Goodbye little cabin in the woods...
It’s time to say goodbye to the beautifully refinished little cabin and Pine Island – today is our last day, the end of our longest stay ever on Pine Island, over ten weeks. Leaving Lake Vermilion is not easy, being here is like a drug which we don’t want to give up. Several of our neighbors here have expressed exactly the same sentiment. And there are new surprises every day, like the snowshoe hare who’s made himself pretty much at home in our front yard for the past ten days
New visitor.
He’s a remarkably brazen moocher, you have to get within eight feet of him before he’ll decide to leave the patch of grass he’s grazing. But he won’t miss us.
We did our laundry in Ely yesterday and sorted out the clothes that are staying here in the footlockers under the bunk bed. This morning we’ve packed our bags and put them in the Bayliner. My last obligation is to make sure the property is prepared for winter. I’ve checked with Ray to make sure there’s no chance he will be coming up after we leave, otherwise it would be his responsibility.
So here’s what needs to do be done: Run the fuel out of the outboard motor on the fishing boat, take off the motor (it’s a heavy sucker!) and put it into the boathouse. Drag the boat out of the water and hang it up on the side of the boat house – this is a bear to do alone, but not so bad as a two-man (or one-man, one-woman) job.
Padlock the shower house and boat house. Go up to the outhouse and drain the recirculating toilet, padlock the door. Turn off the water pump switch in the cabin, open the water taps in the kitchen to release the tank pressure, pour half a quart of antifreeze into the sink to protect the trap. Go out to the well, open the check valve and make sure the water column is released; open the priming plug on the electric pump. Crawl under the front of the cabin and remove the plastic cap on the T-connecter to let the water drain out of the line, the pump and the water heater. This takes a while – remember to replace the cap. Back in the cabin turn off the main electric switch in the breaker box. Prop the refrigerator and freezer doors open, close and lock the back and front doors.
It’s all done and we’re ready to go – except for the traditional portrait on the cabin steps.
Jan and George, 2011
We head across the lake to Glenwood on this gorgeous, sunny morning. Coming up to Glenwood we see the huge canopy Billy has put up on the lawn in front of the launching ramp.
Glenwood Lodge - it's close to party time.
An old friend of his is getting married on the dock on Monday and the reception will last all week, over a hundred guests are completely taking over the lodge. While I was chatting with Billy a couple of days ago, part of the one hundred twenty cases and five kegs of beer were being delivered. The pig that’s going to be roasted won’t arrive until later today.
Billy's new toy.
Billy recently got an iPhone and has been trying to figure out what it does and how to use it. Preparing for the party has put major pressure on his technological skills.
We load everything into the Forester and turn the Bayliner over to Billy. He’ll have it hauled out of the water today, winterized, and put into storage, he’ll need every inch of usable dock space he has for the wedding party. And then we’re off, down Mud Creek Road, east on State 69 to Hibbing, on our way to Fargo. No more Vermilion sunsets until next year.
One last sunset...