Outpost Caretakers Week 20 ~ The Thaw…sort of.

I left off last week saying it was snowing but with warmer weather on the horizon predicted by the powers that forecast these things. Again he was right on both counts and we had snow most of the day on Friday. I don't mind the snow, it looks pretty and stays white and clean till it melts... no cars or smog here to turn it grey and dirty looking.

Sam doesn't seem to mind it to much either.

What a difference a day makes and I mean this literally. We woke up Saturday to the beautiful sound of drip drip drip, snow thawing from the roof and falling onto a misplaced bucket. Every where you looked were signs of a thaw. Not wanting to rush things and be disappointed Mike left the water pumped turned off for a few more hours.

Good time to head outside for a bit fresh air and maybe a walk along the beach. Haven't done this in ages, been too cold. The crisp snow is now slushy and slippery on the boardwalk and I take the opportunity to do a bit of a run and slide. We all still have a bit of the kid inside us.

Throughout the day sheets of snow could be heard sliding down the length of the roof to fall with a thud. My timing was off or maybe my footfalls were the cause but I must have run out half a dozen times to snap a picture only to hear it drop as I neared.

There's always something that you don't think about and have to pay the consequences for

it later. During our big freeze not once did I think of the 14 18L bottles of drinking water that are kept outside. Mistake. With a temperature of 3C everything was melting including our water in the 10 bottles that had split open. Garbage cans lined with plastic bags, big pots and trays, anything that would contain the containers to save our water, which I than transferred into other empty jugs. As I was sorting out the drinking water, Mike was taking care of the real important stuff...water for a shower and it looks like everything was a go. We're back in business once again and the H20 is flowing.

The barge is on it's way to Masset and the last update concerning us, is that the decision will be made Saturday whether the weather and seas are good enough for a trip down here.

Mike and I daily take a look at the marine report and weren't all that surprised (well maybe a little) to see this forecast. Tuesday night we did experience gusts of wind like we have never had before but fortunately it didn't last long nor was there any damage.

Sam keeps us amused on a daily bases showing up where we least expect to see him

Till next week,

Heather & Mike