I was asleep by eleven last night and dreamt of people I won’t be seeing for a while. This morning I lay in bed and then got up to start a fire. Soon I was warm and setting up the water systems and steps for the sheds and sink out front, and all the other material that have been choking up the sheds. I also rewired the three solar panels I have in the bush to run one controller to charge my batteries. There are a lot of little tasks as well, like lowering the back step and unscrewing the shutters.
Once I was done that for the day, and I relaxed plenty as well, I read the Andrew Weir Martian book, which was quite infantile although the science was good and the story interesting enough. The character acted too much like a jock meets teenager and that made it a bit annoying to read. Also, the main character’s diary or log didn’t seem like a real character wrote it. Too silly in parts that didn’t fit in with the serious parts.
It was late when I stopped reading and it took me a while to fall asleep.
Wednesday, April
I had already decided to come to the bush early today, so I paid my taxes, met Suzanne for lunch, and bought groceries by two in the afternoon. I went by Katie’s place in town for her bicycle and three boxes to help the family move her back today, and then I drove straight to their place in Millville. There I typed a few emails, and unpacked Katie’s stuff and reassembled her bicycle. Soon the family was home and I spent time with them until dinnertime and then I left after Miriam helped me with my tire pressure. Interestingly, both tires on the downhill side through the winter lost about ten pounds of pressure.
I brought my three other solar panels from Dennis’ barn, and stashed them in the pallet shed when I arrived.
The road is in even worse shape now, and there are parts it would be easy to get stuck in. I hope it improves before too long. Maybe I should carry a shovel until I know for sure.
Once I was parked in front of my drive I went to the pallet shed for the shovel and shoveled a trench so the rain over the next week can melt enough snow I can drive in. I don’t like my car in the driveway across from Bashful, although it is likely safe enough. While I was shoveling, three guys went by in a pickup, looking with great interest at what I was doing. That’s always creepy.
Once I was done shoveling, I unloaded the car and moved it to across from Bashful, and then I packed my stuff into my blue pack and went to the stream. It is swollen beyond the other day, and the water is waist deep and running fast. I took off my pants and socks and stuffed them in my dry boots for the second trip, and then waded out with my pack and crossed, although I almost lost my footing. Without the rope I would have.
When I was on the other side, I hesitated, and then went back in for my boots, but halfway across, not weighed down by the pack, it was very dangerous crossing, so I decided I would likely have even more trouble with my boots in my hands. I left them on the other side and walked into the bush with wet boots and no pants or socks. It wasn’t really that bad, for it was warm today.
When I arrived, I went around checking the full water tanks, opening shutters which had closed due to wind, and getting the air out of the main water system. I now have the sink working again. Then I set a fire and cooked onion, two veggie patties with tofu cheese and finished my meal with two cookies. That more than made up for the work I did today.
Now it is nearly ten in the evening, the fire is warm, and I am ready for bed. While I ate I listened to an Ideas show debate on CBC radio about whether to have sanctions against Russia. It is hard to keep up with what is going on in the world.
Thursday, April
I was asleep early last night, nearly as soon as I ate. I thought that might mean I would sleep late today, but instead I was awake at eight. The rain was by times heavy today, but in the gaps, I walked to the creek and checked on the water level. It was still too high to cross that safely, especially when I could see my boots where I’d left them, in no danger from the rising water. I also did a walkabout to pull down dead poplars near the camp for wood. Now my sawhorse is piled high with scavenged trees from today and when I was here in the winter. I am not that close to running out of wood in the woodshed, but I like to have wood to saw up when I have a sunny day and the electric chainsaw is up and running.
Other than those relatively simple tasks, I did nothing other than read. I am reading through Ben Bova’s Voyager series, noting again the time spent on jealousy and hatred, sex and petty bickering. The tech is interesting, if a bit magical, but interestingly I’ve been thinking about that book lately although I didn’t remember the title.
I started Dean Koontz’s Innocence as well while my Kobo was charging through USB, and it reminds me of Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere. It features some of the same type of magical two types of cities.
Friday, April
It rained fairly heavily today, so I did little beyond gather some more wood and try to sort some stuff in the workshop. I’m looking for an Edison type fitting I can attach to my old lamp so I can wire the new bulb from Dennis into it. That way I will have a regular lamp wired into the main house system and sporting a LED. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the fitting I was looking for, at least now. I looked through my drills, and there is a Mastercraft but it is a nine volt, so I’m not sure that would work for what Dennis wants for his workplace.
I spent the rest of the day reading and listening to the radio. It was a lazy day, complete with a nap which meant I was up until three in the morning. But I have nowhere to be and nothing to make me get up early. I can afford to sleep in here.
Saturday, April
Because I was up so late, I slept in until ten-thirty. I was tired even after I woke up, but I turned on the radio and thought about the day while I waited for Saturday shows like Quirks and Quarks.
It was another rainy day today, but I did a trek to the creek and waded across to recover my boots, check on my car and the condition of the driveway. I cleared the felled pin cherry from the drive, and set up the step for the pallet shed, and did a bit of a hike downstream. A moose had followed my trail for part of the way and then swung over to Bashful’s only to come back and cross the road into the discontinued logging road across from my driveway. Likely the moose came through early this morning or last night, by the looks of the tracks. I could have shovelled my driveway some more, but I decided that I will likely go to town on Wed and then back by Thurs, so the snow will be gone by then.
By the time I was back in the cabin the water I’d put on the stove to heat for a shower was warm and I poured it into the shower bag and took a shower. Then I set up the hot water jug on the roof to catch the excess from the drinking water. I tried to repost the cream separator jug, but the ground is still frozen so my pounding the stake into the dirt was to no avail.
I did another walk about for wood, although I also went to the swamp south of here and saw where deer had been crossing. Apparently there have been a lot of deer winter-killed this year, but at least one of them on my land is OK.
It is now late evening and the fire is keeping the cabin warm while I think what I am to do with the night. I should try to get to sleep early. The cabin can be a good place for sleep, although I wake to the slightest sound. That is likely a legacy from the mouse days.
Sunday, April
Although this is starting to sound like a litany, I was again reading through my day. I slept fairly early last night and with the rain of the day I ventured outside but rarely. I let the rain come down around me and I read a few books. One of those, Dean Koontz’s Innocence I’ve talked about in another post.
Monday, April
Another rainy day, enough so that you are likely getting sick of hearing about it. Today I did a bit of a walkabout, some organizing in the workshop, and searching for some electrical components. Also, since the snow cover is almost gone, I pulled up a few rocks for future building purposes and cut some bushes near where I think I will make a pond. We’ll see if that comes to pass, but I have plotted out the expansion of the land for the garden, to provide a slug barrier from the woods, and where I think the pond might best be placed.
The rain was by times heavy today, so even the snow behind the cabin is disappearing quickly. When the sun came out in late afternoon though, the greenhouse was warm enough I could have slept in there. Maybe I should move in a bunk for daytime naps once the sun is more constant.
It is dark tonight and when I went outside to let the frying pan soak in the yard it was still. It has been windy all day, but as I walked down the hill I was struck by a mournful feeling of loss and isolation. There is only me out here and the woods are still and chilly and wet. The cabin is cozy but for a moment I sensed how fragile that protection from the elements is. It usually takes me a while to acclimatize myself to the isolation here in the bush when I first arrive, and this time it will likely take longer. I plan to leave on Monday to check on my marks, as well as visit Mento in Nackawic. Hopefully he is OK, for it has been a long time since I’ve heard from him.
By the fall it is difficult to leave the bush, but by this time of year it is sometimes lonely to stay. Humans are resistant to change and I am no different.
