October 2026 Island Trip – Day 1

Travel and set up was uneventful. I didn’t turn on the hot water as I have almost no propane and I don’t want to use it up keeping 6-gallons of water hot… Stella’s two 7-gallon tanks are so far past their expiration date that no one will fill them again. I have two 5-gallon tanks that I’ll fill tomorrow, assuming they’re new enough 😏. If they’re not, I’ll buy a couple of new ones. What’s so silly about this is the road work, part of which will allow a propane truck to get up to Stella to fill a future Large propane tank, is starting on Monday. This is why I’m here. Timing is everything if you get it right! 😂

I’m pretty sure I have the fridge problem figured out. It involves a rotted out 27-year old length of hose that goes from the back of the fridge drain to a piece of PVC that leads through the belly pan of the trailer.

While the idea of a new fridge was kind of exciting, I will be ecstatic if I can find the right sized hosing to replace the old. Meanwhile I feel almost smug for having the little fridge (bigger than Stella’s, but smaller than a household fridge) in the lower barn. Yeah, going to grab exactly what I needed for dinner in the almost dark, wasn’t my favorite, but my food is cold!

I’ve acquiesced to the weather and brought up the fancy space heater. The one that you can actually set a temperature on. While bombing around setting up and unpacking, 57º felt fine. Not so much after sitting down. We are back to cozying up with blankets for sure.

I took a walk late afternoon to the top of the lane and back, distributing three half-pints of jam I made yesterday as I went: Apple, Rhubarb, Peach, Ginger. Peach got mixed into the batch as there’s no rhubarb to be had in stores, fresh or frozen. Turned out wonderfully.