Retreat

Finally spent another weekend at the cabin.  We would like to go there more often then we do, but it seems there's always something going on.  During the springtime, we pretty much give up on going because, during the thaw, there's not enough snow to ride the snow machines, but at the same time, too much snow for the 4-wheeler. So we wait for spring to get over with when we know we can get there by 4-wheeler.  Since we had pretty much no snow left in our backyard on Friday, we weren't sure what the snow situation would be like once we got up there, but we took our chances.  Luckily there was a lot more snow there than here, and the ride on the snow machine was exactly what it was supposed to be. Usually we each ride our own, but this time I piggybacked.

Sometimes it's hard to get away and go there when there are always so many things to do here at home.  But that is the reason for going to the cabin.  To get away and take a break from everything.  Sometimes you just gotta force yourself to do that. As usual it was so peaceful there, and it felt "warm", (temps were in the 30s).  So Chuck decided to sit out on the front porch in a lawn chair.  The silence was deafening.

After we got the wood stove going, we went trekking around in our snowshoes while letting the wood stove do it's work.  By the time we got back, the cabin was pretty toasty.  And that was pretty nice compared to last time when it was -10 degrees out and it was a whole 24 hours before I even took off my coat!  (yes I even slept in my coat!)  But this time the cabin got up to 80 degrees inside and we were sweating.

Anyhoo, we had a very relaxing evening there.  Played some cards and then sat in front of the wood stove reading until we got tired enough to go to bed.  In the morning, Chuck usually cooks a hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon, and hash browns on the propane gas stove.  But this time I brought along some boiled eggs (because of my stomach issues), and I wanted some dry toast to go with it.  So how do I make toast without a toaster?  

Just lay a piece of bread in the pan and set it on top of the wood stove.  Turned out good! This was more evenly browned than the toast from my toaster. Then I thought, "why not heat up the water that way too?"  I don't know why I never thought of that before.  After all, heat is heat, right?  Why not save a little propane gas and use the heat from the wood stove?  Chuck still cooked his bacon and hash browns on the stove though, cuz that just made more sense.  (we don't want egg splashes on the wood stove!  Then the cabin would smell like burnt eggs.)  

Usually when we go there, Chuck works on a project, like putting up shelves, or stuffing insulation into the walls, or during the summer he is taking down dead trees and chopping them up.  And he likes being there at the cabin so much that it is hard for him to want to go back home.  But this time he didn't work on anything, so I think he got bored.  That is the only reason that I can think of as to why he was willing to go home a lot earlier than usual this time. 

I don't know if we'll make it there again before it starts thawing.  If not, it'll be the end of May before we can go there again.  And then he'll bring his chainsaw.