Hello everyone!  I hope your day is going well.  I am finally back with part 2 of our little insulator adventure.  The pics shared will let you know what insulators look like, the kind that we were collecting.  I hope you will enjoy it, so grab a cup of coffee and let’s get going!

I held the branch for dad so he could stand up again, the mud was too soft to push himself up.  Finally he was standing.  I think you’re sinking deeper, I said.  Dad was almost up to his knees in mud by this time.  I can’t move, said dad, my feet are stuck.  Try leaning forward and hang tight to the branch while I pull.  Dad thought for a minute then decided to give it a try.  I pulled as hard as I could while dad tried lifting a leg.  It worked!  Unfortunately I slipped and fell and dad fell face first with arms waving wildly.  But fortunately the spot of water and mud wasn’t big so dad landed partially on dry mud.

But from the waist down he was in that muddy water.  However, he was able to pull himself out.  See, it worked, I said.  Bonehead, said dad.  Why would he enjoy that? For my new readers, when dad said “bonehead” I figured he must be enjoying himself.  Why else would he say it so much?  Since you took the wasps with you I got the insulators off that cross arm, I said.  Dad just looked at me.  Look at the bright side, I said, all that mud and water probably washed off the poison ivy.  Dad did agree with that.  Time for lunch, he said, let’s go over to that hill so I can dry off in the sun.  Okay with me. 

It was a nice spot, but high and no easy way to climb up.  Dad thought we should sit at the bottom, but I reminded him there might be some nice insulators on that hill.  He thought about it, no way to climb up there easily, he said.  Minor detail, I said, besides, it will be a better place to dry off up there.  Okay, he said, you go first.  Naturally.  I started the climb which was almost completely vertical.  But there was a lot of rocks sticking out so the climb really wasn’t too bad.  Until my foot slipped.  But it landed quickly on another rock so I didn’t fall.

Dad yelled right then so loud I nearly lost my balance.  What’s wrong, I called back.  Your standing on my hand!  Oh, so I was.  I began climbing again but had to stop to check one area that looked a little tricky.  Dad caught up to me just as I began climbing again.  I grabbed a little shrub but it came out by the roots and I dropped it right away.  Poor dad.  He was looking up at the time and it landed right on his face, dirt and all.  He was coughing and wiping his face.  Bonehead, he said again.  Not sure how that could be enjoyable.  But we finally made it without further problems.  Although dad seemed a bit tired after the climb.  Your face is dirty, I commented.  Dad just looked and shook his head.

Hey, there’s even two nice rocks to sit on while we have our lunch, I said.  They’re kind of close together, said dad, but guess there is no choice.  Not sure what he meant by that. 

To be continued.

Steve and Muffin.

© 2020 Steve McLeod.