Friday, May 24, 2013

Let The Games Begin!

I mentioned in an earlier post that wife and I are working on a desert "property" we bought recently. I guess property is the right word... it's a HUGE mess and so a big project, and we started in earnest this weekend. It was one of those weekends I found myself thinking "Really? Why am I doing this again?"  No turning back now. Up to now it's been the two of us working like dogs filling up a dumpster on weekends with every kind of disgusting junk you can think of. But this weekend we brought in the "professionals"... a local guy who seems to know about construction (interesting and colorful story here, but not appropriate for blog-land), and a guy up the road from him who owns a Bobcat. So we were working today grading, trenching, and starting to lay the plumbing for the new outhouse. There will even be plumbing to the trailer and the original cabin (for a sink). Swanky, eh?

Bobcat with old desert cabin in the background.
From inside the cabin, looking out.
So meet Clarence (aka "Iron-man") and his wife Clarissa. Clarence is one of the hardest working individuals I've ever met! People all over the desert community call him to haul away their metal "junk", and Iron-man shows up with his little truck (which appears to be held together mostly with duct tape and wire) and miraculously manages to get an incredible amount of junk in his truck, way more than you would ever think is possible, then hauls it off for recycling. A really tough way to make a living, especially in the desert heat!



Clarence hauled off a B-B-Q, refrigerator, hot water heater, bathtub, screen door, large chair... and then went over and somehow got a full-sized washing machine in the back of his truck! And he did it all by himself... no help, no hand truck... just brute strength and determination! I'm in awe! Wish there were more people around like Clarence.
Clarissa & Clarence

13 comments:

  1. Nice portrait of the two. Also like the square crop with the black border. Well done.

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  2. Are you crazy? Throwing away that perfectly good garden decor? Slap a few decals on 'em and... lol.

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  3. I admire your courage and fortitude to live in the desert -- and cleaning up "again" [?!]. But, with neighbors and folks like Clarence around, I suppose that's comforting. I like your wedding shots below!! The ring in the flower is a beauty.

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  4. What a neat looking couple. I bet they are fun to be around. You've tweaked my interest with the word "disgusting" junk. Oh how I wonder what treasures were lost.

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  5. love clarence's smile! clarence and clarissa - what great names for a twosome. :)

    my father was a 'junkman' many many years ago in wisconsin. he had an old ford pickup that he'd load all sorts of anything metal in. sometimes i'd ride with him to the salvage collection place and go through the scales before and after to weigh the load.

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  6. What a team. With the bobcat boy, the recyling couple and you guys that place will be soothing on the eyes in no time.

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  7. These are great pics. Clarence and Clarissa , hard working but they look happy!I bet your new place will be beautiful!!

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  8. Enjoyed viewing these hard working folks. I could almost feel the heat and smell the dust. :)

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  9. There has never been a vehicle that cannot be improved by the addition of duct tape!

    Great story.

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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  10. Then I guess you don't want to know about clearing out the house where my parents have lived for more than 55 years. Mom has sent out several carloads of useable stuff, and the second dumpster is full. They estimate at least one more...
    BTW, I love that first image of both the bride and the groom. Both so evocative!!

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  11. Wow!! What a legend! Isn't duct tape and wire what everyone uses to hold their trucks together??

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  12. I bet Clarence and his wife are a hoot! I'd hate to think of our children descending on our house! They'd probably make $$$$ off the clutter that we have here! :-)
    ~~Cheryl Ann~~

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  13. I know a guy like Clarence only he's called Metal Man.

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