Happy Saturday morning – even though it’s still dark where I am. I love Northern Comfort, although, now that I am back at the corner of Chaos & Mayhem I am thrilled to be back at the condo.

“No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.” ~ Lin Yutang

All of this means that since we have old familiar ‘pillows’ at both ends it makes the transition absolutely seamless.

Another thoroughly pleasant bit is that at the condo our coffee is brewed using a Mr. Coffee (touted as being as good as these machines get). Note to self, next spring purchase a Mr. Coffee to use at Northern Comfort. There, scratch that off my list.

One thing I’ve managed to keep up with since we came back home is my morning walk. And, since I manage my 3-mile ‘strut’ on neighborhood side streets it also means that I can get going earlier than up north where we walk on open road.

Is the cabin closer to Heaven? – It might have appeared that we hurriedly dove out of the north woods and slammed the door as we left.

Well, partially true. Let me explain. We had been waiting for our contractor for weeks. For weeks the job had been pushed back. In the meantime the work to winterize the cabin had to continue. Down to even placing the front shutters. That, plus the seasonal changeover meant that outside (and by default, inside) it got colder. Plus it also got windier and wetter.

So, after Marcia looked me in the eye and stated: “I’m tired of living in a bat-cave”, I knew the time had come to head out. Actually, it became a bit more extreme. In a desperate early morning moment she headed for the old out-house, in the pitch dark, only armed with a little flashlight. I followed her progress from the little kitchen window and watched her get disoriented and start to loop in circles amongst the trees. I really think that was the definitive moment. We needed to head out, and fast!

Another morning phone call to the contractor, another assurance – this time that they’d start on Wednesday. And so, Monday at 10-AM we were on the road heading for the border.

Northern Comfort was still solidly on Terra Firma (actually on piers and not so ‘Firma’).

Northern Comfort Update – Our neighbors keep on checking as to possible building progress. Wednesday came and went, Thursday still nothing, Friday – no sign of a work crew. Then, last evening around nine, I got another e-mail. Bob-the-Forester had walked over and noticed that a pair of steel beams and some wooden beams had been delivered!!! Work has finally begun. Hallelujah!

E.P.A. Update – Last week I commented on the massive wasteful spending by the Federal government with a small focus on the E.P.A. I wrote that this agency:” “has a PR machine which spends $169,000,000 of your hard earned dollars to help ‘spin’ what they do badly into an acceptable format.”

Most recently, there was a screw-up by the E.P.A. which would have cost any private sector company dearly in fines.

A number of my readers (probably 3 out of the 4 regulars) tend to think that I sit around digging up ‘dirt’ from über conservative rags, let me state unequivocally that this is not true. This from a very liberally slanted New York Times.

Hitting the Ground Running – is exactly what I did upon our return. Unloading the truck, emptying the bins, and storing the empty bins all became the easy part.

More time was spent in some meetings and reviewing paperwork to prepare. Not included is that our little Canon printer ‘balked’ when asked to print with black ink – probably from sitting a summer (now fixed).

What was so much more pleasant were the soccer games I got to watch. Vili a member of his neighborhood ‘lollipop’ league team was fun to watch. He plays oh so hard, runs and runs and runs. Yet never seems to make contact with the ball. Anyway, Thursday was the final game. His team, the Green Devils, was winning. Fourth quarter and Vili was placed in goal – it was his proudest moment.

Last evening it was the Fall Festival at the kids school. For three hours the kids ran and played. Or, they stood in line for hair coloring, face painting, fake tattoos, or a variety of games.

At one point I looked over and thought it a family affair. Cathy, Adrianne, Jason, Tevita, and (a now grown up) Marin were all painting arms and faces. It’s a highlight event.

David Morrison’s Photos

Fini – The ‘O’ family will soon be heading out for their choice seats at the University of Cincinnati homecoming football game. Enjoy!

Me? I will finish assembling our tiny little barbecue grill designed to fit on our condo’s tiny little balcony. Gone is “old glory” our massive three burner complete with side burner – we sold it when our house sold.

This week both Marcia and I have physicals. For those of you who understand how much I anticipate these events, let me just say; “it’s something else to dink with”.

Make it a great week and stay safe.

Cheers.

Dirk