Monday 13 August 2012

Life Off the Grid 31 - July 14, 2012

Life Off the Grid 31 – July 14

7:15 AM

The lake is calm and misty. Playing with the doggies.

7:45 AM

















Just after I took these photos the still was disturbed by an old man on a jet-ski. I haven't seen a jet-ski on the lake for awhile, and certainly not driven by old white-haired guys. The kid across the lake used to have a sort-of jet-ski thing that he built out of who knows what and he used to bomb around on that, but he must be mid to late twenties now and hasn't been out on it for years. This thing today was the real deal, a Sea-doo or similar, all yellow plastic and roaring engine. I can see why people don't like them. People that don't have one, at least. He buzzed into our bay and out again, bringing noise and waves.

8:00 AM

Going to have to have breakfast. But hey! I have leftovers!

The plan for today: breakfast, medicate the dog, finish brushing webs and old paint off the cabin, start painting. After it gets too hot there's Spanish lesson and organizing the tool boxes. Marinading prawns. Some writing, I hope. Dinner, and medicating the dog round out my day.

High of 31C today, with the possibility of some thunderstorms this afternoon.

8:30 AM

Dang! Propane's out on the fridge and range. Time to be a mosquito buffet...

9:00 AM

Propane tank changed. I'm going to have to bring down the full tank pretty soon. I so hate carrying propane tanks down the path.

I had a yummy breakfast of dahl and stir-fry veggies. Boiled water for dishes. Just waiting for some cold water to drain through the filter so I can get the dishwater to a temperature I can put my hands in.

9:35 AM

Dishes done. Dog medicated. Slops bucket dumped outside. Maybe I should explain the slops bucket. We have a two-stage dishwater removal system. If you dump the dishpan full of water outside, you wind up rummaging through the shrubs for bits of silverware that went out with the dishwater. So we keep a bucket beside the sink stand. Dishwater goes in there and any silverware is contained and can be easily retrieved. Also, water used for boiling pasta or other things goes in there. Also, it is where some of us spit while brushing our teeth. It is a nasty bucket. But it beats having to carry heavy pots of boiling water outside to drain things, and it also beats having to crawl under the deck to find a spoon.

11:00 AM

Whew! It's hot out. I went and found the stiff brush and I have been brushing loose paint off. I have encountered some off-putting things.



And what the hell is this stuff?




Ewwwww!

The dogs came out with me but hid in the shade of the solar panels.



I think it's already too hot to paint. I have done a bunch of cabin-cleaning. What's next?

11:15 AM

I did a bit of a test paint. Mostly because I couldn't wait any longer to see how the new colour was going to look.



It's going to be a huge change.

It's 32C outside. Fortunately it's only 22C inside.

12:00 Noon

My mung beans have been soaking since about 5 PM yesterday, so I have drained and rinsed them and put them in the fridge.

I find that my prawn recipe has not made the transition from my cookbook in Alberta to my lake cookbook. I shall have to wing it.

I buy frozen raw easy peel prawns. You can cook them with the shells on, which certainly has a unique look. But when I'm eating I don't want to be fiddling with undressing my food. I'm going to assume others feel the same way. These are fairly large prawns and, being raw, they are grey-black rather than the familiar pink of cooked shrimp and prawns. Prawns, by the way, are really big shrimp. Not nearly as big as lobsters, but bigger than the salad shrimp you see sometimes.

So I peel them all, including carefully removing the tail shell. It is an icky process and one I would rather undertake well before I get around to eating them.


So, all peeled. The package promised between 26 and 30 and there were, in fact, 26.

Next, make a marinade. Olive oil, hot mustard, minced garlic, oregano, lemon pepper and a bit of cumin. 



Mix the marinade up to make a sort of yellow paste and then stir the prawns into it. And refrigerate until it's time to BBQ.

Mung beans (probably curried), foil roasted vegetables, and spiced prawns. It is going to be an amazing dinner.

1:00 PM

I really want a swim. I want clean hair. I cannot let Guinness get in the water. They will go mad if I leave them behind in the cabin and go in the lake. Hmmmm...

1:30 PM

Did a bit of clipping on Seamus. He is not impressed. Time for Spanish.

GAH! I cannot continue until I activate my course online. It says if you have no internet access, there is a number to call to get a special off-line code to finish activation. What if you also have no phone? Huh? What about people trying to learn a new language out in the woods without internet or phone? What about them? Grrrrrrrrr!

5:00 PM

Oh dear. It was so hot I decided to read, and I did, for a time. And then I woke up just now. The boys think they want to go out and play. But it is still far too hot for them. Perhaps we will go and sedately wander about. Yeah, right.

5:40 PM

Went out and threw balls and sqeaky things. It is still brutally hot. And the bugs are bad. There is a mist on the water from the heat and I see someone is out at Windy Point. They have a sailboat in the water.



We have retreated inside and I think we will all sit quietly and pant for a bit. Seamus has found the ceramic tiles around the fireplace are probably the coolest piece of floor there is.

Tomorrow is going to be a big day. Have to go up to the truck early and tidy up. Hang up a couple of balloons at the road and the trailhead. And then prune the path, marking the trail with balloons. And clean the cabin again, and sort the tools. And somehow bathe and wash my hair! I don't want to look like some derelict when the roof estimator comes. “Next week” was the best time-line they could give me. Could be first thing Monday morning or end of day Friday. I hope it's earlier, rather than later.

6:00 PM

Vinyl Tap is on the radio in an hour. Something to look forward to...

It's so hot. The dogs are just panting, flattened against the floor.

I've been checking my cell phone all day, just in case another text came through. It was like magic, connecting for a moment with Jeff last night. I mean, how strange was that? He said he was going to order a cell booster when I spoke to him on Wednesday. I hope he did it. I hope it comes in time for him to send it with Katherine and Ty when they come out.

Oh, yes. I have Katherine and Ty coming out July 28th. They are taking the Greyhound to Winnipeg, so they will be leaving Calgary at noon on the 27th. It could be a grand romantic adventure for them, but I suspect they will be tired and grumpy when I pick them up in Winnipeg. I will have to come up with a list of stuff for them to do. Ty gets bored out here very quickly and needs things to do. Plus, if I am paying for their trip back, they are going to have to some things to help around here. They are staying until August 9th. What will I do with them for two whole weeks? I think I have turned into a terrible hermit out here...

7:00 PM

How can I be sleepy? I slept this afternoon. I'm not even hungry either. All that food prep...

7:40 PM

I am using the side burner on the BBQ to cook the lentils. I went to start the BBQ and the electronic ignition wouldn't work. I tried a new battery. Nada. So, it's matches, and one of those long fireplace lighters goes on my shopping list. Those electronic ignitions are always the first thing to go on BBQs.

But the side-burner is great! I don't know why, but I never seem to use the side-burner. I guess most of my barbecuing in Albert is done when it's chilly and I would just as soon cook the side dishes inside. But I really have to use it here when it's hot. Really so much better for the temperature in the cabin.

Added some Vindaloo curry paste. Going to be yummy!

Veggies wrapped in foil.


I grease my BBQ basket with olive oil before I use it. Helps keep things from sticking.





9:00 PM

Things are cooked. Except for veggies. I'll give them another few minutes. Just sampled a prawn... Amazing. Better than I have ever had in a restaurant. I kid you not.

Everything is delicious!


9:15 PM

I just heard a boat and now Guinness is barking. He doesn't get “the barks”. If he barks, there is a reason. He is agitated, pacing, and barking occasionally. Maybe it was just the unfamiliar boat noise. One evening last summer, the dogs went mad with barking just at dusk. I couldn't see anything outside but I was concerned about bears, so I didn't let them out. Awhile later they went nuts again. The moon came out from behind the clouds and I could see a boat at our dock, which was quickly populated with guys. And they took off. I am much more wary of two-footed intruders than bears or wolves.

Fortunately, my dogs love me. And they are fierce, especially Guinness when he is defending. I would give them a better chance against a human though. Guinness can take a coyote, and maybe a wolf, but a bear would probably be well out of his league. However, if Guinness were to leap at a human with his Cujo face on, snarling... Well, I am sure whoever he was leaping at would be seeing a hungry wolf. I envision wet pants and a desperate running away. And, I'm ok with that. If they are going to come onto my land and try to mess with me they certainly deserve to be scared out of their skins. I don't believe Guinness would actually hurt anyone (well, at least not as badly as he could if he really wanted to), which is why I am ok with it.

9:37 PM

I am not sure if I'm tired or not. Pretty sure if I went up to bed with a beer and a book I would be asleep fast. It's quite dark now. Days are clearly getting shorter.

Wow. That was an amazing supper. Sorry to blow my own horn, but there's nobody else here. And it was so good. I recommend it next time you are having company (without fish allergies or aversions). Everything prep ahead, and then just keep an eye on it while it cooks. And it will taste phenomenal. Don't forget to start soaking the mung beans the night before!

10:00 PM

I think I will go up to bed, Maybe if I read for a bit I will fall asleep... Guinness has had his meds. Nothing to stay up for now...





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