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.