....it makes sense to do it this
way besides,the doc really advises me to quit
so i know that one day i will be a non smoker.

Vehicle maintenance comes with ownership.
Its a fact of life as we all know.

Peace, BigT