Oct 2 - more big wind

If anything, it was windier than the day before.  Cold again to start, at 36F, the thermometer eventually crossed 50F but it felt colder in that wind.

I was trying to get hold of Al -- that's the only name that I knew -- Al who is the ex son-in-law (Caroline) of the Sherar's who bought the property at the point.  Jason gave me telephone numbers for Ken/Doris and Norma.  Ken's worked but there was no answer; then again I assume that it worked !  Anyway, I tried it a few times during the day and then thought -- I wonder if they're up here ?  -- I called the cottage number.

Well who answered but Al.  There's history here -- I believe that he went deer hunting with Ken for years and years until Ken had to give that up.  His relationship with his in-laws was enduring; with his wife, not so much :).

Anyway, I had a good conversation with him; we exchanged contact information.  He expects to be able to clear up the piles of material (stone, gravel etc.) at the turnaround before the snow flies.  That was my only concern.  He said that he'd keep me posted.

Here at the ranch, I finished up my grounding project, drilling through the outside wall and continuing that ground wire to the house wiring.  That sounds simple but my installer bit ( those two-foot drill bits) was exactly the same diameter as the ground wire and it took a lot of in-and-out-and-in-and-out to get it finally pulled through.  It's good exercise .. perhaps. 

I contemplated the dock.  I'm not sure how I'm going to get it beached and secure for the winter.  I checked out one of the rocks that pokes up through the sand and it's huge.  There's no way that I'm ever going to move that without drilling and winching, if at all.  The rocks are a problem because if the dock (either of mine, or Jason's) sits on it, wave action will certainly erode a lot of the styrofoam float.  There are two or three rocks that eventually I'd like to get out of there. 

I tried to visualize what I might do to pull the dock in further.  Pulling laterally doesn't work.  I tried that a couple of years ago working with David.  The 4-wheeler ends up pulling the dock along and down as the sand slopes up.  We also tried laying down a couple of big pipes so that the dock might slide on the pipes ... no go.  The only way would be to have a pulley up higher so that you're lifting and pulling.  To do that, I'd have to setup a tripod of sorts or hook a pulley to one of the trees, but I don't think that there's one appropriately placed.  I could pickup 3x8'x2x6's and construct a tripod ... hmmm.  It might be worth a try.  

The beach side of my big dock doesn't have floats.  It rests on the concrete ledge at the shore made by my dad.  That's the first part to touch bottom as the dock moves to it's winter resting place.  Right now though, the water is so low that even the floating part of the dock would be touching bottom as it's only a few inches deep.

Anyway, I've got a few days to figure something out vis-a-vis pulling it in, or, figuring out a way to anchor it so that it doesn't float shore-ward or rock-ward and get damaged as the water rises, which it surely will.  I've got to tie it to the rock, which I can do with chains, and the logs at the shore.  I can't tie it to the gazebo support logs/crib because the last thing that I want is the ice pulling at those !

A little maple had come down by the side of the road between here and the turnaround so I cut it up and added it to my to-be-split pile.  It's only about 6" in diameter, but what the heck.  Wood is wood.  David will give me a hand with that little project.

We had rainbow trout for dinner that I'd picked up at Costco.  It was excellent; such a mild fish.

I'm writing this from the cottage; I opted NOT to do the 200k today.  I see from the current Hamilton weather that the winds are currently at 40kph and gusting to 60kph.  Good luck to the riders !

I tried to figure out a way of tying our plans to Stef's for today (Saturday) so that we could do the puppy visitation today, but that didn't work because they're going to Oakville to see Aaron's Dad & Stepmom & Leah, who is in town (Oakville).  Lauren wants to see Leah and we're taking Lauren to see the puppy.  Oh yes, the name Cassie seems to be at the top of Sandy's list now.  It's not my favorite.  I'd be more tempted by Casey, or Shelly, and on and on.

There was too much on the agenda for Sunday, with 8 hours of driving on tap so I'm going to go to Mass today in Britt.  Britt has Saturday Mass until Thanksgiving, I believe.  I found the schedule online but not before I'd called the church a couple of times hoping that Father Campbell would pick up.  Interestingly enough, later in the day he called me back even though I hadn't left a message (there is no message machine).  He must have a call display feature and look at missed calls.  I think that this has happened before.

I thought that I could do Britt on the way on Sunday, but we're also stopping at Port McNicoll which is a diversion on Highway 12 towards Midland to pick up a pink puppy crate that Sandy found and we've got grocery shopping to do somewhere.  We have to get an earlier start to pack all that in.    

I did a little more plumbing, making a minor adjustment to the setup in the utility room. 

I think that's it and even if not, I've written and rambled enough for today.

Onward !