You know how it is. You are out there pacing around in the few hours of rain-free time the Pacific Northwest gives you on a spring day and the idea comes. You smile. You weigh it a bit to see how it feels. You play with it. You give it a name. Then you walk to your computer to type it out.
But the computer is asleep.
No problem. You can hold the idea while it boots. No need to write it down for that little time.
Oh dear. Your word processor has been glitching and will take a few minutes to cold start? Maybe you should just jot down a few notes.
Never mind. While the program boots you walk to the stove to make yourself a quick bowl of ramen.
You go to turn on the stove top but it won't light.
Oh well, while the program boots you can light the pilot light, make the noodles (only 4 min cook time after all) and eat your noodles while you finesse the story.
But the pilot light won't light, and now you smell gas! Oh dear. Safety issue. The propane tank has run out of gas.
No problem. You can switch out the propane tanks, relight the pilot light, make your noodles, and do that other thing while you eat.
But...which of the cabin's four propane tanks is the working backup? Well, testing each one took some time but you did find it.
Now you can detach the old tank, reattach the new tank, relight the pilot light, cook the ramen, and eat the ramen,
Okay, now where is the attachment tool?
Find the tool, detach the old tank, reattach the new tank, relight the pilot light, cook the ramen, eat the ramen. This had better be good ramen.
There is the tool! The old tank is detached. The new tank is attached. The stove top pilot light is lit. The water is on for .... why do you smell gas?
Oh right. The hot water heater is a gas appliance too.
Turn off the gas now.
Do you know how to relight the #veryexpensive #NotAtAllSimple hot water heater?
Your dad taught you?
Good!
But...this is an odd model. Better call Dad!
So, call Dad, figure out how to light the hot water tank, light the hot water tank, relight the stove, make the ramen, eat the ramen.
Would you look at that!
Your cell phone is mysteriously not working!
Climb the hill for better signal, call Dad, ask about hot water tank, light hot water tank, light stove!
Now you are not top of a hill. You have four bars. Your brand, spanking new cell is still not working!
Find the crazy-in-a-good-way-and-likes-you neighbor to borrow a cell phone from. Call Dad. Ask about hot water heater. Light hot water heater.
Remember that the crazy-in-a-good-way-and-likes-you neighbor's dog is perfectly sane, elderly, bloody giant, and does not like anyone except his two people. From a safe distance ask to borrow a phone. Call Dad.
Okay! You now have your rather concerned dad on the phone as you inch away from the thunderous barks coming from the dog marginally trapped in the mini-van. Now remember to try and convince him that you only need a few facts about this particular brand of water heater and not the full blown, step-by-step guide to safely lighting a water heater.
OKAY! You now have the full blown, step-by-step guide to lighting most forms of propane based hot water heaters along with a few comitragic anecdotes of what happens when poor saps don't light hot water heaters safely. You have returned the phone to the flower painted-green school bus and have been reminded by the native flora why you don't visit these neighbors in open footwear!
Now *safely* light that hot water heater!
Good, good.
Now go inside.
Wait! Why do you have a bag of ramen open on the counter?
Oh yeah, you're hungry.
But the stove won't light!
Better light that pilot light.
Bring water to boil. Add gluten free noodles. Stand watchfully over the pot because gluten free noodles are not only unforgiving but also vindictive and cunning in their revenge.
Sit down and eat those noodles straight out of the pot, remembering to save the broth for later.
Do your feet hurt?
Must be from wearing flipflops while climbing a hill.
Oh yes. Don't you think you should find out why your phone isn't working?
Better wake up the old computer and start a chat with the phone company too...
Well that is odd.
Why ever did you start up the word processor?
Oh that's right. You had the idea for a perfect story didn't you?
You've forgotten everything?
Well that's okay!
You wrote it down...didn't you?
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