I Owe a Lot to Eleanor

We had lots of wind on Friday and overnight into Saturday. Cold wind. I stayed warm with the thought of all those mosquitoes disappearing – and they did.

Yesterday we still had wind but it was much warmer so I managed to get around for a few pics. Most of today’s images can be grouped in a category called Peculiar Recycling Techniques. It’s just part of the Island’s charm. 🙂

In spite of the fact that herring still dominate the thoughts and minds and time of most on the Island, you can see signs of preparations for the start of lobster season in mid-November.

My team and I are closely watching the calendar and planning our work. The two roofing projects should be done before the weather gets too bad – then it won’t take long to finish insulating the front rooms and put up walls. The delay has actually been beneficial – I’ve made some changes to the plan that are both manageable and very positive.

The rest of the main floor is a lower priority once the living room and sun porch are done. Yes, I would love to have the whole house finished now – but fishing has to come first. That’s just reality here. I’m confident though that the place will be warm this winter.

Some friends are coming for Thanksgiving dinner, so I’ll move all the boxes out of the dining room, add some chairs, uncover the living room sofa, and hook up the TV in there. It’ll be fun no matter what the place looks like.

Our trip to St. Stephen and Fredericton the other day was also a lot of fun. It was a long day though and I went to bed very early. Before I did I went down to the water’s edge to try and get some images for a blog post. I failed at that, but I did have the type of encounter that is becoming almost normal here.

I love the residents of this Island – they work hard (and yes, play hard) and they work together for the Community which they’ve decided includes me. It’s home and not just because they laugh at my jokes, although that’s a big bonus.

Another huge plus though is the number of fascinating women who are drawn here as visitors. Every one of them I meet feels like a person I’ve known for decades. There’s no awkward small talk – it’s like old friends having a conversation.

As I stood at the edge of the Cove I started to talk with two women who pulled up in their car. Originally from New York, they are now living in Maine. One is a Doctor of Asian Medicine, the other a folk singer, and they both also work in Community Radio.

They are the latest in my list of really cool women I have met here. Almost all of these smart, successful, and articulate ladies referenced Eleanor Roosevelt in their conversations.

You might not remember this but one of the deciding factors in my move to this Island was the realization that Eleanor’s Campobello is in Canada and I can actually live here. I owe her for that and I owe her for the amazing women I’ve gotten to know from all over the continent. Moving here really was the smartest thing I ever did and I thank her everyday.