Yesteray I spend many more hours with my dear friend, the ever-patient D.S. Vanderbilt, putting together the video for buildthathouse.com. Like Jeff Wolfe, he works quietly and steadily to help me. Like my friend, Alana, both D. S. and Jeff give me good advice.
I think building the House-on-the-Hill is actually going to be easier than building my video! D. S. and I are missing one very important piece of my video - Smitty's video of Chris hooking the huge catfish while ice fishing. We can't seem to import it from Youtube so I'm going to ask Smitty if he can burn it to a CD.
Unfortunately, he may not be able to do so. You see, dear Reader, after Smitty's (and Chris') sledding fun on the lake Sunday, they went back to some serious fishing in their little hut as night fell. Unfortunately...dear me...unfortunately it wasn't only night that fell.
Just as Smitty and Chris were packing up their fishing gear, Smitty's treasured video camera fell right through their fishing hole!
What a terrible tragedy! Smitty lost all his videos and photos. Videos of their fishing trip to Minnesota and all kinds of other precious moments. We're all just sick.
I emailed Smitty the photo of his 15 (plus) inch crappie, which he didn't have. How fortunate he sent it to me so I could send it back to him! He already has another video camera - so he begins anew. With better luck we hope!
Speaking of video cameras, may I give a shout-out to my Canon FS100? I have had other video cameras with little tapes in them - two cameras in fact - both of which were dropped or left out in the rain. D.S. Vanderbilt, who knows me quite well, insisted I buy a Canon video camera with those little disks in them because it would be able to stand up to the abuse I would I give it. (Dear cameras, I didn't mean to be abusive!)
Well, he was so right. This Canon FS100 has been dropped - twice! - on the garage cement floor. That was several months ago and it has never missed a beat since. Really! Perhaps Canon should be one of my sponsors!
I was so tired last night I have to confess I fell asleep early - and of course I work up at 4AM rarin' to go. One reason I woke up...it was 48 degrees in the house! The woodstove is crackling quite nicely now and its up to 60 degrees. When one lives in such a primitive cottage, 60 degrees almost feels warm!
I love my woodstove (and back up propane heater). Especially on early mornings like this. How we take warmth for granted when all we have to do is turn up the thermostat. Dear Reader, appreciate the "automatic" way of life you have - turning up the thermostat for heat, turning on a faucet and water runs out, and switching on a button for light.
I have electricity, but all my water is brought in from a friend's well, and heated on the stove when I need it hot. I don't think I ever use more than 20 gallons a week. Of course that doesn't count my 3 loads of laundry done once a week at Caron Road Laundromat in Rochelle.
But you get the idea -- it IS primitive and...and...and oh, so satifsying, because it is due to my own labors that I have a comfy life here.
...
I finish washing my dishes (I didn't wash them last night - for shame!). Going outside I pour the remaining hot soapy water out of the dishpan. The steam rises from the warm water. Glancing up, I see dawn is breaking - there is actually a partial light blue sky in the east.
All is quiet over the pond except for the faint hum of my neighbor's corn dryer.
A beautiful time of the day! Good morning, Land! Good morning, Everyone!