May 13 - cruising and snoozing

Bruce and I had a snooze while Sandy and Bev went first into Loring and then north to the French River Trading Post. That was pretty much the action for the entire day ... well, almost.

Early on, Abby and I went over to Caribou Creek to check on my minnow traps. Three minnows does not even justify the gas to go fetch them ! I moved the traps a little and we'll see what appears today. Today, that is, assuming that the thunderstorms, wind, waves ease up enough to actually go over there.

I checked out the Whaler trailer to see that the lights work ... good on that score ... but know that I'm taking a chance on the wheel bearings since the trailer hasn't moved for two years other than around the yard. I'm intending to take it into Sudbury to pick up those T's for the suspended ceiling in the basement. If I get a chance I'll lift one side then the other and roll the wheel by hand to see if I can feel any roughness.

We did sit out in the gazebo for a bit in the a.m. It was moderately warm -- ok for a windbreaker -- would have been quite warm except for the wind. I went out just a few minutes ago and closed the barn and garage -- a little like closing the barn door after the cows have left -- against the wind and rain. It's been raining most of the night.

It really smells smokey in here right now. I think that what has happened is that downdrafts from the chimney have been sucked into the ERV intake and some smokey air has come into the house. Either that or it's come in one of the bedroom windows -- our window is open a crack and I suspect that there may be windows upstairs open a crack too. I've turned the ERV on high hoping to exhaust some of this air, but there's a lot of air in the house and that smell is dispersed now.

We had pickerel, sweet potato fries and green beans for dinner last night. The pickerel came from Tarini's of course, since the season doesn't open here until Saturday. With any luck I'll be able to catch pickerel, pike and crappie to keep us in occasional fish meals from that point onwards.

Today Bruce and Bev head southwards. They're in for some nasty driving, by the looks of things. There is a line of thunderstorms that stretches down to Arkansas ... perhaps most of that will get by before they get as far as Erie PA. For their sake I hope so. For us, it depends on the weather. I'll probably make that run into Sudbury for the T's though ... I can wait until later in the day when it looks like most of this has moved through.

The power is still on ... knock on wood ... but I'm sure that if there were leaves on the trees something would have been blown down on the power lines on 522. We tend to have fewer problems during the winter / early spring in that regard. There have been some flickers, judging by Sandy's flashing bedside clock radio.

That's it for now ... I've eaten, Abby has eaten ... time for some chicken soup.