Jason Milby's first year living in his cabin by the lake was quite a learning experience. The first thing he learned was why he got the place so cheap. There was little or no insulation in the walls and gaps around the front door and windows were letting in the cold air. It was fine that first summer but on the cooler nights of autumn the two electric heaters were on constantly. The wood stove became a central part of the cabin. Milby and cat in the rocking chair soaking up the heat from the little wood stove. He didn't have a whole lot of firewood when he moved in and what he had was going fast.
There was a small shed behind the cabin and in there were some old rusty and well worn tools left behind by the previous owner. A few shovels, an ax and hatchet, two hand saws, and a wheelbarrow, along with an assortment of odds and ends. Jason got in the habit of loading up the wheelbarrow with a saw and ax and going out looking for wood. Once he'd collected everything close by he started to expand his search across the dirt road that ran behind his place and up the hill. He found a couple of dead trees that had blown over in a storm so he got right to work. He made many trips with the wheelbarrow and had a pretty good stack along the side of his cabin. Although this gave him some degree of security he knew it wouldn't be enough for winter.
Jay, as he liked to be called now, had bought an old pick up when he left the city. It had a little rust and smoked some when you first started it but over all it was a good truck; the heater worked and so did the four wheel drive. Now he started searching with his truck for more wood. He had some success just going down the dirt road that led to the main two-lane paved road. Since he was this far he figured he'd go to the general store and pick up a few things. The store was only about a mile away once you got on the two-lane and he liked going there to visit with the owners and stock up on provisions for his pantry.
The general store was an interesting place. There were two gas pumps out front along with a pet goose named Patrick. The goose could be pretty aggressive as Jay found out his first time there; wings outstretched, neck bent down, running after you honking and hissing. The trick was to have some kind of treat on you and make a peace offering. Jay found that a little dry cat food from his pocket would make Patrick your friend for life. What always got to Jay was that the store, while not much to look at from outside; weathered wood, a faded sign reading General Store up near the roof; the weird thing was, it seemed bigger on the inside than on the outside. He knew that was impossible but every time he went there he got that same feeling.
The proprietors, Dick and Trudy, were very nice and always busy dusting the rows of cans and jars, sweeping the floor, and generally making things look clean and orderly. The inventory was amazing. Of course there was lots of food, canned goods, jars of fruit, peppers, pickles, dry goods, and just about everything you could think of. They had a cold case for dairy products and another for fresh vegetables. But what was interesting to Jay was all the other stuff; fishing tackle and bait, wool blankets, kerosene lanterns, a small tool section with some home repair items, candles, snow chains, plastic tarps, and on and on. Everything was stacked neatly and in some places went all the way up to the ceiling. That's when Dick would get the ladder and climb up to get an item from the very top.
So Jay fills his little hand held basket and sets it on the counter and visits briefly while getting his purchases rung up on the antique cash register. Just then the little bell that's above the door rings announcing another customer. It's Erik, the county road worker that Jay had met at the store earlier on one of his shopping trips. He asks Jay how he's fixed for firewood and Jay says he's alright for now. Erik asks him, "You still at the same cabin?" "Yes," replies Jay. Erik tells him he's got a load of firewood from a road widening project in the dump truck parked out front; he was on his way to have it chipped to be used as ground cover. "It's yours if you want it, Jay. I'll bring it by and drop it wherever you want." Jay can't believe his good fortune, free firewood! Before he leaves he buys a tarp to cover his new heat source when he gets home. So now he's set for heat. He sealed up the most obvious gaps that were making the house so cold. There was a small leak in the roof and he patched that.
He was still concerned if he had enough food in the freezer and in the pantry. The dirt road from the lake to the highway doesn't get plowed in the winter. If it's a heavy winter he may get snowed in and have to live off what he has on hand. As he's stacking wood he decides he'd better make at least one more trip to the store to be on the safe side. As he's making a mental check list of what more he needs, two cars stop on the road. It's the Olson's and the Stevens families. They have a pair of cabins side by side further down the shore. Like everyone else at the lake, they're all packing up to go back home as summer is coming to an end. Mr. Olson hollers out, "Jay, you stayin' the winter?" "Sure am," says Jay. Mr. Olson and Mr. Stevens get out of their cars and talk amongst themselves, then walk down to where Jay is still working on the wood. "Jay, we're on our way home and were wondering if you'd like the food we have boxed up that we're taking back with us." Jay at first refuses, saying he was going to the store when he's done with the wood. The two departing visitors offer him a deal. Take the food and in exchange keep an eye on their cabins, as a few had been broken into a few years ago. They all shake hands and it's a deal. They unload the boxes and put them in the pantry. Now Jay has more than enough to get by. Now his only concern is if that old wooden floor can hold all that weight!
Jay takes his new responsibility seriously. Every day he walks the shore line down to the cabins to check to make sure the doors are locked and everything is secure. Oh, and of course he brings his fishing pole with cat staying close by his side as the new "unofficial caretaker" makes his rounds.
It was a good thing all the summer people left when they did; the first snow came in early October. Cat was not too excited about the snow, so she made herself content curled up on the seat of the rocker with the occasional break to look out the window at the birds and squirrels in the trees and on the front deck, scrambling to get the birdseed that Jay put out every morning. So Jay and cat were ready for their first winter in the cabin by the lake. Lots of firewood, a full pantry and freezer, and plenty of books plus his radio. In the back of the shed he found and old pair of snowshoes, he might just try those out sometime if the snow gets too deep. Life was good at the lake.
....to be continued....
