…that the Venetians were able to scare our buff bozo billionaire, his pneumatic sweetheart and their hordes away from their downtown with the mere threat of a bask of pneumatic crocodiles 

all just a week after my second-to-last trip to Alturas town for lumber and groceries.

It was the usual drive

over the Buffalo Hills and into California [with not a cowhauling convoy in either direction];

through Eagleville,

up Surprise Valley,

over Cedar Pass

and down to Four Seasons Ace Hardware in Alturas where in the absence of 7 8′ 2x12s

they halved me four green sixteen footers.  Heaviness to carry on to the Holiday 

for groceries, back over the pass for gas

and down the valley

to Nevada for lunch at flat Duck Flat

after which it was the Buffs the other direction

past the Granites

to the Smoke Creek

[or Sand Pass] Road

and home where the next day Sonny unloaded and stacked heavy wet woods to dry.

Probably to wait until we get back around Hallowe’en.