By the time we get to the cabin I just want to get cozy, have a nice hot cup of cocoa and relax. Dan on the other hand goes into high gear. He gets the fire started in the big stove then starts one in the cook stove. He trudges out to our water hole, digs out the hose and sends it through the kitchen window where I start it filling our under-counter water tank. The water comes from a spring high on the hill behind the cabin. Dan built a little well around it then attached a long hose to the well. In the summer we hook it up to the sink and it gravity feeds through the tap whenever I turn the water on. In the winter it will freeze so we leave it curled up under the snow which insulates it and keeps it running. While the water is running into the tank I take some for the kettle and put it on the stove. I turn on the propane and light the pilot light in the propane stove.
Dan has planned frozen lasagna for dinner. He likes to cook it on our first night in because there is no preparation and the heat from the oven helps warm up the cabin. Dan is now raking the snow off the roof of the old section of the cabin. The pitch isn't steep enough for it to slide so we have to remove the snow when we get the fire going or we will end up with glaciation around our stove pipe. Finished with that he fills up the bird feeders with sunflower seeds.
Will in the meantime is hauling in our supplies. Down by the tracks, where we got off the train, sitting in the snow are two coolers, eight apple boxes, two back packs, two army size stuff sacks, snow shoes, skis boots and cans of gas for the snowmachines. The logistics of getting it all to the cabin worked out very nicely. When Will caught up with us at the train stop he turned the snowmachine over to Dan. Because our neighbor met the train he was able to give Will a lift and follow Dan. Will then hooked up a sled to our machine and came back to the tracks for the first load. With no snow machine, I have the luxury of getting in a nice snoeshoe hike up the trail. As Will passed me on his way back to the cabin with his first load he picked me up and now he was getting the rest of the stuff.
Around three in the afternoon we start to lose the daylight. We sit in the warm glow of our propane lanterns and finally have our hot cocoa with little marshmallows. The lasagna is cooking in the oven, all the chores are done, the fire is warming the cabin, there's no TV, phone, computer or email. Tomorrow we'll get organized but for today we can enjoy just each other and some very special quality time.