The immeasurable charm of watching a winter storm

Around noon today, a winter storm rolled in. With the massive picture windows all around the house, it proved to be a wonderful experience. The wind is gusting to 40 mph, and the rain is nearly "sand"-blasting the windows. The fireplace is stoked, and being cuddled up on the couch, we marvel at the immense flock of seagulls taking refuge across the river in the cove. The river has actual white caps on it, and we're all feeling very protected and cozy.

It is moments like this that make us realize that renting this place during the winter has true merit.

Crab fishing in a leaky boat

This morning, the girls (my 8 & 6 year olds) were very excited to go check the crab pot that we set the night before. I was less excited because I knew it would involve me wading out to get it. I had anchored the float with two sticks in the sand that were set perpendicular to each other to prevent the float from slipping off the sticks. Well, it was quite high tide, and the float was underwater. Fortunately, it was only about 6 feet from shore.

After pulling in the pot, and finding no crab, and no bait taken, I decided it was time to address the leaky dinghy issue. My step son and I drove to the hardware store to buy a pair of bolt cutters and a new lock. The dinghy you see, is chained to a tree, and the combination lock was rusted shut. It wasn't until we cut the lock that we discovered that the old combination lock had somehow freed up, and was able to be used again.

I dragged the boat to the shore, shook the spiders out of it, and tossed myself and the oars in. I have to say, stationary oars are not my thing. I would much prefer to have had a canoe for this venture. I was told the leak was substantial, and after some first hand experience . . . yes, the 3-4 inch crack in the fiberglass does indeed allow a substantial amount of water in.

Fighting the current in a boat that you're unskilled in using is certainly much more fun when you also realize you have limited time in which to navigate your way across the river . . . before you sink. :)

End result? Slightly wet jeans, and a crab pot now in the middle of the river. We'll see how we fare in a few hours.

Massive Family Vacation, Day 1

Three vehicles, ten people, and two dogs have descended upon the river house for a week long vacation. This will be the first of hopefully many, "official" family vacations. Of course, this isn't just a vacation for Sonia and I. It's also a "property improvement" trip.

To that end, we did indeed confirm that there is only one washcloth in existence. That turned out to be the least of our concerns, as there were massive reports from the family regarding extreme temperature ranges throughout the different rooms. We'll be tinkering with the various thermostats and vents throughout the week to dial in the climate here.

The best part of the morning so far has to be the unveiling of this property's greatest asset . . . the ocean/tributary view. The amazement and wonder swelled amongst those who arrived after dark last night. It is indeed a therapeutic vista.