Thursday, April 23, 2009

April Vacation

It's really fun to leave all your cares behind and go someplace during April vacation. We went downeast to Swan's Island and down to Portland. We saw my nephew and my parents, who are hanging in there. My father is a little fuzzier than he used to be, but he is basically okay. He's teaching a class at senior college so I think he's okay.

Swan's Island has had some problems, but seems to be intact. Lobsters are going for around two dollars a pound, which is a really low price. The tourists should turn up soon and perk things up a bit. I hope.

The price of maple syrup has dropped a bit, but we knew that would happen.

Whatever we don't sell we eat anyway.

The situation around here isn't much better.

I love taking off my teacher mantle for a little while. Today I went into the bank totally covered in soot. I was cleaning the evaporator and had to scrub the drops. I needed to get some money out to pay for some green hardwood we're having delivered. It's in 8 foot lengths and we put it on the skidder bridges we made for logging. They are like gigantic pallets. I just have to cut between the slats and I won't dull my chainsaw. I think it will work.

It's for the winter after next, so I figure we are two years ahead now.

The winter of 2010/11 could be a bad one. Or it could be a good one.

Whatever happens, we'll be ready!

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

I just figured something out.

I live in a small town and most of the people I interact with have never lived anywhere else.

I find that I have a hard time getting into where they are coming from, and they don't like my point of view at all.

This is going to be a real problem post peak. I don't trust many people in this town and I may be stuck with them for a while.

This may be the situation for a lot of people who live far from where they grew up.

It's the immigrant's dilemma.

I moved here to Maine when I was around 28, so I missed the period of culture acquisition.

I really don't understand people here at all, and I'm not going to pick it up now.

It's like getting shipwrecked.

I suppose I'll muddle through, but I am never going to be at home here.