Our initial trip back to Ely was on Monday, and our first stop was at the public library to use their free wifi and for Jan to pick up her week’s worth of reading. But our library card has gone missing, so Jan springs for $20 for a new one, we figure it’s a good investment and supports a good cause. After a round of shopping at the hardware, marine supply, camping outfitters and Zup’s (that’s the grocery store) we recover with a cold beer and snack at a new restaurant, the Rockwood. Definitely more attractive than the fast-food joint that had been there earlier. Then we indulge ourselves and have a frozen custard at the stand down the street.
Today, Wednesday, we’re in Ely again to run some more errands, and we also do a favor for Billy at the lodge by taking in an overnight letter to mail for him (he’ll do just about anything to avoid coming in to civilization).
The old burn barrel has seen better days...
We’d been looking for a used 55-gallon to replace our rusted-out burn barrel, and we luck out when we find one at the recycling center, the guy is happy to let us take it.
But our charm runs out at the landfill, they won’t let us take a single tire from their huge pile, we want to use it as a bumper on our dock. They’re prohibited from letting anyone take their tires, apparently because of liability issues, they’re afraid someone’s going to put them on their car. We’ll try some tire shops.
Back in our cabin with Manhattan & Martini in hand, it’s windy, cold & cloudy outside. How do you spell cozy on a 34 degree night? “Volgelzang” – our new cast iron wood-burning stove which keeps us toasty and warm on a windy night. There’s the promise of seeing the northern lights if the sky clears tonight, but will either of us be awake to see if it does clear????
Hmmm, looks pretty harmless.
Spicing up a 15-bean soup, we find a small jar of hot powder that we had bought for Rozzie at least twenty years ago.
The writing on the label has long faded away, but it’s called “I Am On Fire And Fixin’ to Die” sold by “Mo Hotta Mo Betta”, I’m guessing it’s straight powdered habaneros. The company still exists, but the product doesn’t. And it’s still frighteningly hot after all these years.
But the clouds remain solid through the night, no sunset and no northern lights.