A Different Life II

[Lily&Me]

I haven't seen that movie, but have heard it is hysterical.

There have been the nicest people here, and this morning a woman a bit younger than me introduced herself and asked if I was traveling alone...yes, we're widows, I replied...me, too, she responded.

Her husband died after a protracted battle with cancer, about the time Doug did. She said she grieved for 5 years, then again when he died.

In a tent right on the lake, with her daughter and two grandchildren, they've been having a great time but she thought a rig like mine would be the way to go.

She came in and took a look around, and I shared with her some of our travels with grandchildren, using a hitch hauler for their stuff.

She's interested in upgrading.

It has been raining steadily the past few hours, but we were moved and set up in the new site before it really got going, and I have now finished the afghan for my niece....minus a few feet to finish the border.

Going to just get some more to complete it, as this most beautiful yarn will surely be turned into something else.

Listening to the rain, watching the lake, little coal-look space heater is glowing merrily and putting out occasional heat...

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

It rained hard yesterday, then the waves on the lake pounded the shoreline all night.

I love being so close to the water, and it is much quieter in this section of the campground, but it is not dissimilar to Edisto during and after a storm, with lots of wet fog afterward leaving dewy mist on everything...all part of the lake experience.

It has cleared up this morning, and we took a drive into Cornucopia to add a bit of very expensive diesel fuel to our tank...not available just anywhere up here...and check out Ehlers General Store, a 100+ year old mercantile in continuous operation since opening.

I didn't think I had been there before, but remembered it when I went inside, and am pretty certain this is where I bought the Lake Superior placemat map in about 2008.

Everything from soup to nuts, as such places tend to be, including Wisconsin cheese and cooked-on-site BBQ ribs for sale mid day, most days.

There is also a nice coffee shop in town, with freshly baked goodies , and the gas station/food mart also boasts a small laundromat.

Everything one needs.

Asking about 4th of July festivities in the area, Cornucopia will have the usual fireworks, on their beach, plus a fund raiser fish fry on Sunday....we will skip the fireworks, but definitely partake of the fish fry, and probably wander into Bayfield or Washburn on the 4th, where there is sure to be something going on.

I've read two books since leaving home 5 days ago.

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

Tents have cropped up in the lakeshore sites, and the campground is full for the holiday weekend.

Beautiful and peaceful mornings...my favorite time of day.

[Gearheart]

It's a holiday on our side of the line too. July 1 is Canada Day. Laura is now officially off work and we are heading out on Tuesday.

[Lily&Me]

Yeaayyy!!!, and congratulations to Laura on retirement!

Are you headed into the UP, or is that later this year?

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

It has been another beautiful day here...we are walking a couple of times, plus taking a bike ride every day, building it up a bit so that I don't overtax Miss Lily.

Made a drive into Cornucopia this morning to do a week's worth of laundry...clean bedding that has no smell of damp and dog is a small luxury I really appreciate.

The gas station boasts your usual assortment of convenience store foods, coffees, free wifi and groceries, with a small laundromat off to one side.

I was there about 7:30, not the first to arrive but before a small onslaught that required wait times for washing machines. Locals and campers all use this little place, apparently, as the next closest is about 25 miles away.

Lots of families with small children out in tents here, several young couples, and one young man here by himself with an about 10-11 year old daughter.

It's nice to see, and I have passed out a few firestarters to those who were struggling getting theirs going....it's all well and good to do the boyscout routine, but sometimes one needs a small bit of help.

I can't see them struggling and frustrated, and not offer up something....it's what fellow travelers do.

Have decided to stay here thru the coming week, as why not.

It couldn't be prettier, and is so peaceful and relaxing.

Another week will get me thru all of the holiday activity and congestion, then I will start to meander east.

I'm on book #4 .....

Maggie

[Lily&Me]

It was a chilly, but clear, morning today, and has stayed that way all day. Folks are in the water in bathing suits, lots of kayaking and canoeing also going on.

Drove into town for the big fish fry, getting there about 10 minutes after it was to "begin"...lots and lots of cars and people already in this little unincorporated town.

A line that did not move the 15 minutes or so I stood there stretched about a block, so I decided to pass on the fish for carryout ribs at Ehler's....the word is, if Ehlers doesn't have it, you don't need it, and they have a bit of just about everything...including hot ribs and roast chicken.

They were decent, and I didn't have to cook them.

I have been ridding my frig of its stuffed-full state, since I left home, so am now starting to think about cooking a bit....in particular, grilling on my new and very space efficient grill. Going to visit the IGA in Washburn on Tuesday, and find something suitable, perhaps steak...Doug would approve.

I'm happy to report that I had an email today from the owner of the Adirondacks cabin, who received none of my correspondence the past two weeks, and was asking nicely about the payment from me that was due a week ago...said emails having been sent, unbeknownst to me, to a google photo email address, which is where he sent the signed contract from.

I had no idea, but once he told me I could see it in the address I wrote to.

At any rate, we have talked on the phone, and the two week rental cottage is on, which delights me as I had been sooooo looking forward to it.

I took this picture out my window last evening...sunsets here on a clear night are pretty spectacular.

Maggie

[mimiandrews]

It's nice to see, and I have passed out a few firestarters to those who were struggling getting theirs going....it's all well and good to do the boyscout routine, but sometimes one needs a small bit of help.

According to my grandson, the Boy Scouts these days are using cotton balls saturated with Vaseline. Not as pretty as your fire starters, but easy to make and easy to carry in a pocket or pack.

Enjoy the cool Superior weather for me. It's getting pretty hot here.

[Gearheart]

Thanks for the name drop "Cornucopia" Now I know where you are. We are heading out Tuesday and doing the east side of Georgian Bay 'till the weekend. Killarney Prov. Park for 3-4 days. Then off to the Soo and into the UP. If you are staying put 'till the weekend we will be able to cross paths somewhere in the UP. Can't wait.

[Lily&Me]

Sounds good, Gerard.

Mimi, I have read of those cotton ball and Vaseline fire starters, but they just sound so yucky I have stuck with cedar shavings ones.

Maggie

[rmkrum]

We used insulation board (made from sugar cane fiber) soaked in melted candle wax. A few shavings from that block were quite good at starting a fire under most any conditions.

Still have one handy. It was made in the 80's and is still good.

[Lily&Me]

That's an interesting idea, rmkrum.

I'm going to make the cedar shavings firestarters differently this next year....perhaps mixing the shavings with the melted paraffin, and then using an ice cream scoop to put them out onto waxed paper.

The ones you buy commercially are just barely held together, and work just fine...less mess than pouring paraffin over, and would use less wax.

Could also maybe just spread it all onto a lined cookie sheet, then cut into small bricks...

Maggie

[mimiandrews]

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

Sounds good, Gerard.

Mimi, I have read of those cotton ball and Vaseline fire starters, but they just sound so yucky I have stuck with cedar shavings ones.

Maggie

They'd need a container, but a sandwich bag would do. They do work if you need to keep things really compact.

Later this month, Ben and his dad are heading out to the Philmont Boy Scout camp where they will live out of their backpacks for a 100+ mile hike. You really need to pack small for that.

[Lily&Me]

I understand, Mimi, and hope they have a great trip.

Drove into Washburn this am to go to their nice IGA....have a nice steak and some chicken I am going to grill later. My first time grilling on the road since Doug died. It's time.

I've been reading a very good book, a crime mystery, and came across this paragraph...

“Four percent of the population functions without a conscience. Some are money managers, surgeons, soldiers, and preachers. They could be your kid’s kindergarten teacher, your attorney, or the assistant manager at the AutoZone store. The smart ones will use you up, ruin your career, blow up your marriage, and steal your money.”...from Devil Sent the Rain, by Lisa Turner.

Oh that this were not so true...I personally believe the percentage in the overall population is higher than 4%, and I know of entities where the concentration is probably closer to at least 10%.

Where such behavior is valued and reinforced, it will thrive.

Sigh.

Maggie

[mimiandrews]

Hopefully, only 4% completely without a conscience--truly evil. Of course, they're surrounded on all sides by those who yield to temptation really easily and rationalize away their guilt. And then there are the ones who are too uneducated to know better--failure of families and schools to teach what should be taught.

Then all of this gets magnified by news media outlets trying for market share--if it bleeds, it leads.

Too bad it obscures the vast majority of people who are good. Fortunately, we meet lots of those good people when we're out camping.

[Lily&Me]

True, Mimi....there are many good people out there, and campgrounds tend to be full of them.

It also takes more than a brief interaction, and some true engagement, for a sociopath to really impact your life, and often by the time you realize what you've got it is too late to do much about it...but get away.

I have done a lot of sitting outside here, until full sun hits later in the day, and have enjoyed more visiting as well as showing the Interstate 8-10 times since my arrival 9 days ago.

A fair number of people are here for week or longer stays, which is nice, as we get to know each other a bit and visit regularly.

The sitting out isn't near as difficult as it used to be... and truly, year four of widowhood and solo-me travel is a horse of a very different color, in a good way.

A huge benefit to all the fresh air is that Lily and I are sleeping like the dead every, single night. I like.

In addition to sitting out, and my usual at-rest activities, I have cleaned the cabinet above the sink and thrown out some seasonings and things I've carried since before Doug died...and haven't used since. It's time.

I grilled my chicken and boneless sirloin on my Son of Hibachi yesterday, and it was absolutely delicious...with plenty of leftovers for the remainder of the week.

I'm still in the learning curve of that grill, but it's getting less awkward, and I absolutely love its space efficiency as well as the ability to close it up and put it away soon after I'm done using it.

When I left Washburn yesterday, with a coffee and freshly ground beans from their coffee shop , it was getting quite warm at 9am or so.

I got back up here, and it was easily 10 degrees cooler on the lake.

It's been a beautiful spot, and very relaxing stay.

Maggie

[Photobum]

Maggie,

Google Penzey's. I refresh my spices annually....

[Lily&Me]

Hi Vince, and hope your summer is going well!

I buy most spices and herbs in bulk from the health food store or an Amish grocery, if I am lucky enough to be near one...storing them in purchased small jars, but can't say they are all turned over annually.

The issue being, really, that I don't cook the same way...nor every day...as I did when hubbie was here to cook for.

These things had been unused in 3+ years, but hard to pitch them, because they connect me to my other life. But, I finally did.

Maggie

[Hittenstiehl]

Maggie how did you and Lily do last night. Did you have fireworks close by.

Love Penzeys Spices. We're lucky you have a store close by. Also buy loose (in bag) and put in glass jars. I like smelling the open jars for their flavors. Roasted garlic a current favorite.

[Lily&Me]

We did just fine, thanks.

Nothing nearby but a short burst late from some locals, nothing prolonged like what we ended up near last year.

A heavy rainstorm passed thru here early morning, and that with lots of lightening was more of a disturbance, but it sounds like from talking with others that I slept thru much of it....tho I do remember waking at one point to Lily snuggled in close.

It is in the 70's today and sunny, the warmest day since we got here.

It brings the flies out, tho, which I could do without, but you can't have everything.

Maggie