Life Off the Grid 13 - June 26, 2012

June 26, 2012

6:15 PM

I am exhausted. We got up and had breakfast. Jeff gathered chain saw and other implements and headed up into the hills. I did the dishes and then went up to work with him. The bugs were extreme. We were clearing and shoring up the quad trail we had marked. Jeff was cutting brush and filling between big rocks. I was clipping branches off trees that would be in the way and hauling half rotted fallen trees to add to the fill. Sweat, bug bites, sun burn. Horrible heat and the buzzing of insects. Things trying to get in your eyes, ears and nose. Huge buzzy things trying to carry off chunks of you. Dead evergreens reaching out with their long snaggy fingers, grabbing your pant legs, hair and shirt. Yuck, to put it in one word.

Finally, about 2 PM, we decided to have some lunch. After lunch we went out to try some other paths. The one Ty marked that skirts Lake Lila, the path we usually use to walk down, and finally, the path we had set out a couple of days ago. Looks like that is the one we are going to use. I am going to spend the summer filling and building up so it is safe enough to drive a quad over.

It was 4ish by then, so we went for a boat ride. OMG! There is a pelican hanging around our bay. It followed our boat out and back. Very cool.

I am so tired.

Life Off the Grid 12 - June 25, 2012

June 25, 2012

10:00 PM

Went into Kenora this morning. Got some stuff from Canadian Tire, and Walmart, and the Beer Store and LCBO, and Safeway, and then we picked up the boat. Brought the boat out to the launch place and managed to get it into the water. I have brutal strings of swollen bug bites around my neck from being outside the truck directing.

When we got back to the cabin we got the dogs inside and went quadding. Tried to find the rickety old bridge across the English River, but there was a bear walking down the trail so we decided to turn around and go back. On the way out we passed a couple in a truck. They had a quad very similar to ours in the back of the truck and they were pulling a trailer. The guy, a corn-haired twenty-something with an indeterminate redneck accent yelled, “Nice machine!” as they passed. I feel I have taken a huge step into the realm of red-neckedness. Bigger even, than moving to Alberta.

Then, boating. We got a GPS in Kenora so we took it out and went around the lake. It is going to have to take some learning to figure out all the options and capabilities of this device.

Very quiet on the lake. One cabin (belonging to people who live here year round) appeared to be open. There were 3 pontoon boats on the water, secured to docks, and someone was on the deck at the Needhams' (the old Richardson cabin at the far end of the lake). We are quite alone out here. Cool.

Life Off the Grid 11 - June 24, 2012

June 24, 2012

10:20 AM

Back at the cabin. Got in last night about 8, brought 2 loads down from the truck – groceries, guitar, booze – the essential stuff. Jeff played guitar for a couple of hours. It was really nice.

He's still sleeping. I expect he has massive sleep debt going on. I don't want to wake him. On the other hand, he has ambitious plans for today. Getting the ATV off the back of the truck, scouting a quad trail, and beginning to clear it. Followed by more drinking and guitar playing. All in all, a good plan.

The weather is fabulous! Blue, blue sky, bright sunshine. Glorious! My tomato plants, I think, must be enjoying it. I'm wondering if I should water the herbs. The jiffy pots have finally dried out – The peat pots were soaked right through for days and days while it rained all the time.

Pondering breakfast. A spicy mushroom and asparagus omelette is sounding pretty appealing.

10:00 PM

Freaking exhausting day. Got the quad off the truck and went for a short ride. Spent a long time hiking through the bush trying to find a route that would be safe to bring the quad down. Really quite a tough proposition. We maybe have a path.

Then we went for a crazy quad ride. Over to the boat launch on the other lake. The bugs there are insane. Jeff seems bent on seeing how fast the quad will go. He got up to just over 60 kms/hr this ride.

 Jeff, checking out the quad.

 Took about 3 hours to assemble the quad ramps. Should have paid more and got pre-built ones...

 Getting ready to unload. Scary, scary stuff. Those tracks are just as wide as the quad wheels.

 Quad on the ground. Woo Hoo! I could hardly watch when Jeff drove it down.

Isn't that pretty?

Life Off the Grid 10 - June 23, 2012

7:00 AM

In Winnipeg. Busy, busy day ahead.  Much shopping and dashing about, all with a horkin' huge quad in the back of the truck. Delving into the arcane world of electrical parts at Rona. Groceries, booze. But at the end of it I get to see my honey and go back to the lake with him.

Won't get to write much more today. Check in tomorrow.

Life Off the Grid 9 - June 22, 2012

June 22, 2012

7:40 AM

Blue sky! Sunshine! Woo Hoo!

Oh, wait. I have to drive to Winnipeg. I hope it keeps until I get back.

10:00 PM

Heather and Jenny have gone to their rave thing at the Pyramid. I am up-loading blogs.

I drove into Kenora this morning to get the ATV ramps from Canadian Tire. Then I went to the KMTS store to return the phone that didn't work out here and see if the other was was available. I explained once again that I had the loaner phone to see if it could pick up signal at my cabin because my phone gets no signal out there at all. The woman checked to see if the Northern Tel phone was in. It was not. “Ok,” she said, “we'll just give you a call when it's in and you can come and pick it up.”

Um. No. That will not be possible. You can get cell service on the Amazon River. You can get cell service on Mount Everest. But you cannot get cell service at my cabin. And it is just so alien to everyone, that they can't assimilate it into their world view. I have to drive at 80kms/h for nearly an hour to get cell reception.

Anyway, made it into Winnipeg, eventually got the quad onto the truck and made it back to Heather's via the River and Osborne Safeway and liquor store. The quad on the back of the Tundra is a guy magnet. It was so funny. When we came out of the liquor store there were two groups of young guys hanging about admiring it. They looked like they were waiting for the owner to come back so they could be all like, “Dude... nice.” and get into a conversation about it. But then they saw two women in flowery dresses come along and get into the truck and they looked totally disappointed and dispersed.

Tomorrow is a day of shopping – electrical supplies, lighting fixtures, tools, groceries and booze.

Truck with quad parked outside Heather's place. Didn't get a daytime shot, but even as I got ready to take this picture people walked by, alll the guys in any group craning their necks to stare. Who knew? A big yellow quad draws the same (or more?) attention than a topless woman...

No, not me, I was not topless.  Just speculating....

Life Off the Grid 8 - June 21, 2012

June 21, 2010

7:00 AM

It's grey and cold. The heavy equipment over at the quarry started up about an hour ago.

Today I clean the cabin, and I get to eat up all the vegetables. Tomorrow we go to town.

8:20 AM

I am so tired of being cold. And tired of my nose running. Looking forward to getting in the truck tomorrow and turning the heat on. And driving to somewhere that I can find out how my family is. It's just about a week since I last saw another person or spoke to anyone except the dogs. It was ok until now, but now that it's tomorrow, I'm itching to hear how everyone is.

9:10 AM

Went out to get work gloves from the shed and as we three went towards the lake there was quacking and splashing and then Momma Duck led her ducklings out into the water. So cute! At least 10 ducklings. And me without my camera, of course. I was just getting gloves from the shed. I know. Never go anywhere without the camera.

Anyway, I got the gloves, set up the ladder, and cleaned the eavestroughs. As icky, if not worse, than every other year. But it's done now. And the debris swept off the deck.

Caught a sort of shot of the ducks returning...

 Well, ok, just ripples. But what you can't see is Momma Duck and a bunch of super-cute ducklings.

Also, some of my herbs are sprouting! I hope we get some sun and heat to dry things up and encourage growth.

Just listening to Tom Watson on the Current. He has written a book called, “Dial M for Murdock”. I have been somewhat aware of the News of the World scandal, but my attention has been more focused on politics closer to home.

It's interesting what has happened to journalism. I am from a journalistic family (which, perhaps, explains my obsessive need to document everything). Back in the day, it seemed journalists were not just purveyors of news, but also watch dogs, alerting the public to the misdeeds of government and those in power. Shedding light on dark doings through investigation and research. Woodward and Bernstein spring to mind, of course, but there were many others.

Then the cult of personality really got going. War correspondents, in particular, began to be seen as heroes. And there have always been paparazzi, as long as people have gossiped. But the aggression of the modern celebrity “journalists” is appalling.

With television, then the internet, then social media and citizen or crowd journalism, the profession has found itself in strange and perilous times. However, the idea that a media empire was calling the shots in Britain's parliament is bizarre and disconcerting. On the other hand, our current government seems to be every bit as much in the back pockets of Big Oil as Tony Blair was enmeshed with the Murdocks. At least, as far as I have heard, the media empire had no stake in projects that could devastate the environment.

10:00 AM

I see blue sky! Just a bit...but still...

Jian's opening essay on Q this morning is about the end of the show "Dispatches". So very sad.

10:30 AM

There is a ray of sunshine reaching my tomatoes! Well, there was, for a moment. Oh! It's back.  You can practically see the poor soggy things reaching up towards the warmth.

10:45 AM

Tomorrow I will get to wear dry socks! The thought just hit me and I was filled with joy.  Rereading this I realize how pathetic that sounds. Bizarre even, to anyone who has never spent a week in damp socks. It is important to note that the chill has made damp socks and boots preferable to no socks and boots. "Why don't you just change your socks?" you might well ask. Fact is, I am now out of unworn socks and the previously worn ones are all damp. Early unwise frequent changing of socks whenever they got wet has left me with a serious sock shortage. And nothing is getting dry.

11:20 AM

OMG. Jian's guest is apparently really high or drunk. Although he is sort of laughing along, he is sounding uncharacteristically pissed off. Pam Ann. Funny, but very loopy.

1:30 PM

Just went up to the truck with the dogs. It's actually clear and sunny up there. And now that we're back at the cabin, the lake seems to be getting nicer too.

Guinness gets right in there, swimming all over.  Seamus is still nervous....

1:40 PM

Last episode of Dispatches. Ever. It is a grim day, indeed, for Canadian journalism and free speech. 

The retrospective they are doing this episode makes me realize how much I will miss this show. If you have not listened to CBC radio recently, you have no idea. No, really. You just don't. 

2:00 PM

Wow. That's it, then. After 12 years of amazing international reporting, Dispatches is done. This will leave a massive gap in Canadians' knowledge of the world.

For a year and a half the podcasts will be available. Seriously, if you have not heard Dispatches, you need to check them out. Really.

Now I need to light a garbage fire and get all the burnable gabage gone.

3:30 PM

Finally got the fire lit. Took several tries and lots of newspaper, circa 1996. 

4:00 PM 

Dinner cooking.  Very hungry now.

7:40 PM

Suddenly it is raining again. Hard :(

8:10 PM

Tomorrow I go into town. I get to hear that all of my children are OK (I hope). That my dear partner is OK (I hope). It is hard to wait.

Just saw, and squashed, an ant.  First one in the cabin so far this year.

I shall go to bed early. Get up early. Get away on the road early. Sushi with my older daughter tomorrow night. Or alone, depends on her schedule. Either way, I get to eat sushi. And I didn't have to make it.

8:40 PM

Is it late enough? Can I go to bed yet? I just want to be on the road tomorrow, hoping my family will have texted... And clean socks.

Life Off the Grid 7 - June 20, 2012

June 20, 2012

6:30 AM

Heavy grey clouds. Chilly. Damp. Basically the same as yesterday. And the day before that, and the day before that...

10C outside, but 15C inside. Yay for insulated shelter!

A week ago today I was driving and driving and driving. Not driving is better.

We'll be going to Winnipeg on Friday. Probably a good thing. Getting a bit low on food. I have 2 carrots, 2 celery sticks, some asparagus, some onion... There is salad left over, and eggs. My sprouts are ready! And I have lots of grains. I'd be ok for a bit, but meals get pretty boring once the veggies are gone.

8:20 AM

Been out with the dogs for a bit. Threw toys, got the tape measure from the shed, got 2 more buckets of water from the lake. The water seems not too bad this morning. Maybe my body temperature has just dropped so it seems warmer.

9:00 AM

Breakfast is almost ready. A curried asparagus and sprouts omelette.

10:40 AM

Wow. The Beach Boys are on Q, talking about their 50^th anniversary album and tour. These guys are in their 70s. I mean, good for them, I guess. They don't sound that old singing on the new album. Their speaking voices sound like old guys though.

11:30 AM

Went up to the truck with the dogs. I was pleasantly surprised. I thought there were 2 cases of beer left, but there were 4. I brought 2 down, as well as a bag of dog treats I had left under the back seat.

Lots of mushrooms along the path. The waterfall is flowing merrily. We'll go up again tomorrow to get the last 2 cases and take some things up I will need to take to Winnipeg on Friday. It'll be nice to have cold beer waiting when we get back on Saturday night.

1:50 PM

Heating up the last of the chickpea curry. There is a really noisy bird outside. Seamus is really interested in this. He is sitting, gazing out the screen door and he seems to be trembling with intensity. Expecting leaping and barking in 3, 2, 1...

5:00 PM

It's raining hard. It's dark, not like night, but like much later. I can't see across the lake because there is a heavy fog, or maybe just it's raining that hard. My poor tomatoes are getting drowned.

I have been reading Jenny Lawson (aka The Bloggess)'s book, “Let's Pretend This Never Happened” and laughing so hard. So hard I had tears pouring down my face and beer almost came out my nose. It is prefect for a gloomy, wet, cold, dark day like this. If you find yourself having such a day, I heartily recommend this book. Also, it helps if you are teensy bit odd yourself. The enjoyment of the book I mean. I can imagine some people who would not be amused by it. They also would not be particularly fun at a party.

WHY DOESN'T IT STOP RAINING ALREADY????

7:00 PM

Still raining hard. Fantasizing about indoor plumbing. My hoodie is still not completely dry from the last time I went out...

8:00 PM

It seems to have stopped raining for a bit. It's lighter out than it's been all day.

8:30 PM

I have finished the book.

I laughed so hard it hurt. If you haven't read it already, WHY NOT???

9:15 PM

The dogs and I went down to the lake to look at the first clear sky for days.  I took some photos.

I know I shouldn't bore folks with my summer photos. But it's just so darn pretty, I can't help myself.

9:30 PM

I'm cold. I'm going to bed.