cabin-ette

Well, here I am, pretty much in the middle of nowhere. Yesterday morning around 6.30 I opened the front door and interrupted a little red fox trotting alongside the edge of the fish pond. He froze and stared and sized me up – “harmless; smells funny” – and then he got on with his day. (Or she.) It wasn’t even really light out yet, sort of a misty, grayish-yellow, unripe morning. The fish were leaping clear out of the water, like somebody skipping rocks; nothing to fear. Alleged overnight temperature: 28 degrees.

Later on I saw these two huge trout get into the small-pond equivalent of a fistfight. And a bunny!

Anyhow, I’m settling in for the winter. This is my parents’ cabin, up in the Colorado mountains (9000 feet elevation! Fun fact: jogging here causes immediate emphysema), remote-ish but actually not all that far from the neat little town of Salida. There are a few other cabins in the area, but right now I’m the only one around. I’m pretending this is one of those fancy writers’ retreats people do, only without all the gossip and the lengthy application process.

(Plus they let me bring the cat.)

Goal: finish a book. (I mean writing one, just to be clear.)

Secondary goal: figure out life. (Suggestions welcome)

Third-ary goal, already accomplished: escape, briefly, the rapidly escalating cost of living in Portland. (Also the evil rain of winter) (Although it’s raining here as I type, so maybe I’m not as clever as I think)

I’m also ostensibly helping out my parents, although so far that’s been an almost perfect mirror image of what is happening. :) But you know: just in case they need anything.

To get the internet here you have to stand barefoot on the cabin roof holding a wire hanger aimed toward a far-away hilltop, where a barely visible tower zaps messages to the outside world. So if you don’t hear from me about something it probably just means I’m afraid to go out there in the dark or wolves have surrounded the cabin or I am napping.

Anyway. Current plan is I accomplish goals 1 and 2 in this cozy, peaceful, budget-friendly habitat and then return victorious to Portland, where my motorcycle and motorcycle club await. I’ll keep you updated!