The Routine

We bought our pot
with Green Stamps

A daily routine is essential to living simply. I'll attempt to describe mine. It starts around 5 am because sleep is a binary activity for me – I’m either awake or asleep. I can’t lie around in a slumber. I start out by heating water using the big aluminum pot that we bought decades ago...with Green Stamps! It's a keeper. That's for my morning bath – we have an unlimited amount of artesian well water but a limited septic system, so I use two gallons of water. I used to use ten. But I've found that if I'm careful,  I can get just as clean with two. 

Then I make coffee, using an old hand cranked Zassen-haus coffee grinder that I got on eBay for about $10, including shipping. The coffee beans are in the mason jar. 

While sipping my coffee and writing in the camp log I heat more water.

Our laundry area

That hot water is used for my laundry. We're badgered to use cold water for washing clothes, and that'll save energy in homes that use electric water heaters. But cold water won't kill pathogens as effectively as hot water. 

Our hot water is a free byproduct of space heating with the wood stove or Kero-Sun. Laundry is less of a chore if you do a little every day and keep up with it. I need fewer articles of clothing if I keep the ones I have clean. Doing laundry early in the morning means that I can also hang it out to dry early and take full advantage of the free energy provided by the gods of sun and wind. 

We've been indoctrinated and even shamed into believing that a washer and dryer are essential, basic necessities. But dryers are rare in Europe and they get by just fine. I wonder if a washing machine is worth the expense or trouble of using it. The appliance industry needs consumers to think their products are essential. A friend told me he bought a new dryer just to match his new washer. The old one worked fine but it was tossed out. This is apparently normal in our society. Our appliances may be primitive but clothes look and smell cleaner when they are hand washed and then dried in the fresh air on a clothesline.

The clothesline

The best part is that we use no electricity for washing and drying. That feels liberating and very satisfying. No coal, fracked gas, tar sands oil or nuclear energy were required. Our only cost is for the teaspoon of homemade detergent. We save about $1.35 per load of clothes, the average cost if you have a washer/dryer at home. It's way more expensive to go to a laundromat plus we'd lose an entire day going to/from town.

After hanging out the laundry, if the stock market is open, I’ll check the US pre-market and the overnight overseas action. Yes, this is the the antithesis of simplicity...whatever, it’s my vice. Maybe it keeps my brain in shape. 

My next activity is a morning walk. I walk about 2-3 miles every day, up and down a steep hill. I’d like to take the beagle but she’s usually unavailable, soundly asleep. Just as well, she will occasionally pull back to come home or do something equally obnoxious at exactly the wrong time. We've agreed to let the sleeping dog lie.

While outbound, I check the culverts for overnight beaver activity. Sometimes the beavers work all night, but they may go dormant for awhile with no apparent activity. I undo all their overnight efforts, and then a bit more, using the potato rake.

I may have breakfast upon return. That’s usually steel cut oatmeal or leftovers from last night’s dinner. S is usually fully powered up by the time I return, tending to the seedlings or doing yoga. We discuss the plan of the day, consolidating all in-town activity into one trip. Some days we don't drive at all.

We are usually hungry when we return from town. It’s time for our main meal, a late lunch or early dinner. After that, we’ll do more chores. If it’s a favorable trading environment I’ll take a profit or two before the market closes. If the market is uncooperative I may cut losses and sell/cover or just close the browser and hold open positions overnight. 

The Spice Shelf

Chores consist of cutting wood, clearing rocks and working on projects.  One project is  this spice shelf for our tiny (6 by 8 foot) kitchen. Spices are arranged alphabetically. A small kitchen is a joy to work in, provided you've meticulously decluttered it. That's a struggle, because entropy is relentless and clutter continuously creeps back. If you have the discipline to keep it neat, then everything you need will be within easy reach. If you don't then you'll work in a battle zone, constantly wasting time looking for things, and you will be frustrated. Frustration leads to anger. Your meal will reflect your anger, it won't taste good.

Zen masters say that the kitchen is also an ingredient in cooking, as is the cook. The first step in cooking, according to Zen tradition, is to clean the kitchen. That has many functions in addition to controlling those ever-present pathogens. It focuses the mind, it reacquaints you with your surroundings and the work calms the spirit. Nothing worth doing should be done in a hurry.

The loo shelf

I built a similar shelf last week for the loo. Now most of the stuff we had on the sink counter has a place, making it easier to locate. It's amazing how much time and frustration you can save by having a place for things.

Water gathering area

Another typical project is our water-gathering area, it’s still a work in progress, but it’s  functional. It's a big washtub placed under our the spring water pipe, down by the stream. It's accessible and greatly reduces the mud generation around the spring. 

Homebuilt composter

Yet another is a circular composter that S and I built. It's a ring of wire fencing, 4 feet high and 3 feet in diameter. We compost all our kitchen scraps in it. 

We also burn most of the scrap paper and recycle all glass, metal and plastic. But, we still manage to generate about 10lb of trash per person per week, about one-third of the national average. That's still too high so we constantly look for ways to reduce our trash generation, such as considering the packaging of our consumables before we buy them. 

We live an anticipatory existence here - such as cutting and stacking firewood for use next winter. You can't impulsively do anything in the wilderness without wishing you didn't. 

A fine garden cart

We try to limit all driving, notably our trips into cities such as Plattsburgh and Burlington. We always spend more money than we planned when we go into stores but the worst part is losing the entire day to a shopping trip. It feels so unsatisfying, even a nap seems like a better use of time. Our goal is to go out shopping once per month but we still average once a week.

On one of those trips to Burlington last week, we bought a big garden cart. It was expensive but it’s also built to last, and it's made in Vermont. We’ll use that to facilitate hauling stuff from the car up the driveway when we can’t (or shouldn’t) drive the half-mile up here. We can’t drive in when it’s too snowy or icy. We shouldn’t drive when the driveway is wet or we’ll create big muddy ruts in it.

Tuesday nights are reserved for meetings and training at the fire department. This week we participated in the county-wide flood watch. Basically that involves listening to the emergency services radio and watching the AuSable River, especially the myriad of streams feeding into it. The AuSable is an untamed river, it floods regularly. Many buildings near the river reflected an era of lax building codes and less extreme weather. By today’s criteria many roads, buildings and bridges are too close to the river. It doesn’t take an event like Irene to cause property damage or worse. 

So, what firefighters do on flood watch is keep a weather eye on the river – it’s behind the station - and listen to the dispatch radio for field reports. They also sit around, eat junk food, dip snuff, go out for a smoke or just sit on the fire engine bumpers and talk. The talk is of work, trucks, guns, cops, Irene, the Akwesasne Indian reservation up by the border and the station equipment.

As for work, no matter where you go, it's the same theme, mostly complaints. Truck talk involves the standard Ford vs. Chevy vs. Dodge debate. This is 4x4, 3/4 ton, big gas or diesel engine territory. Half tons are barely tolerated, and certainly not 2 wheel drives. 

Irene will be discussed at every gathering of EMS personnel for the next century. The flooding was unprecedented. They say the river smelled of fuel oil from all the home heating oil tanks that were bobbing in it. There were many propane tanks, too. 

The station equipment discussion centers on the new building, amazingly it’s two months ahead of schedule. They also chat about the truck problems, nothing major, radio volume, for instance. 

The Akwesasne talk got my attention more than anything. 

The Rez

The subject came up when a guy got up for a smoke. The reservation sells a pack of cigarettes $10 cheaper than in NY state. NY has the highest cigarette prices in the nation in an attempt to reduce smoking. Perhaps that's the outcome, but all I see is a thriving black market. (I pick up litter when I walk and I've yet to find a cigarette pack with a tax stamp on it.) I'm sure other things besides cigarettes are smuggled into the US and Canada. The resulting cops vs. smugglers action gets rather intense. 

One of the firefighters works at a lumber company and he had to drive up to the rez for delivery. The Indians met him at the entrance and escorted him to the job site - one truck in front, one behind, and people walking along each side of his truck! They don't like outsiders on their land because they feel threatened by them.

1794 Jay Treaty

Akwesasne is a sovereign territory - or it's supposed to be - located between Canada, US and further trisected by Quebec, Ontario and NY state. It's a political nightmare for US and Canada, a fine example of what happens when the dominant culture flubs the boundary-drawing part of their conquest. The Jay Treaty of 1794 guaranteed the unimpeded passage of Akwesasne across the border. The treaty was named for the founding father (and former NY governor) who negotiated it, John Jay. And the  Town of Jay is named for him. The treaty resolved many issues between the fledgling US and Great Britain. But it inadvertently created a portal into the US that the government has no jurisdiction over. This causes ongoing tensions between the Akwesasne and their neighbors. Our nation of laws hates it when they are cahallenged by the common people to respect one.

One of these disputes was documented in You Are on Indian Land, a 1969 half hour documentary, featuring Mike Mitchell who (I think) is now their Grand Chief. The rez seems like it would be an interesting place to explore. Ok, it's a  bit dangerous, but what truly interesting place isn't?

Anyhow, back to the routine. We often work on the grounds, S preparing the area behind the house for the garden beds and arranging the rocks into raised beds. I may work on an area for a woodshed. That'll be a slow motion project, I'll just do a little every so often. I completed my final exam in my chemistry class (that's where I got my pathogen paranoia) and I may enroll in another EdX class. I got the chainsaw tuned up and I try to cut firewood every day.

View out the front door on a typical late afternoon

We generally hang out and read at the 

end of the day. As the wildlife gets used to us, they start to emerge from the edges of the forest. The geese don't even honk at us anymore, they just watch us and soon even become bored with that. The ducks and turkeys don't fly off. The deer graze so close to the cabin that we can easily take their pictures outside our door. When dusk arrives we're ready to fold down the futon and start getting ready for bed. Generally we're tired from the work and just being outdoors all day.

The 44th Parallel

Deconstructing the beaver's overnight work.

Beaver conflicts resemble confrontations with the North Korean military, the main difference being we're six degrees north of the 38th parallel. They do something flamboyantly outrageous to civilized society and we shut them down with our superior technology. But they never surrender.

Here's a photo from S's latest post on yesterday's beaver incident, in my hand is the superior technology, a potato fork.  The culvert runs better than ever now. But the beaver's Supreme Leader, their Kim Jong-un counterpart, is safely holed up in a lodge plotting their next move. 

In addition to culvert-clearing, we accomplished a little more this week. We attended a seed-swap on Monday, that's like a card game where seed packets are traded around an actual card table. This was conducted in a fine old community building in Keene. It's probably more than a century old and perhaps it was a town hall at one time. Every light switch, thermostat and appliance was adorned with signs reminding users to turn off whatever they turned on when finished. One wonders if those are effective  - anyone who intentionally leaves the building without turning off the lights or stove may not be blessed with the gift of literacy. We left with a nice potted jade plant (a couple brought enough for everyone) and several new seed packets. 

Tuesday was the monthly firehouse-meeting night and my application was formally read into the minutes of the meeting. I gave them a little speech about my background. Rockets and airplanes don't matter much around here, they were mostly interested in my former military service. I won't know if I'm accepted until May, but the Chief and officers assured me it'll be approved. I was encouraged to get state certified in rapid water rescue and interior firefighting. 

We went to Burlington on Wednesday, across a frozen Lake Champlain, with the ferry noisily breaking the ice along the way. S had a dentist appointment while I watched the stock market's bear rally and read in the waiting room. Out the window was a snow capped Mt. Mansfield flanked by Camel's Hump. There were many windmills and solar panels visible, too. 

That got me thinking about my adopted home state. Vermont is the antithesis of red-state America, lagging the most of the nation in thoughtless, unsustainable growth. A few Wal-Marts and McDonald's do exist but each one was bitterly opposed. They are serious about alternative energy. For instance, it's illegal to market a face cord of wood, too much deception is possible...and who's going to survive the winter on a face cord, anyway? Here, the legal unit of tinder is a cord, period. This is also the first state to enact a single-payer health care system, a move supported by two thirds of the public.

Vermont constitutionally prohibited slavery on the day the the state was formed (from NY) in 1777. One of their senators, Bernie Sanders, is a Socialist and he won the last election with 70% of the vote. They have the most lenient gun laws in the US - you can openly carry a pistol in public - but a very low crime rate. Town Meeting Day, an icon of democracy, is a state holiday and citizens dutifully show up to vote on town business, including taxes. All isn't paradise, however. This year the governor devoted his entire State of the State address to discuss the heroin epidemic. 

Anyway, as you enter the dentist's office, a sign directs you to two trays and a bench. One tray held clean socks. You are supposed to change out of your muddy shoes and socks before entering the office. You don't see that in Charleston. This is Vermont and this is mud season. 

We donated blood on Thursday, at the AuSable Volunteer Ambulance garage. I also got a quote for the Tundra bodywork. Sliding into a tree while ascending the driveway will set us back about 2k. But no worries, I bet I can probably drive a fire truck ok. 

As for dinner, I cooked this twice during the week. Chickpeas are filling, versatile and inexpensive. 

Curried Chickpeas

Chickpeas are also a great source of antioxidants and fiber. There's some scientific evidence that curry (specifically the circumin in turmeric) can prevent or even reverse Alzheimer's disease. Lab rats that ate circumin navigated their mazes faster than control rats on a normal diet. Circumin-navigation may someday replace GPS! Circumin is also suspected to be the reason for much lower colon cancer rates among Asians. 

Olive oil is a healthy, monounsaturated fat - but it's still a calorie-dense fat, so it should be used in moderation. Garlic is a good source of hydrogen sulfide, yet another antioxidant that (in food!) has been demonstrated to prevent cancer and is good for the cardiovascular system. Finally, cumin seeds are high in iron and other minerals such as calcium and magnesium. It's also a good source of vitamin B1. 

Whew! This may be my healthiest dish, ever:

Curried Chickpeas

• Garlic, as much as you like...a few cloves at least. Mince it well and set it aside to allow an enzymatic reaction to create the healthy nutrients. 
• 2-3 cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed (are there any recipes that call for undrained/rinsed chickpeas?)
• 3-4 medium yellow onions
• Cumin seeds or powder - teaspoon-ish.
• Curry powder to taste - start with a teaspoon or so
• Salt to taste
• Olive oil to coat the pan

Heat the oil and add the cumin seeds until they pop but avoid the smoke point. If that happens, it's time for a do-over. You just created carcinogenic free radicals and all your healthy antioxidants will be wasted on reacting with them.

Slice and dice the onions, sauté in olive oil adding salt to draw out the moisture. Add the curry powder then the chickpeas and sauté while adjusting seasonings. Now it's time to add that enzyme-conditioned garlic.  

That's about it. Well, a fresh, red habanero pepper finely minced and sautéed with the onion, could be added. It's a great source of vitamin C. Also, capsaicin in the habanero is good for circulation, and it may have cancer fighting benefits. 

Serve with a salad and one glass of red wine. 

Kerosene Heights

Keep moving, we don't sell kerosene here. 

What's up with this sign on the highway to Lake Placid? It must be an artifact along the road to the 1980 Olympics, a more rustic age when the smell of kerosene was synonymous with cold weather.

Kerosene predates the petroleum industry, as it was originally refined from coal. That was a technological breakthrough 150 years ago. Suddenly, nighttime became available for common working people (notably barn workers, such as Kate O'Leary). 

Kerosene is more convenient than burning wood, and kerosene lamps are brighter than candlelight, so it became vitally important in the cold, dark North Country. 

Decades later it was discovered that kerosene can be refined from crude oil. Then its use really took off, as that was easier and cheaper than messing around with coal. Soon kerosene stoves, heaters and even refrigerators became commonplace. As gas and electric appliances replaced them, many old kerosene appliances found new lives in Adirondack camps. You can't wear out a kerosene lamp or heater. Many years ago it was considered sinful to dispose of something that was in good-enough working order. So those old workhorses were hauled to the camp. Thus, the demand for kerosene endured up here. 

Propane Wins the Cold War

Propane was discovered by a scientist wondering why his Model T gas cap occasionally popped off. Eventually he figured out that 'wild hydrocarbons' in gasoline back then were the culprit. Those wild hydrocarbons were fizzing away in the tank and the high vapor pressure popped the gas cap. (To a scientist, nothing is too trivial to research.) The substance was isolated and dubbed liquefied petroleum (LP) gas. Soon a method of taming the wild hydrocarbons, refining them out of gasoline, was invented. The main component of LP gas is propane, interesting stuff because it has characteristics similar to natural gas. Many assume that natural gas is synonymous with propane - it's not. 

The propane industry seems to attract kooks, as evidenced by a bizarre marketing campaign in 1955. Our government was on an atmospheric nuclear testing binge at the time. No one destroys the environment as thoroughly and efficiently as the government. A small suburb was constructed at the Nevada Test Site, complete with instrumented housewives tending to their kitchens. The LP gas industry 'convinced' the government to install LP appliances in those kitchens. Then, after the traditional countdown and with high speed cameras recording, Survival Town was nuked with a Hiroshima-sized bomb. Each test shot had a name, this one was called, no kidding, 'Apple-2'. The industry proudly advertised that all the appliances worked perfectly after the blast. They were supposedly used to cook meals for the support crew. Certainly all this gave the Russians pause. If they expected our housewives to stop baking just because a 20 kT bomb detonated in the neighborhood, they were dead wrong. That's presumably what's depicted in the poster above - the blast appears to be rather more energetic than your typical runaway gas grill incident. 

Boy, they really knew how to sell appliances 60 years ago.

One of our gas lamps, probably 60 years old.

Woodman's Lee has an assortment of propane lamps, not one of them purchased new. Their warm glow is quite pleasant and they provide plenty of light to read by, much more than a kerosene lamp. We experimented with kero lamps and candles for lighting - we were disappointed.

Most of the gas lights came with the place, but they didn't work. No worries, I bought three used gas lights on ebay, parted out some, rebuilt some, lost some parts and eventually wound up with our current lineup - plus spare parts. These are like the "Frenchman's ax": Everything is original - except for the head and handle.

We also have a nice, functional little GE gas range. It's also used, no telling the vintage, and come to think of it, perhaps it's a Survival Town refugee. I always wanted a Geiger counter, and if I get one we'll see if the stove is radioactive. With all these appliances, you'd think we'd rapidly deplete a 20 lb propane cylinder (especially the exchange ones that actually have only 15 lb of propane in them). But we get about two weeks of use, even in the winter time when we often use the lights.

The trusty Kero-Sun and ever-present pot of water.

Ah, but back to where we started...kerosene. We have a Kero-Sun heater, rated as dangerous by Consumer Reports. Heck, just walking up the driveway is plenty dangerous around here, so what's a little more risk? Respecting the time-honored North Country camp tradition, it's a re-purposed appliance, one that my parents bought on October 10, 1981 (I still have the owner's manual, and the receipt. When my parents bought something, they saved everything.) We've used it for 14 years, and it's providing the heat as I type. We usually put a big pot of water on it, supplying unlimited hot water and humidity. These devices are dangerous if you're not careful.

It used to be easy to find kerosene fourteen years ago, when we first came up here. My first kero purchase was out of a 55 gallon drum in someone's garage in AuSable Forks, and it cost 85 cents a gallon. Now we're lucky to have a solitary source at $4.33/gal - a rather nice Stewart's, 20 miles away in Keeseville. We'll pass two dozen businesses selling propane on that drive to Keeseville. But I've never seen a Propane Heights sign, somehow it's just not the same.

While the Beagle Waits

It's a long trudge down the snow covered driveway to the street, but the view is beautiful. Even when the snow melts we're not going to be able to access the cabin unless we are willing to turn our driveway into a rutted mess. We've driven past some of our neighbors and the ruts are already impressive - and the ground isn't thawed much. 

Blue Spaghetti Lifter Returns After a Harrowing Experience

We went to the Wilmington thrift store yesterday to offload another increment of stuff-we-don't-need. While there we rescued the spaghetti lifter that I, in an over-aggressive stuff-editing frenzy, thoughtlessly tossed into the donation box. While I was elbow-deep in the spaghetti-lifter section, S found it prominently displayed over the shelves. This was a fine utensil, worthy of segregation from the common ones. We rescued it before one of the other ravenous shoppers got to it. I paid the quarter plus 2 cents tax to bail it out.

We proceeded to the Post Office where S emerged with boxes, one was our new wringer from Lehman's and the other was the solar charger and battery from Amazon. Alas, the cycle of stuff repeats, we offload that which at one time we couldn't live without, and we acquire more stuff that we can't live without.

Off to East Branch Organics in Keene, where S discussed topsoil with Heather, while I fooled with the newly acquired battery. After that we ambled onward to the Transfer Station, having previously purchased a new increment of tickets at the Upper Jay Library. No ticket, no trash-transferring.

We then headed to Willsboro to visit Margaret, one of our elderly friends who recently fell at her home in AuSable Forks and is convalescing at an assisted living center. This one was probably the best I've ever seen, a re-purposed high school, built many years ago when architectural character mattered. The detail on the brickwork was intricate, even way up high where only God would normally see it. That's the way things were done. Someday there will be a resurgence and expectation of that level of craftsmanship.

Margaret was in fine spirits. I gave her a little bar of rosemary-coconut soap in a homemade box, and we had a good, long visit. She told us how she was inspired to write a book about the history of Black Brook and AuSable Forks, 37 years ago. She was on the Town Committee and someone suggested that a history of the area be written by Margaret. A committee-man, thinking she wouldn't hear him, said that if she wrote it, it would amount to nothing. But Margaret has good hearing. His comment inspired her to write and publish the book, and that episode also succinctly captures Margaret's spirit.



On the picturesque drive to to Willsboro we stumbled upon Dogwood Bread Company in Wadhams, outside of Essex, and bought a Bordeaux-quality baguette there. I am certain that we will return, what a terrific place.

On the way back home we stopped at Keeseville for kerosene and to AuSable Forks for propane and groceries - notably dog food. We trudged back up the driveway, trying to convince ourselves that a good portion of the snow melted while we were away. It was lightly snowing, just flurries, but they were sticking.

The beagle was irate when we returned. The wind was blowing all day and the resultant noises were quite scary for a little rescued dog, all alone in the woods (well...dozing on a futon) for hours. All was forgiven after a good dinner. Speaking of which, I made Lebanese Lentils, adorned with a slice of baguette on the plate.

Lebanese Lentils

3-4 yellow onions
Lots of garlic
Vegetable bouillon
Teaspoon or so of thyme
Half teaspoon or so of cumin seeds
Tablespoon or so of olive oil
3-4 carrots
3-4 celery stalks
1 pound of French Lentils - buy the best ones you can find, preferably from specialty store where such things are appreciated and properly stocked.
4 cups or so of spinach
Juice of one fresh lemon

Wash everything, produce is often shipped with meat so it can harbor nasty microbes. A good cheap disinfectant is a light spray with white vinegar followed by a light spray of hydrogen peroxide. Rinse then chop up the veggies and mince the garlic. Heat the olive oil, add the cumin seeds until they sizzle or pop. Then add the onion with some salt and cook until caramelized. Be patient, this step is important.

When the onions are properly done, add the carrots and celery, saute them for awhile then add the garlic. Don't overcook that garlic, it'll get bitter and the nutrients will be reduced.

Then add the bouillon and lentils, add enough bouillon to cover the lentils by about an inch or so. Add the seasonings, adjust to taste (one must taste while cooking or one is manufacturing, not cooking). Simmer for about an hour, seasoning to taste. Then add the spinach until it wilts and the lemon juice. Serve with wine (this is Coppola Rosso & Bianc) dip your baguette slice into the lentils and say 'yes, is very good' with the Mediterranean accent of your choice.

Volunteering to be a Firefighter

Tuesday night’s meeting at the Upper Jay Volunteer Fire Department was terrific. The tiny town has a 38 member VFD. As a measure of effective teamwork and dedication, typically 35 of them show up for calls, rather impressive for volunteers. Actually that would be a good turnout for paid employees.

Most of the members were taking a training class in another nearby station so it was an unusually small meeting. But big enough to introduce me to the department, the Assistant Chief, check out the equipment, fool around with the jaws of life and fill out an application for membership. Robbie, the Assistant Chief, a 34-year member, took me for a spin in the ’93 Peterbilt pumper. It’s a fine machine in impeccable condition. We bounced up and down a very dark and utterly deserted 9N, exercising the truck, which hadn’t been run in a week. We bounced because the tires were flat-spotted from lack of movement and 9N is a bit wavy in spots due to the severe winter. I’m 56, and I’ve been in the control rooms of nuclear submarines, the cockpits of fighter jets, and the flight decks of space shuttles and commercial jets but I’d have to say that I had as much fun riding in that fire truck as any 6-year old.

A new fire station is under construction, courtesy of FEMA, the State of NY and a special tax voted in by the residents. The existing station built in 1950 is actually condemned but they have a variance to use it until the new one is ready in about six weeks. When Irene struck the area the AuSable river flooded the building, and that's been a recurring event as the climate becomes more extreme. The new station is on high ground, up by the Highway Department.

Despite an endowment of equipment (two, soon to be three trucks and an ambulance) the department doesn’t have many local fire calls. They do respond to many EMS calls, and I suppose that’s typical for any FD. They are equipped for wilderness firefighting and rescues, as expected for this area. They will also respond to neighboring towns and sent firefighters downstate to help out after 9-11.

The meeting dissipated more than adjourned, and I drove home along the same deserted and dark stretch of 9N, no moon or stars to light the way, just a darkened silhouette of mountains on each side. Then I trudged up the driveway, darker still, but navigable. After a bit of a hike, the cabin, solitary in the woods with the warm glow of gas lights, S and the beagle, were awaiting.

The whole experience was a throwback to Norman Rockwell's America, what I envision life was like in the 1950's - people helping each other just because that's what able-bodied citizens are supposed to do.

Anyway, my application will be vetted and the members will vote on it in a month or two. There's a lot of training required because I don't know anything about firefighting or EMS. Most of it is intuitive or common sense, but even operating something ostensibly basic as the jaws of life involves more training than I would have expected. Robbie said he’d check me out on the pumper so I can drive it. I hope he doesn’t ask S about my truck-driving abilities, as backing up her Tundra is well beyond my driving ability.