on the island

Unsurprisingly, Norton Island is much as I left it a year ago.  Quiet, charming.  Some small inconveniences.  But I just had a nice hot shower up in the main building, and it will be about a 10-12 minute walk to the only WiFi point, near Steve Dunn's porch – Steve owns the island and runs the Eastern Frontier Foundation, which sponsors this lovely retreat. 

Next week there will be twelve writers and artists taking advantage of the quiet isolation and occasional camaraderie – people fix their own breakfast and lunch in the main building but get together for dinner, prepared by a professional chef.  I'm here a week early, and tomorrow I'll be joined by a couple of other old veterans of the island.  Steve opened the island early for us old-timers.

My home for the next ten days will be a 10X10 log cabin with outlets for a desk lamp and a computer.  No heat, but there is a stack of blankets.  (This might be the only place in the lower 48 where it's cold enough this July to need a couple of blankets.)

  

I slept like a rock in the cool fresh air and birdy quiet.

We had a lobster boil last night, down at Steve's place.  Excellent!  Lobster being the perfect vehicle for melted butter.

   

The drive up was pleasant, just a couple of hours, with a stop at a country diner for fried fish.

I'm back in the cabin I used last time, the second-most distant from the main building.  Still only about 250 steps.  (It will seem longer in the rain, but none forecast for a couple of days.)  Gay will be here a few days,  staying in the actual bedroom in the main building. 

Down to the WiFi point and then point my nose back to the old grindstone.

Joe