I'm home.

My memories of the Barnstable, the cabin where we stay, stretch back to pre-childhood. My family has come to Friendship for over a hundred years, my children are the fifth generation to visit this place. This is the one place on earth where I do not like change. Twenty years ago they installed fresh running hot and cold water and a shower, we used to have to sponge bath and go down to the pump at WInnie Spring for fresh water to drink and cook with.

In the past two years the bathroom in the the tackle room was renovated to include a stainless sink and a new, modern countertop. And more shocking still, such a sink and counter in the kitchen, with a new window. Most radical, however, was the complete rebuilding of the tackle room. Gone the sinking floor and the built-in wood shed, the shelves stacked with fishing poles, lines, buckets, life jackets, and so on.

It is now a large, clean room, open and airy, with windows looking out into the thick woods beyond. A table, chairs, a cupboard (salvaged from the previous room) and a heater! A woman, she said she was an artist, had requested the room, claiming she would stay here in October if these changes could be made. The changes were made. She stayed three days. It is very cold here in October.

At first I rebelled - this is wrong! This is my grandfather's room! But it is true, he died a very long time ago, and it had become a junk room, wasted space. It is now bright, cheerful, and a great place to do jigsaw puzzles.

It is a very attractive idea, staying at the Barnstable in October to work. Clean space, view of snow covered pines, wood burning fireplace. It puts one in mind of The Shining. Better to come alone, without the family. Still, I might come down one morning to find my grandfather sitting by the fire.

There is a house at the end of Martin's Point road, a one-story house, small. It is for sale, the sing says "water access" even though it is across the road, not cove-front property. That's my turn-around point, it is the end of the public access road. I wonder how much that house costs. Sell everything, buy that house, relocate. Become Native.

And freeze to death in the hedgemaze.

Sausalito Summernight Genius Mix 
Sausalito Summernight - Diesel
A Million Miles Away - The Plimsouls
Ah! Leah! - Donnie Iris
Lonely Boy - Andrew Gold
Twilight Zone - Golden Earring
Whenever You're On My Mind - Marshall Crenshaw
Freeze Frame - J. Geils Band

Distance: 3.8 miles
Temperature: 63º
Weather: overcast & cool