Ain't no sunshine

The word of the day -Windy!  It is gusting between 39-45 mph according to our little weather station.  The lake is full of white caps.  Good thing I have a little meat on my bones otherwise I would have been blown over!  Those of you that read this know that I am at a remote lodge in Alaska.  

So as I was doing my breakfast dishes and musing, I realized how much I can do without.  For example, no tv. I have certain shows that I love to watch - Copper, Law and Order, Longmire, Grimm - you get the idea.  Out here, we don't have enough bandwidth to download movies, books, or tv shows.  So while I wonder what's new on the shows I like, the shows don't wonder what's new with me.  Electricity - we have a generator and there is only electric when its running.  The generator is turned on at 6am and usually off by 9am.  Turn it on again between 4-5pm and then off at 10pm.  I have a headlamp that I use when it gets dark so I can read or see where I'm going (I'm clumsy enough). Imagine what a normal day at home is like and then realize how much dependence there is on electricity or how irritating it is when the power goes out for a short time.   Without electricity there are no lights, no way to use appliances, no water (well pump).  Water - no flushing toilets, showers, washing clothes or dishes, getting a drink.  The phone is an old analog one. There is a battery inverter hooked up so that we can play the radio and a router.  The radio is sirius xm because there is a clear signal.  It's kinda like "Little House on the Prairie".  Luckily, the stove is gas (propane), so I can prepare food for supper and bake.  When I sometimes go to make something and realize I can't use the mixer, I either wait for the generator or revert back to a pre-appliance time - like in my grandma's day.  The refridgerators are turned up to their coldest so that when the electric is off, the food in them and the freezers stays cold and/or frozen.  Last but not least - heat.  There is no furnace.  The heat source for the main lodge is a stove that runs on oil and the oven when its being used.  The heat from the oven radiates through the kitchen and front room.  The cabins each have a Toyo stove (heater) which run when the generator is on.  

Tonight's supper is salmon patties, hushpuppies, oriental salad, german chocolate cake and potatoes.  Until next time - keep the light shining bright!