Back to the basics

I've been enjoying my time here at the lake. The cottage in the fall is a nice place to be, with the leaves turning like crazy. So far, the weather hasn't been too bad, but having to make a fire in the morning to warm up is different from turning up the thermostat. Sort of puts you back in touch with more basic things. Same with Internet connections (now there's a tenuous segue for you). Out here, I've got a phone line. So when I need to log on, I can't use the phone. Fair enough, although the connection is a little slow. But it works.

One of the benefits of the Internet is chatting across the miles. Every night, Heather and Kelly (in Hamilton) log on to MSN about 9 their time. Jaime, our daughter is going to school in Victoria, so she logs in from there, and I log in from here at Buena Vista (just outside of Regina). Its a fun way to catch up on the events of the day...and it really does work. It's a bit slower than talking on the phone, but in some ways, it's more satisfying. But it does get comical when everyone starts typing at once...and the messages flow thick and fast. Sort of like supper table talk after a particularly busy day.

The real treat of being here at the cottage at this time of year is the colours of the trees. This year, I've been lucky that the wind hasn't blown all the leaves off yet, so the views in the valley are stunning. There's a riot of colour around and in the morning and evening, the sunrises and sunsets are spectacular. I'm enjoying them a lot. Of course, fall is a chilly time and I could use some more good wood to burn. I'm working through all the scap wood around here, but that doesn't throw off a lot of heat. But a friend is coming out to visit tomorrow and he'll be bringing a truckload of firewood. That should help get through the cooler days ahead.