Good afternoon all:

Weekly Wisdom from the Canadian North Woods:

”Never use both feet to check the water’s depth, eh?” — a local everyman we’ll name Claire

My morning coffee great as always. But now, the pot has been cleaned and put away. It’s Friday and a work day. I finished an article that will be due next week. Now this post.

Library – While in the North woods I am beholding to Paul for internet access. To accomplish this takes a complex arrangement managed by a company called Hughes electronics. It’s a 2-way satellite system which seldom breaks. This week it’s broken. A part is on order and should be here sometime next week. In the meantime it’s a 30 mile 1-way trip to the library at the bustling town of Thessalon for me to connect. I am heading there this afternoon, posting early means saving sixty miles of driving. I just knew you’d understand! (thanks Marcia for the suggestion)

Weather – The news from the North woods is little else other than the G8 and G20 meetings this weekend. Both Toronto and the Muskoka lakes region have been turned into fortresses. The reason being is that there is great concern over protesters disrupting these austere events. However, even spending over $1-billion on security means having zero control over the weather—and it’s crappy! I guess that a weather bust means that the crappy weather will make an already austere even that much more austere.

Then Wednesday, minding my own business while watching a World Cup soccer game, I felt like Carole King as the earth moved beneath my feet. Marcia claimed she had nothing to do with it. A 5.0 earthquake near Quebec shook the ground from Vermont to just past Sault Ste. Marie, a soft rolling sensation which lasted 20 to 30 seconds. Who would’ve thunk.

Ever since we’ve been back it’s been rain and wind, and mostly ‘cool’. If I were a frog or a duck I’d love it; I am not. Instead we sit at the window making comments such as; “the sun is trying to peak through—pretty soon.” Personally, I like the “it’s getting brighter on the horizon” line. This does mean that it’s craft project time. Marcia has already decoupaged a 500 piece puzzle we finished earlier. Now she’s busy building a model ‘cabin.’

Auld Kirk – Donn, Marlene, Marcia, and I drove to town to catch a folk singer, Cara Luft. She was a founding member of a group, popular in folk music circles, called the Wailin’ Jenny’s. It was a great concert by a very fine talent. I just loved her playing on the twelve string guitar.

Cara mentioned that she had driven in from her home in Winnipeg and was off to Guelph for some writing. To give some idea of the distances in this country, the drive time from Winnipeg to this area is 14-hours with no major cities between.

The Auld Kirk is an early twentieth century church built into the side of the rock outcroppings common in these parts. It has been turned into an arts center and the hope is that it will do well enough to become a fixture on the Thessalon ‘strip’.

Animal Planet – The other day it sounded like Marcia dumping a bucket of water off the dock. Instead it was a Red Breasted Merganser Duck landing. It came up with a small fish in its beak—one less for Marcia to catch.

Driving to the concert we just had to stop and stare at one of the young foxes lounging in front of its den. Wow, these are beautiful animals.

Last weekend we had a campfire with our neighbors. About midnight we all stumbled on home. Marcia had left a little earlier along with the flashlight, I managed in the pitch-black. The next morning Barb, our neighbor, came over as soon as she heard activity at our place. We had to come and see the damage a bear caused in an effort to get into the garbage. It seems that during the middle of the night a bear lumbered into our area to explore dinner opportunities. The neighbor’s dog, Milou, started barking. Getting up they spotted the bear at the bottom of the four steps leading to their deck. I have been advised to sleep with a hatchet and my Leatherman parked next to my bed.

Most everyone on the lake has done really well catching an array of Northern Pike and a few Lake Trout. Marcia will too, once she goes fishing—I just know it.

Make it a great week everyone. Marcia and I are both excited beyond words. This coming week the kids and grandkids will start to arrive. Guys, WE ARE READY!

Cheers,

Dirk