Our rain meter tells me that we have had 48 mm of rain since midnight. The pump has been going off every two or three hours since yesterday and every time it does, 250 gallons go up the hill to our tanks

There are only so many baths the two of us can take in a day, so E was looking for another project he could finish, which would benefit from unlimited water. During the heaviest rainfall we have ever seen he put on his orange man suit yesterday and started to power wash the decks. It is a 1200 sq foot deck with four years of grime. For a man with an old back, it is basically a three day job. Soaked absolutely through, he appreciated yet another hot bath and a couple of Tylenol when he was done. He was back at it today and should finish tomorrow.

We really need to stain the deck but it’s too late in the year now and we had no water for the job in the summer. Theoretically, with this weekend’s thorough clean, it won’t take much water to prep it for staining in the early spring.

I took the opportunity to start cleaning the house. With no company, really, in two years, my inspiration for house-keeping has been non-existent. I tried to tell myself that, with the vacuum cleaner breaking last week, there was was nothing else I could do until Amazon sends the parts…. But I couldn’t just sit here and read while E slaved in the rain outside. It turns out there are other ways to clean other than vacuuming. Who knew? There are spider webs everywhere and the dust has turned all of our furniture and picture frames to a funny shade of taupe.

I know it probably means nothing to you but the third reason I was celebrating the other night was because a couple of new islanders have stepped up to edit the island newsletter. They are really keen with some great new ideas and I know they will do a great job and I am now officially retired.

I have recommitted to getting rid of a lot of the knick knacks I have carried with me since the big family home. My kids are willing to take some of them, but I want them gone. If all else fails, one option is to put them in a box under the house and let the kids deal them when we have left this mortal coil. I really love a lot of these objets d’art and have always treasured them, but it is a small house and I just do not want anything else to dust. Maybe the grandkids will want them.

I have taken almost all of the pictures off the walls too. They didn’t “being me joy” anymore. At the end of the day, the view out our window is the art. Now, all the holes in the walls need to be filled and painted! Add touch ups to

the chore list