9/14/10 – 10:32 AM
In a scene in the movie Beetlejuice, Winona Ryder writes, either in her journal or as the start of a piece of poetry, “I am alone.” She then crosses it out and writes, “I am utterly alone.”
I could write that now. The difference between the two situations would be that she was writing it in a very depressed, pre-suicidal-type manner, and I would be writing it as, “This is SO cool!” I am, for the first time in probably two years, utterly alone. On top of that fun fact, the morning weather on the lake is the most beautiful it has been since I arrived at camp 9 days ago. The sun has been shining brightly since I rolled out of bed at around 6:30, the temperature is in the high 50s, the ever-present breeze is whispering just enough to let you know it’s there without freezing you. In short, it’s a perfect morning.
“T” and Cy and I were joined by “T”’s cousin’s son
Jimbo Norton for breakfast this morning. We feasted on waffles and bacon while Jimbo told us a bit about a project he’s writing and producing for PBS’s Nature. It’s due to air next spring and has to do with the salmon population on the west coast, I believe. I think he said the title is Salmon: An Unnatural History. He’s also writing some sort of a book on North America’s last rain forest (in British Columbia, I’m told).
After Jimbo left, Cy and “T” completed their packing, left me a bit 
of food and a list of things that needed to be done before I left, and then they hit the road for Vermont, leaving me – as previously noted – alone at Ulvik for the next two days.
Being the industrious lad that I am, I’ve so far moved some of the outside furniture indoors (or at least into the screened porch area, as instructed), and have started cleaning a load of sheets and towels. Expending that sort of energy so early in the morning has forced me to take a short break.
12:44 PM
Towels are finished, sheets are drying.
I spent a bit of time online after my previous entry, and then finished putting the rest of the outdoor furniture under cover – with the exception of the couch on the farmhouse porch. I have no idea
what to do with that, as it doesn’t look like it will fit through the door. I’ll tackle it later this afternoon maybe. Unless I decide to take a nap on it.
Also cleared off the dock, got the boats shipshape (ha! I kill me!), and am currently lounging on the porch of the main cabin wondering what to do about lunch. Sammiches or June’s. Sammiches or June’s….
5:33 PM
I went the sandwich route. Cheese and cucumber, if you must know. And potato chips.
And a pickle.
Got all of the laundry done, then took a walk up Thompson Road, as the weather was beautiful and the sky offered some incredible photos. Then I came back to the main cabin, answered some email, 
and started uploading vacation shots to SmugMug (I’ll give you the link to look at them later in this epistle. Before I do, I need to get them all uploaded and do some other administrative stuff).
The temperature has continued to drop all afternoon, and I finally caved about 30 minutes ago and started a fire when I realized it was 45 degrees inside the cabin. On cue, it began to hail outside and the temp dropped another 5 degrees. I am now, however, quiet toasty next to the fireplace….and wondering what I can throw together for dinner.
A pork chop will be involved.
8:41 PM
Oh yeah. A pork chop was most definitely involved. Love you, Cy!
My dinner, as you’ve probably deduced, was a reheated pork chop. I garnished it with coffee and potato chips. For dessert, I’m thinking of heating a brownie and topping it with ice cream, but I’m not there yet.
I did manage to get about 200 photographs uploaded to my SmugMug site, and – since we’re all friends here – I’m now going to give you to top-secret super-secured URL to view them. Ready?
http://theuffp.smugmug.com/Vacation/Canada-2010/13771499_7VHMr/
Now please note that there are over 200 photos there. The thinking part of you should now be saying to the rest of you, “My! That’s a lot of pictures. These certainly can’t constitute a “best of” type of thing, right?”
Right. I’ve posted basically everything I’ve taken over the last week that didn’t completely suck (and that isn’t related to cemeteries…for the most part). There are multiple shots of basically the same 
thing, with slightly different camera settings. There are blurry shots that I thought deserved to be included. There are really really really BORING shots that I figured maybe somebody might like. At any rate, this gallery is NOT filtered down into what I’d consider to be the best shots I’ve ever taken – or even the best shots from the last 9 days. It’s just … well … stuff. So enjoy it or don’t. It’s up to you. And if you want prints, knock yourself out – you can get them at cost (which means I’m not making any money here, which is definitely not the way my football shots work).
Anyhow, for the last three hours, I’ve basically done nothing except sit on the couch in the main cabin and listen to the CBC. Outside, the storm passed over and the sun came out and it resumed being a very nice day for the most part. Said sun has now gone down and it’s pretty much pitch black outside, but that’s okay. I like it.
My fire has nearly burned itself out, but it served its purpose admirably: outside, it is 44 degrees. Inside, it is 70.
And I think it’s about time to publish this entry, call Cy to make sure that she and the hubby made it safely back to Vermont, listen to the radio for another hour, and then lurch off to the boathouse for what I’m sure will be a fantastic night’s sleep.
For those of you who’ve spent time at Ahmic, you already know this; but for those of you who haven’t – this is the most relaxing, peaceful, mind-clearing, beautiful place on earth. Night, all.
TWD
Had a look through the gallery and there are some really impressive shots.