Money!

I have slain the line of credit! Slain it dead! This leaves about $1300 of miscellaneous dead that needs fixing, but that should not take long. Hopefully sometime this spring.
Because Room-mate has moved out for the spring, and that my deductions have changed, my income is suddenly lower by about $700 a month, but that is quite temporary, and we'll back to full strength very soon. I've not had the first utilities bill yet after Room-mate moved out, but I anticipate that the power usage will be MUCH lower.

I have a quote for my new railing, which will be about $2,250. That's less than it was a year ago, so that's good too! The attic is almost done (I just have to caulk one last window and put a final lick of paint on the railing), then I will turn to doing a cold air return from the attic and second floor to the basement. I think this will make a substantial difference to my heat on those floors. (it'd better!)

Archipelago

I have taken up solid anchorage in an archipelago of islands.

One of them is the island where I found some steady employ as a labourer. The weather is predominantly fair, though sudden storms can erupt, and the landscape is as pleasant as any I have surveyed. The people are friendly... perhaps overly so. Indeed, it is their welcoming stance that gives me pause. It is odd that a fugitive would find an overabundance of welcome to be off-putting, but it is true. They give every indication that there is room for residence on their island, and react with ill-concealed dismay when I pole away. They do, to their credit, make an effort to conceal the dismay, but they fail. This has begun to make my stays there uncomfortable.

Another is an island I had been unaware of for some time. Its townspeople are proud, and distant, but the island itself is lusher and greener than any I know. When I am able to engage a local in conversation, they speak with considerable intelligence and culture, and I note the grace with which local affairs are conducted.

Yet a third is an island where I have spent much time, where I have friends and business contacts that go back many years. My comfort with them and their families would mean that if a small place, a cottage or apartment in town, became available, I would think myself a fool for turning it down.

And there are others, to be sure. Each picturesque in its own way.

Rambling on...

Five ideas that are obsolete: (so if you enjoy them, it's for quaintness. Nothing wrong with that, for the record)

1) Newspapers
2) Mail
3) Antibiotics
4) Suburbs
5) Patriotism

Their replacements

1) Teh Intar-toobs.
2) E-mail
3) Stem-cells and genetic battles
4) Urban condos
5) Globalization

There. There's your analysis of the world.

On a personal level, I think I've gone insane. Many moons ago I blogged about the sensation of feeling like I'm wearing someone else's skin, and it's been like that all week. BLECH I say. I don't know what to do about it except see what happens. As part of living experientially, I'm not doing a lot of work to find out why this is occurring, but I'd like it to stop.

Work is frustrating, but I've only got 6 weeks left on my secondment and then I can go back to my job that I really like. So I will persevere.

Well that's about it for now. More insightful stuff to come in the future, I think.

Raft and raft

Everything has been so stable of late. The stormy season is over, and it's possible to send days adrift in the open blue sea without danger.

I find my time is split three ways.

I spend a notable amount of time exploring, sweeping my way into hidden harbours or over unknown reefs to see what I can see.

I spend equal time tending to the Glade... making sure it's growing strong and healthy. And goodness me it seems so. The transplanting seems to have had no ill-effect on it...

I spend another third of my time exploring a new island. I intentionally keep my time there limited, as I'm still too cautious and care-free.