Celebrate; it’s the first Saturday morning of autumn 2016. A little slow, nevertheless, in these parts the trees are quickly donning their brightly lit ‘coats’. Another week or so and the woods should become magnificent in their reds, yellows, and greens.

Northern Comfort view Fall 2012

Yesterday we had coffee in town and here is the difference having coffee in northern Ontario versus a mug in the ‘Nati. At the next table I overheard a person say that he; “….had a two year old in the yard, eh”. After a summer in these parts I immediately understood what he meant, he’d seen a bear on his property. Back home no one would have understood that small fact. Over this long, past, season I think I’ve experienced some change. Maybe it’s a good time to head on home and re-acclimate.

First thing in the morning we’ll start the F-150 and with a final ‘honk’ head for the Trans-Canada highway, cross at the Soo, and then straight on south to:

“Cincinnati, Ohio, Cincinnati, Ohio

One more hour and I’ll be home
Close my eyes and rest my bones
Can’t be more than a mile or so
From Cincinnati, Ohio, Cincinnati, Ohio

Cincinnati where the river winds
Cross the Mason and the Dixie Line
Heaven waits for me I know
In Cincinnati, Ohio, Cincinnati, Ohio

I guess perhaps the memories got too strong
Grabbed me by the heart strings and pulled me home
I got to thinkin’ ’bout some friends I know
In Cincinnati, Ohio, Cincinnati, Ohio

I walked halfway from Lewie Ville
Now there she lies at the foot of the hill
Shinin’ like a jewel in the valley below
Cincinnati, Ohio, Cincinnati, Ohio

Cincinnati where the river winds
Cross the Mason and the Dixie Line
Heaven waits for me I know
In Cincinnati, Ohio, Cincinnati, Ohio

Cincinnati where the river winds
Cross the Mason and the Dixie Line
Heaven waits for me I know
In Cincinnati, Ohio, Cincinnati, Ohio” ~ Connie Smith; Cincinnati, Ohio (1967)

A Harvest Festival – is being celebrated today in the nearby Town of Iron Bridge. We’re skipping a bunch of it, including the evening dance. However, what Marcia and I are going to enjoy, along with Donn and Marlene, is the Turkey Dinner. It’s brilliant, a lovely dinner and no cleanup – especially since the cabin’s water line will have been pulled, the lines emptied, and the anti-freeze added to the traps. It’s brilliant.

Kinda Proud – nothing spectacular mind you, but kinda cool anyway. This year, for the very first time, I took the decking off the dock and raised it. So what’s the big deal?

The big deal being that I raised it MANUALLY and by myself. Using a logging chain and two 4’ trailer safety chains plus a little hand pulley I was able to ‘step’ raise it to where finally the holding cable’s cleat could be clipped on the metal holding loop.

Well, maybe I felt my arms the next day – just a bit mind you.

The Plan – Marlene came up with an idea that was beyond touching.  What I didn’t realize is that she’d been planning it for some time. All I knew was that all of a sudden our ‘walkie-talkie’ chirped and from the other end of the lake I was asked to go along and climb our iconic cliff, Rock Candy Mountain. Half an hour later the two of us were hiking through the woods.

It wasn’t till we reached the top and pulled out the cameras that she produced a pad of paper and a thick ‘Sharpie’ marker, then, asked me to come up with something for Vince. It was only then that it dawned on me that this, our final hike of the season, was in fact our hike for Vince. We both stood quietly for a few moments high on that rocky outcrop. Here is what we came up with:

Animal Planet – Yesterday morning on our way to town we saw two large Bald Eagles fly away from some road kill as our car approached. It reminded me that much of the year they happily eat carrion – even keeping large Turkey Vultures at bay. Sure is a different mental image than the one of a proud Eagle flying off with a just caught wiggling salmon in its talons; huh?

And, just like that, yellow seems to have become the color of choice in our yard

Finis – It’s difficult to imagine but last evening Marcia handed me the envelope with monies to leave with our neighbors. Reason? It’s to be used to pay the guy who’ll ‘rake’ the snow off the roof of Northern Comfort. Fall is here and winter is racing towards us – Cincinnati is still near 90 degrees.

Vince’s new ‘mix’ of chemo now has added different anti-nausea drugs and these appear to be doing the trick. His fight is strong and now can be even stronger: Rally for Vince. I think he knows just how many people are in his corner and urging him on – after all, he’s run Ironman races and knows how the pushing through thing works!

   Since our little Sea Nymph is now also ‘high-and-dry’ it’s time for the last bits. One final check to see that the Passports are where they should be. Then a last trip to the dump, and then we’ll begin the packing-of-the-truck. Whoops, first our final morning three mile hike—can’t forget it (didn’t miss too many this season). Now, best get my coffee ready (got up a bit too early to start it immediately).

Cheers.

Dirk