Notes from Maine - 2025/10/19
All is quiet in my kitchen. My mother and sister—here for the past week on a quick vacation—have returned home. It’s just me and Albert (dog) again. He looks disappointed that there’s nobody around. Albert is a very social dog.
The major task for the week was winterizing the camp. Water lines need to be drained. Sheets and blankets are washed and stored for the winter. Our checklist didn’t have a box for removing the ladder for the dock. It was almost overlooked. The ice this winter would have mangled the poor thing. Fortunately, my sister noticed at the last minute and we put the ladder away.
Before spring, I’ll edit the document to include details about the ladder. At my grandparents’ house, all the fall and spring chores were communicated orally, usually with a frustrated tone. My grandfather had little patience for people who couldn’t remember the laundry-list of details that needed to be executed at the beginning and end of the summer. Take the motor off the skiff, put it on the dolly, pull the spark plug… “Did you run the engine with fuel treatment first to condition the fuel line and carb? No? Put it back on the boat!” He was a retired senior officer from the Air Force, and accustomed to having his orders followed without having to repeat himself. With that memory firmly in mind, my sister and I have documented all the steps for opening and closing the camp. There won’t be any mysterious tasks if and when my nephew takes over the chores.
If the lawnmower breaks down there’s a full engine manual on the shelf and tools in the closet. It might not be easy to fix, but it will be possible.
Back at my house, we mostly took it easy this past week. Mom amused herself with some raking. My sister sewed a curtain and a fabric wreath. We all went to the movies one night—Albert stayed home to guard the house.
I have a few more things I’d like to do before the temperature really drops for the winter. There are a couple of holes that need digging outside. I need to put electric wire on the fence. In a few weeks my friend will have his pre-Thanksgiving party here, so I also need to make sure the house is in order for that. I’m able to convince myself that after all those tasks are done I can roll into winter with nothing but free time to do all the interesting things I’ve been putting off. I have a couple of books in my bottom drawer that could use revision and an idea for a new one that would take a long stretch of focused attention. I’ve read about some watercolor techniques I’d like to attempt. And, of course, I want to install a better organizational system in my work room, and throw out some junk that has accumulated in the basement. Maybe this will be the winter when I suddenly find myself with no pressing obligations. One can dream.
