Life between the lakes, part 25

 

 

Life between the lakes. Part 25, Major stressful edition.

And kinda long.

 

Yesterday, I discovered a talent I never knew I had and hope to never use again:

DRIVING WITHOUT BRAKES. 

 

Needa had a major oral surgery procedure scheduled. We were up at 6:20 warming up the Jeep (it was -10) for our trip to the vet in Sault Ste. Marie, MI. We were the only ones the road until we got to town and saw a logging truck as we crossed the train tracks near Timber Charlies.

 

We and did not see anyone as we came to a slow roll at the intersection of M-123 and M-28. It was the slow roll that bugged me. I thought something in my brakes had frozen. 

 

We drove for about thirty miles until we reached the four way stop between Hulbert and Strongs. Sensing something might still be happening with the brakes, I was cautious, turning off the cruise control as I hit the speed bumps, a half a mile from the light. It still didn’t feel right. 

 

As we merged onto the on ramp of I-75 my stomach dropped a little because as I pumped the brakes we were not slowing down as fast as we should have. We still slowed down but again, I attributed it to frozen brake lines and thought if there was more friction (and I used them more) things might improve.

Or melt. 

 

They didn’t.

 

With few cars on the road and slow speed limits in the Soo, I reached the vet, dropped off Needa and headed back to Newberry, where I had an appointment at Newberry Motors that I made the day before when I sensed the potential issue with the brakes. 

 

The traffic was clear along M-28 and as I approached the four way stop between Hulbert and Strongs, I knew I was in trouble. Again, there were very few cars on the road. My cell phone doesn’t work in parts of that stretch so there was no calling for a tow. 

 

Since I’d made the drive many times, in my mind I visualized the rest of my route and started planning how to make it in my compromised condition.

 

I anticipated them, hit my brakes (which the dealer later said were 98% shot but worked barely enough to slow me down.) I somehow perfectly judged the distance I needed to stop or do a rolling stop and would then shift the Jeep into “park” as I did a slow roll into the intersections and nobody was in front of me as I made the last turn to go down the hill toward the dealership. 

 

I finally arrived at the dealership.

I thanked God for being my co-pilot.

 

Thankfully Aunt Carla was in town doing good deeds and picked me up and we went back to Muskallonge. She let me use her vehicle so I could make the two hour trip back to the Soo to pick up Needa, who was in rough, heartbreaking shape when I got there. She just had 12 extractions.

Goodbye two mortgage payments.

But it was worth it when she thanked me with her toothy smile the next morning.

 

We got home and it was still a little light outside. I spent the rest of the night drinking vodka and trying to keep her comfortable as I feel asleep on the couch next to her.

By the next morning the anesthesia had worn off and she perked up as I fed her chicken rice, diced chicken breast and low fat cottage cheese. Much to my surprise, when she saw me get up to take Jack out for a walk, she got up too.

Our walk was slow but steady. The sun was out, the wind was gone and when it came time for treats (more chicken breast) she did not lose her spot in line.

It was a harrowing and stressful experience and today I’ve had more time to reflect on it. As the day continued Needa was more alert and seemed comfortable. It was clear that I was more stressed out about it all than she was, as she has continued to rebound like a champ.

The future of my jeep is uncertain but I’ll have the weekend to mull things over and decide my next course of action. Jack and Needa are now resting quietly after dinner and we are listening to Steely Dan, Aja as the sun sets to our right.

I am blessed each day knowing that God is with me even when I am not thinking about him.

Tomorrow will be another day full of opportunity and adventure in God’s country.

He KNOWS it's his country.

He is the ultimate artist.

He created everything in great detail and I am here observing it as it unfolds.

Life between the lakes, part 12

 

Life between the lakes, part 12 

End of the year, potpourri edition.

The snow has stopped in Deer Park; at least for now. Lake Superior looks like a horizon of slush as the freeze point is closing in on the shoreline.

Meanwhile, the snow coverage on Muskallonge Lake is now quite impressive and the amount of snowmobiles has quadrupled in the last 2 days. I see them on the lake and they pass us on the road. There is something in the mechanism that reminds Tiger Jack Burke and Needa of the mechanical bunny at the track because their ears shoot up and they bark when a sled comes by.

Two nights ago a “moon halo” appeared. This optical phenomenon occurs when the moonlight is refracted in millions of hexagonal ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere. It was pretty awesome.

I know a guy who works in the State Park down the road and yesterday we chatted. He has a great sense of humor and when I asked him if anything exciting was happening over New Year’s weekend he thought for a moment, grinned and said the only excitement might be when they’d ignite the burn pile.

“Last year, it was as big as a house!” he said. “This year, not so much.”

I am considering of spending my New Year’s Eve with a traditional Yooper seven course meal.

It will consist of a six pack and a pasty.

Happy New Year everyone.

Life between the lakes, part 11

 

                                    

Today, Mother Nature smacked Deer Park with her wet, frozen mitten and the word of the day was “snow.”

Snow has been falling lightly for the past 36 hours. Yesterday morning there were four fresh inches on the ground, but when I took the dogs out for a walk this morning there were an additional four inches.

If that wasn’t enough, another 3-4 inches accumulated within two hours and the latest advisory says this won’t stop until after midnight. Right now we are knee deep.

The plow operator stopped to chat and he informed me that three miles down the road the skies were clear.  Considering I am 30 miles from town, I find it quite impressive that they’ve been by three times since 6AM today to clear it. That’s how they roll up here.

I’ve had the snow blower out a couple times and lucky for me there is a kind soul just down the road who has been coming to clear the massive mound that builds up at the foot of the driveway once the plow passes. Having good neighbors in the UP is a blessing; that’s how people roll up here.

If you see a car stuck up here, there is an unwritten obligation bestowed upon you to stop and check on them. Sometimes they are just tourists who pulled off to the side to walk into the woods, but it can also be someone who is stuck, out of gas and afraid.

It happened to me about a dozen years ago when I blew a U turn and became part of a snow bank. I'm guessing the guy who eventually helped me, heard the tapestry of obscenities I was hurling into the woods before he stopped. Or maybe it was just the way people like to pay it forward up here.

The dogs are resting peacefully after their day in the snow. Two walks, a little play and hearty dinner of hot ground beef and kibble have made them content and I share in their satisfaction of what we did today.

 

Life between the lakes, part 10

This morning the snow gently fell; snow on snow on snow.

The flakes danced, swirled and hovered between where I sit and 30 feet away where the frozen lake holds steadfast under a fresh white, Christmas blanket. It is almost as if these snowflakes didn't want to land.

I’m listening to my favorite Christmas album, a little known gem by Dan Fogelberg titled “The First Christmas Morning.” I don’t know why but can only listen to it on Christmas. It contains the most beautiful version of “In the bleak midwinter” that I have ever heard.

People have asked if I get bored up here or if it’s hard being so isolated and the answer is no. Not once this Christmas season did I have to put up with the lunacy and bad behavior that is found in metropolitan areas during the holidays.

The worst thing that happened was I arrived at the post office 5 minutes late yesterday and couldn’t mail a book to a friend and my pastie couldn’t be scanned at the grocery store and I had to wait a whole three minutes! 

I am desperate to get my creativity and inspiration back and right now I have the opportunity to reflect on what has transpired in my life these last few years, put it behind me, get focused again and write again. I’ve already surpassed my total word count of the last two years and it has not yet been three weeks of work.

I am getting as much of this in as I can and while I continue to look for a house in town because it will be different when I get back into the working world.

Tonight I’m splurging with a New York strip and a few shrimp for dinner. After our walk, Jack and Needa had hot ground beef and scrambled eggs on top of their kibble. They are both resting at my feet right now. It was a good Christmas indeed.

Look up Fogelberg’s album if you want a real treat and remember the reason we celebrate this day.

The First Christmas Morning

Away in the east shines a star in the sky

That leads us to where He is born

And bearing good tidings and gifts we shall give

To Him on this first Christmas morning

Holy our journey and holy our love

That takes us to find and adore Him

And blessed the baby that sleeps in his bed

And wakes on this first Christmas morning

Alleluia

The Lord in His wisdom, the Lord in His grace

Has given to man a redeemer

To save us from sin and to show us the light

That shines on this first Christmas morning

And will shine ever each Christmas morning