Over the past weekend, Shauna and I moved out of the so-called “fifth wheel” camper trailer in which we have lived since May. I think Fate gave us a bit of a nudge, because shortly before we moved out, the furnace motor gave out and began to make a noise similar to fingernails across a blackboard whenever it was turned on. We were then reduced to two little ceramic space heaters, which were not particularly effective as the mercury dropped below zero. As well, one of our next door neighbors, who had so generously supplied us with a water source all summer long, closed up their cottage for the season, and along with it, our water supply. In the last week, I was carrying five gallon pails of water up from the lake, mixing them with anti-freeze in a garbage can, and then pumping the mixture into the camper in order to ensure that the pipes didn’t freeze. That in turn meant that we needed a separate supply of water with which to wash our hands and our dishes. I have a great deal more respect for those who live without the comforts I take for granted: electricity, running water, indoor plumbing, etc. There is no better way to appreciate how much water one uses than to be required to carry it by hand from some distance (in my case only about 200 yards). For so many people in the world, running water is a luxury.
Our new home away from home is a bungalow in nearby Burk's Falls. We have rented it on a month to month basis from a guy named Phil, whose wife recently passed away. Phil and his wife had lived out on nearby Three Mile Lake, and when she passed, he purchased this little bungalow in town, because it was closer to his friends. Fortunately for us, Phil has not yet sold his home on the lake, and the timing was right for us to rent it short term, until our home is finished. More and more, that finish date is looking like early Spring. Phil is an older guy – I think he’s over eighty -- but the other day, he helped me move some of his furniture into this bungalow, and he’s as strong as an ox. During the weekend I got to meet some of his friends, and I must say the country codgers up here are tough as nails. Anyhow the new digs are just fine, and allow us to remain close to our building site. Because water had to be rationed in the camper, showers were infrequent and necessarily short. I took the longest shower I have ever taken in my life as soon as we moved into the bungalow. As I write this, Shauna is doing the same.
One final comment about our new residence ... Shauna and I have never lived in a “neighborhood” together. Since we have been married we’ve lived in the relative anonymity of a high rise apartment. Even the job site we were on is comparatively secluded, and our neighbors there are spread out. Now, we look out the window, and we have a lot of neighbors. Most notably, across the street we see two rather strange families in a duplex. We have become somewhat pre-occupied with what I like to call “Kravitzing”. For all you “Bewitched” fans, this term should be self-explanatory, and for those of you who are not, well, let’s just say we are nosy, bordering on obsessively so. I think we’ve been locked up so long we may have lost our minds. We’ve been watching the duplex people carefully and have decided (for no good reason) that they are up to no good. I think it they might be running a meth lab; or, at the very least, a grow-op. In Toronto we used to live across the hall from a crazy German drug dealer. I used to see him down at my bank depositing suitcases full of cash, and he was quite a nuisance, until Manulife finally kicked him out. He sabotaged his apartment when he left, and even tore out the kitchen cabinets. I suppose one kind of expects that sort of thing in a big city like Toronto, but Burk’s Falls?! I will be keeping and eye on these duplex people. Thank goodness we have Jasper for protection.
Hurricane Noel just walloped Nova Scotia. Hillary Clinton is falling prey to the Democratic front runner curse, the Canadian dollar is worth $1.07 U.S., and I live across the street from potential (given my twisted imagination) drug dealers. Maybe the sky IS falling.
- Written by Jamie Oppenheimer c2007 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Our new home away from home is a bungalow in nearby Burk's Falls. We have rented it on a month to month basis from a guy named Phil, whose wife recently passed away. Phil and his wife had lived out on nearby Three Mile Lake, and when she passed, he purchased this little bungalow in town, because it was closer to his friends. Fortunately for us, Phil has not yet sold his home on the lake, and the timing was right for us to rent it short term, until our home is finished. More and more, that finish date is looking like early Spring. Phil is an older guy – I think he’s over eighty -- but the other day, he helped me move some of his furniture into this bungalow, and he’s as strong as an ox. During the weekend I got to meet some of his friends, and I must say the country codgers up here are tough as nails. Anyhow the new digs are just fine, and allow us to remain close to our building site. Because water had to be rationed in the camper, showers were infrequent and necessarily short. I took the longest shower I have ever taken in my life as soon as we moved into the bungalow. As I write this, Shauna is doing the same.
One final comment about our new residence ... Shauna and I have never lived in a “neighborhood” together. Since we have been married we’ve lived in the relative anonymity of a high rise apartment. Even the job site we were on is comparatively secluded, and our neighbors there are spread out. Now, we look out the window, and we have a lot of neighbors. Most notably, across the street we see two rather strange families in a duplex. We have become somewhat pre-occupied with what I like to call “Kravitzing”. For all you “Bewitched” fans, this term should be self-explanatory, and for those of you who are not, well, let’s just say we are nosy, bordering on obsessively so. I think we’ve been locked up so long we may have lost our minds. We’ve been watching the duplex people carefully and have decided (for no good reason) that they are up to no good. I think it they might be running a meth lab; or, at the very least, a grow-op. In Toronto we used to live across the hall from a crazy German drug dealer. I used to see him down at my bank depositing suitcases full of cash, and he was quite a nuisance, until Manulife finally kicked him out. He sabotaged his apartment when he left, and even tore out the kitchen cabinets. I suppose one kind of expects that sort of thing in a big city like Toronto, but Burk’s Falls?! I will be keeping and eye on these duplex people. Thank goodness we have Jasper for protection.
Hurricane Noel just walloped Nova Scotia. Hillary Clinton is falling prey to the Democratic front runner curse, the Canadian dollar is worth $1.07 U.S., and I live across the street from potential (given my twisted imagination) drug dealers. Maybe the sky IS falling.
- Written by Jamie Oppenheimer c2007 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
1 comment:
The Duplex People!!! That's a great name for a horror movie. If you would like a reality check, rent 'The Burbs' you whacko. Glad to hear you're closer to that move in date.
Cheers,
Patrick
(you know...the cartoon guy)
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