12/19/01
This cottage get-away was a collection of small pleasures, problems, and ponderings. It was also the latest in the year that we have yet spent time at the cottage, which in fact, made these "p's" possible.
There was a mix of snow and rain in Toronto the days before our Sunday morning departure. Since I've still not spent enough time in recent years in that white stuff to become fully confident about driving in it, I was a bit hesitant about how the drive itself would be. However, since he had purchased new all-weather tires last spring, Tom assured me that the lightly travelled country roads of eastern Ontario would be no problem. He was right! He easily maneuvered over the winding, slowly climbing, mildly snow covered - and sanded - roads to the private park where our cottage is located. It was a beautiful picture of snow laden trees and sparkling ice crystals under a bright blue sky. The only regret I had was that I'd left my camera at home.
Arriving at the cottage we faced the temperature "facts of life". We knew that the interior would be at least as cold as the just freezing temperature outside. We weren't "disappointed". In fact, the thermometer mercury hadn't risen above the reservoir bulb - it was therefore approximately 20F (-8C), the temperature it had been during the night. The remnants of water in buckets from our last visit were topped with approximately an inch of ice. Brrrr!
First order of business on arrival in the cold is to turn on all heat sources and cook dinner. (Of course getting buckets of non-drinking water from the lake is a close second.) It took an hour or two, but by the time we sat down to plates of chicken, yam, onions, mushrooms, green beans and kale the temperature was approaching 60F. I suspect that the cool temperature - and the extra length of CR fasting - made that meal especially delicious.
Breakfast on Monday morning was a bit different for me. As I stood fruitlessly searching the kitchen counters for my bag of granola, I realized that I'd failed to pack it with the other non-perishables. (My checklist isn't much good, I told myself, if I don't fully use it.) Tom suggested that I cube some raisin and 100% rye breads we'd brought and make bread pudding using the breakfast powders mixed in milk. I did just that, putting in some prune and walnut pieces also, before microwaving the mixture. The finished product was topped with fresh kiwi, strawberries, and frozen wild blueberries. While it didn't have the delightful chew of granola, it was definitely a satisfactory substitute and I passed up the opportunity to buy cereal for the next day when we went into nearby "civilization" later in the day
As I related in an earlier entry, Scrabble is a typical activity during our cottage stays. Our objective is to obtain the highest possible combined total score. This time however, we found ourselves making more than usual high point words, long and/or unusual - my favorite was "baroque" that I found for Tom among his letter possibilities. It turned out to be one of two games with the fewest plays (15 for each of us) and with the highest average - just over 20 points per play. I had kept all our game scores so that we could look back and see that our games can have either of 2 objectives: 1) greatest total points, typically a long game with 20 or more plays each; or 2) highest average points per play. We've decided that a truly elegant game is a strong combination of both.
The peaceful views of the quiet lake in the light fallen snow was beautiful and a pondering backdrop for the sight of a half-dozen flies on the picture windows that "came back to life" once the temperature rose above freezing in the cottage. And then there was the lady bug that managed to survive and made herself (?himself?) comfortable on our dining room table Monday afternoon. What made it possible for these insects to survive such temperatures?
I had finished the first draft of the above when another (?the last) "problem" surfaced. Tom discovered while putting out the Monday supper supplements that I'd forgotten mine. (Our meal collections are in old LEF plastic bottles "coded" for each of us.) Missing one meal would be no big deal, Tom assured me. At least I didn't forget his, he said with a big grin.
And then there were the two stove burners that stopped working Sunday night and provided Tom with some diversion Monday evening when he'd temporarily "overloaded" on Science News issues. He discovered the problem after more time spent than he liked, but we again had all 4 burners available for the important task of heating wash and rinse water - and cooking, of course.
As I said, the get-away was a real mix, which will make it memorable on those cold winter days in Toronto.
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