Together in Ely MN

It’s been 12 days since the last day of work and my transition from a job and our life in California. Heading to meet Terry at MSP and leaving work behind for good, seemed bewildering. Six weeks ago, under enough snow to hide a good look at the six acres on PTT, Pine Tree Trail, just across the way from Shagawa Lake, we ignored our pragmatic tendencies, and put in an offer on this land.

On one corner of our six acres there is a clearing with electricity, a septic system -currently connected to nothing, an outhouse, and a large garage. Near the septic, over boulders and other miscellaneous obstructions are two large sheds. They perch atop concrete pillars that support cross bars and a huge I-beam making a platform for said sheds. It turns out one of these sheds is the former Chainsaw Sisters Saloon which holds fine memories because it was near entry 23, a put in spot to Lake Mundro and the BWCA (Boundary Water Canoe Area). Before or after a wilderness canoe trip, a drink is a fine thing, indeed.

Did I mention the BWCA was the reason we were here?

We weren’t quite starting from scratch. We had a garage. With nothing more than a long extension cord, we had electricity. And we had an outhouse. I pictured us living out of the long cavernous dark garage with some trepidation. I pictured an overhead garage light with the queen-sized pump-up mattress below and boxes of clothes and food and plenty of mice. We could play Alone and trap and skin the mice thanking each dead mouse for giving us sustenance. But realisticly, my vegetarianism would preclude my success in this game.

Still this corner of our new property ads value. It is our avenue for building our simple cabin in the woods. As Ken, a friend in California, replied when I told him my husband’s dream was to build his own cabin, “That’s every husband’s dream.” He said in a roll-your-eyes tone and continued, “Yup, I remember paging through the Whole Earth Catalog dreaming about having rich compost from the composing toilets, and using the super thick ice box instead of a refrigerator. And reading “A Cabin in the Woods.”

Oh my God, I had forgotten about those younger days and that whole movement. Young and foolish is the new old and foolish.

But in his few weeks Terry had spent in Ely without me, he built a cabin in the garage. It was a good-sized room. He then built a frame for the pump-up mattress, a fold up table, a closet, a frame for a counter top. We were ready to add a few things to be in business.

Early the next day, we headed to the town of Babbitt to hit some yard sales. The night before I discovered “What’s up Ely” on Facebook and all the yard sale ads. We got a never-been-used rug, a Hudson Bay Blanket and cupboard on wheels. We continued on to Walmart 53 miles in Virginia. We purchased two chairs, a microwave, and refrigerator. We picked up a counter top remnant and a sink from Mennard’s. What more do we need? Oh ya, we needed to stop at the ball field in Ely and fill up our 4 gallon water container from their spigot.

The outhouse had some charm. It was tucked into a forest of aspens, and reached via a path accented with roots and rocks that could catch your toe and bring you to your knees. It never did. Terry decided to add a picture window for a Loo with a View. And I lined the snaking path with solar lights. So we’re not playing Alone but rather we’re playing House. This phase is newlyweds.

Damn it was good to be with Terry. There is no loneliness like ours.