The Winter Wind 2006

Ravages of Time
Yes, we are all getting older and time takes its toll.  I know this because I am starting to go to the doctors with various aches and pains ... and I get the same type answer every time ... "your shoulder is worn out" .... "your back is shot" ... same with my knee and hip.  You would think for what they get paid they could come up with a more technical assessment.  Well, at least plain speaking is making headway in the medical profession if not in government.  So regrettably it is time to be more conservative in my use of body if not mind.  I'll still hike and ski ... just ration it. Of course I will work on the cottage until I drop.

Island Cottage
As usual I spent what time I could on the island ... mostly working on THE COTTAGE.  This year I built the bedroom "L", got the standing seam metal roof on and finished one side with windows, door and shingles.  Next year I hope to do the other 5 sides and another deck and storage room.  Many thanks to all that helped.


One side done -- 5 more to go


 Bedroom "L" framing


 Steve sheathing the roof
Come help if you can !
 
Again the site has a 270 degree view  with great sunrises / sunsets.
Click here to see the view from the deck only if you have a FAST internet connection pic= 665 KB. 

 For more info on the cottage work (including thanks to the helpers) and the island ... use these links:
cottage 2006
Island visitor information

Sam the dog
 Sam (really Magn's dog) has to put up with me now that Magn is in the Nursing Home ... which may not be so bad since I get along much better with animals than peoples.


Steve makes friends easily ... if they respond well to scratching
(No, the miracle mystery meat is not goat)


Sam tucked in for a nap ...
 under a down comforter with head on a sheepskin pillow..

But Sam does his part ..."manning" his post at the island:
Island cottage general contractor


But the best pal is Sam ...

Merry Christmas
 (It is an unusual Christmas day here in Maine this year -- no snow, lawns are greenish, lilacs have budded out, bulbs are coming up, its in the 40s
 -- would be a fine April day but not Christmas)
 Happy New Year
(click on any picture to enlarge -- then use the back button to return.  Resolution has been reduced to facilitate download.)

 
Shingle Laundry


Island sunset

Magn is 98 Years Old -- But in a Nursing Home


Magn and Paula

Magn has been in a Nursing Home in Bath for about a year and a half now.  She is in decline and is often at least somewhat confused. She needs help doing almost everything.  Her physical health is slowly deteriorating but nothing major yet.  I visit almost every day ... mostly helping with her evening meal.  She loves her yogurt.  Her food is being ground fine now to help her swallow ... sure is unappetizing that way ... its tough.  The only hope is that perhaps one's mind deteriorates faster than one's body ... so that one doesn't notice too much.

Around the house
This was a good year for growing things (Paula is in charge of  the raised beds):


The kitchen raised bed out the back door


The rest of the raised beds by the garage


Overgrown raised bed


Some of the Paula's flowers

         Paula
is keeping active:  skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, biking, kayaking, rowing, traveling, working (alas), ...

Paula 
and of course trying to keep Steve under her total control.  Paula and I tried to make our an annual pilgrimage to The Balsams resort in Dixville Notch, NH for a little xc, snowshoeing, and mild tele skiing -- but at 7 PM the night before we were supposed to leave my knee locked up -- I caught hell for that.  It was a "loose body" that jammed the joint ... the loose body decided to disappear after a day.  The Orthopedist said "It probably won't show up again".  So we will try for the Balsams next year.. Meanwhile Paula continues to travel:

Paula in Croatia


Paula makes friends easily ... without any scratching
 this one is nephew Nate


A select few of Paula's family in PA 
Paula and I went down to her home in PA for her brother John's retirement party -- that is Farmer John in his Farmer John's.  He retired from doing time in the PA coal mines.  One heck of a good barbecue and very wild people in them there back hills ... the stories were flowing as fast as the liquor. 

The Winter Wind 2006

Page 2

More Around the House:


Sometimes the waves pound the Point 


Other times the fog "creeps in on cats feet" 



Sometimes we eat well on the porch 



Sometimes we catch a good sunset 

The sewer system is still functioning.  This is the wall that was built to keep it from being washed into the sea.  Of course, I as a citizen couldn't have had one built ... but the State could.

The great wall of West Bath 

Beware the Paula



I understand that I am a continual trial for Paula ... but there should be some limits.  The other day I told Paula "Don't  take anything off my desk".  She responded by kicking me in the groin.  When I asked why ... she said that I told her instead of asking her, I didn't say please, and I used "that professorial tone"  that she hates.  Later she said that it made her feel EMPOWERED;  I said that it made me feel PAIN.  Actually a day later she apologized and said she really didn't kick me that hard anyways (that I translate to mean that when she really means to kick me she will score a field goal with my body instead of a football ... lord help me).  I pouted and stopped talking to her for 2 days but we are now speaking again.  Ah, relationships continually evolve!  It's a good thing she is cute ... but I don't know how much more abuse my body can take. (Since I was surprised  I couldn't take a photo of this event, sorry.) 
P.S.  Alas, I don't think either of us will grow up any more any time soon.
P.P.S.  All women seem to think of this retribution ... Paula just does it.

 

Other Pictures:


Boat, ducks, and islands from The island at sunset


View of Little Wood Island from the roof of the cottage

 


Island rocks


View from cottage deck -- someone else's new cottage going up on right


Sunset over Flag Island on the way home from The Island

Steve notes:

Happily I am still gainfully unemployed and intending to stay so.  I am trying to simplify things by selling off apartment buildings.  And, of course, I still need to clean out the garages and now even the little house is a mess.   I have to replace the kitchen ceiling, change the plumbing, and put up cabinets.  The list never ends and my rate of progress slows.

 

That's all Folks, take care ...

Previous editions:  Winter Wind 2005  Winter Wind 2004  Winter Wind 2003   Winter Wind 2002 
                            Winter Wind 2001  Winter Wind 2000 

Thanks for your visit if you made it this year, 
 If you didn't make it this year, come visit next year :
directions: http://www.greatmaine.com/steve/stevedirections1.html 

Don't forget to enjoy!   Send me your email address!  
P.S. If you didn't receive email notification of this new version and saw it by just typing the obvious progression in the address, I likely have lost your email address  -- just send me an email, I would like to hear from you.

Steve Winter                                          207-443-3623
845 Foster Point Road
West Bath, Maine 04530

email:  swinter@blazenetme.net       or     steve@greatmaine.com