Could it be the contrails are pink in Tasmania. I think not since no planes fly overhead. Our time here is quickly winding down. Roofing is almost complete and there should be another adventure with the barge, boats and ATV’s next week. In the meantime, we continue to relish our final days.
We have enjoyed several beautiful, autumn days. A cold front with dry air and moderate temperatures kept rain at bay while both house roofs were replaced. Not for long though. We will get a chance to test them with rain forecast for the next several days.
Every sunset is stunning. How can that be?
Our quiet paradise has been shattered. In the course of five days, the island population swelled to 14 people on island and at least 5 in yachts.
The pace of work is blazing. Tuesday and a Thursday brought several plane loads of workers and equipment. By Thursday evening, one roof had been replaced, and as you already know, the toilet problem was fixed.
Friday, the barge arrived with all the materials and equipment. It parked on the beach and offloaded. Yesterday the roof on the caretaker cottage was removed and replaced and a pitch was added to replace the flat roof that often leaked.
Today a fishing vessel arrived with a year’s worth of propane tanks to swap out and three seemingly tireless workers came down to give us a hand. They did this during a break from removing an asbestos roof.
In our spare time, we shoveled the road clear of sand again because the sandy hill slide sloughs off with any significant rainfall.
It’s mildly chaotic but also heaps of fun. How much time alone do you really need?
Our quiet paradise has been shattered. In the course of five days, the island population swelled to 14 people on island and at least 5 in yachts.
The pace of work is blazing. Tuesday and a Thursday brought several plane loads of workers and equipment. By Thursday evening, one roof had been replaced, and as you already know, the toilet problem was fixed.
Friday, the barge arrived with all the materials and equipment. It parked on the beach and offloaded. Yesterday the roof on the caretaker cottage was removed and replaced and a pitch was added to replace the flat roof that often leaked.
Today a fishing vessel arrived with a year’s worth of propane tanks to swap out and three seemingly tireless workers came down to give us a hand. They did this during a break from removing an asbestos roof.
In our spare time, we shoveled the road clear of sand again because the sandy hill slide sloughs off with any significant rainfall.
It’s mildly chaotic but also heaps of fun. How much time alone do you really need?
One of my favorite lines from “Jaws”. In this case, we’re going to need a bigger plunger.
Workers finally arrived after weeks of delays to work on the lighthouse and roofs. Within ten minutes of their arrival, the toilet clogged. Handy caretakers to the rescue. We found one teeny, tiny plunger and no snake (oddly sometimes called an eel in AU).
We worked that little plunger and tried to snake several
long squiggly things down the toilet to no avail. Today, six workers watched while the ranger unclogged the drain. No easy task. It entailed a fire hose, lots of snickers, a fountain of poo, and drilling an opening into the terra cotta drain pipes. And it worked. Blockage found, cleared, and sh*t flowing downhill again.
So our island idyll will be quite different but at least we won’t have to share our one toilet.
We spent a good part of the day clearing the airstrip of wallabies and geese so more workers could arrive today. No time for a walk to one of my favorite perches.
The wind has not been favorable to internet for a change.
Whether the weather is good or bad, we get to spend time outdoors. Surf is up in East Cove with winds from the west in the 50 mph range. I am mostly prepared for any weather. The one drawback in the cottage is that the bathroom windows, one bathroom has a shower, the other a toilet, are permanently open. Nice lots of time. Not so nice when the temperature and wind are both in the 50’s, Fahrenheit and mph. Lucky for me I brought Qivuit or musk ox yarn and knit it up into a stylish wimple, or long cowl, that stretches over my head. Very stylish, just like the flying nun. I just finished reading Arctic Dreams by Barry Lopez and learned that Qivuit is 8 times warmer than wool! And before this I was the biggest wool advocate I know for summer and winter. So in the house, I often wear a hat, wimple, wool shirt, cashmere sweater and alpaca socks, also knit here.
Which brings me to the fact that sometimes you have to find indoor activities. I have been trying to master Andean Pebble Weave with a backstrap loom. I have finished several bands with silk sewing thread. Now I am trying out this rayon. I measured the warp around kitchen chairs and called in the utensils to arrange my threads. Now to keep my hands warm.
You cannot tell me this tractor from Czechoslovakia is not smiling. It should be sad because it may be leaving the island soon.
Tim thinks this laundry pole is meant to look like a wallaby.
And look at this chess set. Someone with time on their hands carved the entire set. Up until we found this, I thought the handmade cribbage board (Tim is killing me there too) was ingenious. But look at these pieces. Each one is hand carved, the bishop has his face shield carved. And the knights are Cape Barren Geese. Might as well have a smile while you work. The queen has a flower nailed to her head and the king has a star and a screw. So clever.
Twenty four little hours. The first photo was taken from Old Squally again and is one of my favorite views of the homestead because it gives a sense of how alone we are out here in the Bass Strait. I also love how Hogan Island seems to float above the water.
Temperature has dropped and wind is gusting to 70 mph. That has kept a couple of work parties at bay. Now they may arrive next week. Time will tell. One boat is hunkered down in Winter Cove. I am keeping busy mostly indoors. I have done all I can to protect the garden. Today I will rinse off sea spray and harvest some veggies for tonight. Yesterday I made croissants and let me tell you, they were delicious. The technique is pretty easy, sweet bread dough, then work in a stick of butter and keep rolling it out and folding it in. But it takes about five hours. The house smelled like a Paris bakery and they tasted as good as they smelled. I posted a picture on 300 meals. On other fronts I keep knitting at night and weaving when I can during the day. I will have to post a picture of the chess set we found here. Someone carved all the pieces and made Cape Barren Geese for knights. Someone else with lots of indoor time. Tim won.
The second photo preceded one recent weather front.
I get to spend lots of time looking at the sky and clouds. They change constantly as weather systems move through. We had thick fog the other day, sometimes completely closing off our view from the cottage, and obscuring the lighthouse. It didn’t stop a couple of boats from traveling here on their way north to warmer weather. The night brought a spectacular lightening show. We turned off our movie and walked outside to watch it light the whole sky west of Dover Island – until the rain came. Much better than what was on the tube.
Not spending time with technology has freed up a lot of time to just let the mind wander. And off it goes.
He confessed this morning the real reason he likes these remote gigs is because I become a devoted cook. I even wear an apron in the kitchen.
I have read a lot of books so far but have got the most out of Artisan five minute bread. With the same bread dough I have made rustic bread, naan, pizza, donuts, and caramelized sticky buns. Just take a lump of dough out of the fridge.
Today was an inspired cooking day. I made a batch of ginger ale, sticky buns, apple tartlets and pretzels. Better keep up the activity.
Yesterday Tim had me doing road and trail work. Today is a mowing day.
Most importantly my little grandson made it safely through minor surgery. It’s never minor when they are little. I have been up since 03:00 so I could keep in touch.
Island and North Country Life 