The ‘everyday’ seems to hold some interest so yesterday may warrant a telling…….it does, kind of, reveal a bit of what life is like for us on a remote (not isolated so much as remote)island.

We got up early for me (around 7:00) and prepared for our trip to town. Sally collected all the garbage and recycling into plastic bags (ironic in itself, don’t you think?) and we dressed in layers (about five for me, a gazillion for Sally). I gathered up the totes and cooler and loaded them on the funicular carriage along with the garbage and a couple of pack sacks and sent the whole schmozzle down to the beach. Sal went around to get the boat and I gathered stuff to the water’s edge. Total weight: about 100 pounds, maybe 125.

Sal took some tools we were loaning and left them for the neighbours on the dock for later pick-up.

She then pulled into the beach and we loaded and went off. 20 minutes later, we were at the community dock on the other island. Met Ken. Said “good morning” and hiked up the trail. It is about a 150 yard hike up a 25 degree slope to the parking lot. Finally done with our empty-but-still-125 pound load which was packed away in the old Pathfinder, we headed off. 45 minutes down the logging road to the recycling centre and over to the movie rental store to return old movies. Then a quick leap to the ferry to await it’s arrival.

20 minutes on the ferry and into Campbell River.

An hour later we ended up at the Japanese food store for some supplies (gyoza, yakisoba and some tuna). We had just come from looking at a boat for sale. Climbed all over it. The owner had left it out for us to check over. That was our first stop after the ferry and set a nice tone for the day.

After Japanese Katie, we headed for breakfast at the Ideal cafe’. It is a greasy spoon diner that caters to loggers and looks like something out of movie set. Probably the best ‘greasy spoon’ cafe I have ever been to. The waitresses all wear tight cheap clothing, rush about, know everyone and do everything at top speed. Food is great. Tea is served in those leaky stainless steel pots that waste everyone’s time and patience and spill water over everything. Classic.

Then it is off to shop. Sal does Save-On and I do the liquor store and hardware. After that we we go to the bank, I check up on used outboard motors, we buy some firebricks to re-line the stove and Sal stocks up on fudge.

She then then goes off to get her hair done with ‘Cat’, I go to the marine store and Staples and we hit another store for dog-food just before we line up for the 4:30 ferry. Sal pours us some tea that we brought in a thermos and then goes along the parking lot talking to people she knows or anyone with a dog.

On our way back, we stop on the other island at the pharmacy and then back to the movie store to get some new rentals. I don’t know why we bother – they have a penchant for Bruce Willis-type movies and really dumb, dumber and dumbest comedies. But we look anyway.

By then it is dusk and we are still at least 45 minutes from the boat, an hour from home and another hour from settling in.

And so we head off. See deer along the road. As it is getting dark, I drive down the steep hill we climbed earlier let Sal out at the trail t the dock. Then I drive over the beach to where Sal will land the boat. I unload from the truck as Sal places, loads and balances the now 300 pounds into her little boat. When it is properly loaded she heads over to the dock to wait for me. I take the truck back up the hill and park.

We head across the channel in the dark but we can hear the dogs barking. They recognize the sound of the motor.

We land on our rocky shore. The tide is out. Can’t see. We unload carefully. It is slippery, uneven, with poor footing and the totes and cooler are full. So is the new plastic garbage can we bought. Plus the firebricks. We move carefully. We get it all up and loaded on the funicular and I set it off up the hill. Sal takes the boat back around to our neighbour’s dock where it is usually berthed.

I unload everything into the house. Start the fire. Sal comes in and starts to put things away. I pour tea and then wine and then Sal puts on the oven for a pre-cooked dinner (cabbage rolls). We have dinner and clean up. It is 8:00 pm.

We do that bi-weekly. Wish it was even less frequent. Still, we see friends, neighbours and the trip keeps us in supplies. We are good for another two weeks.