![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
edenfallingOn Wednesday night, the crack in the toilet seat finally split the whole contraption in half, so Tuesday morning Dad and I took the boat over to the mainland and drove to Bemidji. We bought a new toilet seat at Home Depot, two new pillows at Target (there is a sad lack of thin pillows in the cabin, and thick pillows give me a godawful crick in my neck), and some parchment paper and plastic wrap at a grocery store.
The parchment paper is for Vicky's chocolate chip cookies. She's trying out a recipe from the New York Times, which recently did an article searching for the perfect chocolate chip cookie. There are some slight variations, of course, since she had to make some ingredient substitutions, but I can report that they seem thoroughly satisfactory... though next time, I'd suggest a lighter hand with the chocolate, so as to not overpower the dough. (Vicky and Dad both agree with me, btw.)
In the afternoon, we walked down the shore to the Hines cabin and visited with the Sommervilles, whom I had not seen for many years. (Island socialization is always a bit hit-and-miss, since it's hard for non-retired people to spend more than a couple weeks at a time up here, and therefore people often miss each other for years in a row. We make an effort to keep each other notified of major events, through The Loon -- the annual newsletter/directory of the Star Island Protective League -- but that doesn't really make up for actual face-to-face interaction.)
Today Vicky made French toast for breakfast, after which we set out on a hike. We went north to the east portage in to Lake Windigo, and then on to the north shore and the north portage. At that point, I turned back with Dottie (my parents' dog), and then swung inland on the Windigo path from the east portage, coming back to the east shore much closer to our cabin. I did a bit of path clearing -- pulling or breaking weeds and shrubs that have encroached onto the path -- until I sliced my fingers on some sharp edges and had to wrap them in grass to stop the bleeding.
Meanwhile, Vicky and Dad continued on toward the northwest point, searching for a path we've seen on various geological maps but had never run across in person. They have just returned and reported success!
It's a beautiful, clear, calm day on the east shore -- the wind seems to be northwest, so O'Neils Point blocks most of it -- and I have a feeling Dad and Vicky will want to waterski this afternoon, which will require me to either drive or play spotter. Ah well, there are worse ways to spend a summer day. :-)
ETA, 8:30pm: We fixed the sailboat instead. The mainsail sheet is unstuck and lubricated, so hopefully we won't have the same problem again.
The parchment paper is for Vicky's chocolate chip cookies. She's trying out a recipe from the New York Times, which recently did an article searching for the perfect chocolate chip cookie. There are some slight variations, of course, since she had to make some ingredient substitutions, but I can report that they seem thoroughly satisfactory... though next time, I'd suggest a lighter hand with the chocolate, so as to not overpower the dough. (Vicky and Dad both agree with me, btw.)
In the afternoon, we walked down the shore to the Hines cabin and visited with the Sommervilles, whom I had not seen for many years. (Island socialization is always a bit hit-and-miss, since it's hard for non-retired people to spend more than a couple weeks at a time up here, and therefore people often miss each other for years in a row. We make an effort to keep each other notified of major events, through The Loon -- the annual newsletter/directory of the Star Island Protective League -- but that doesn't really make up for actual face-to-face interaction.)
Today Vicky made French toast for breakfast, after which we set out on a hike. We went north to the east portage in to Lake Windigo, and then on to the north shore and the north portage. At that point, I turned back with Dottie (my parents' dog), and then swung inland on the Windigo path from the east portage, coming back to the east shore much closer to our cabin. I did a bit of path clearing -- pulling or breaking weeds and shrubs that have encroached onto the path -- until I sliced my fingers on some sharp edges and had to wrap them in grass to stop the bleeding.
Meanwhile, Vicky and Dad continued on toward the northwest point, searching for a path we've seen on various geological maps but had never run across in person. They have just returned and reported success!
It's a beautiful, clear, calm day on the east shore -- the wind seems to be northwest, so O'Neils Point blocks most of it -- and I have a feeling Dad and Vicky will want to waterski this afternoon, which will require me to either drive or play spotter. Ah well, there are worse ways to spend a summer day. :-)
ETA, 8:30pm: We fixed the sailboat instead. The mainsail sheet is unstuck and lubricated, so hopefully we won't have the same problem again.
