EMERGENCY RISK REDUCTION

As winter months wane, I am making preparations to return to Esperanza. I stayed for my niece’s wedding in early April to say goodbyes to family. Fortunately the cross-border quarantine also has lifted in Canada, which will make travel easier. Several tasks were accomplished here in North Carolina:

My son Sheldon found for sale a tall and long metal carport near Spartanburg, which he bought and we disassembled, transported, and reassembled at the cabin. I painted it green to match (sort of) the green metal on the house. The tall Sprinter or Transit vans (a recent purchase) which he ‘builds out’ as campers fit well under it (sort of). I was skeptical but a good purchase.

After finishing the deck stairs (last blog), I turned attention to building a outhouse building, about 4’ x 4’. This involved digging and more digging, until I hit solid rock at 4 feet. Not much of an outhouse, so it became a multi-use small storage shed, primarily to place my gas powered emergency generator.  I purchased a warrantied generator (returnable for new within 27 months) and the 10/3 wire connection to the cabin’s breaker box.

Also, sadly, my neighbor passed away early Spring. This is noteworthy only because he lived alone and quietly. Soon after, his son moved in who, let’s just say, doesn’t live too quietly, whether with or without his partner. A challenge because I am by far his closest neighbor. I pray that I can speak into their chaotic lives.   

In April, the winter freeze possibility is now past, and it’s the season to return to Canada. Always is a challenge to button up the cabin for the summer. Never enough time to make this happen, but somehow it does. Off to British Columbia for a 2^nd season at isolated Esperanza, on western Vancouver Island.