Impressions From My First Morning Alone

Quiet. A small wood-framed clock sits atop the refrigerator, and from every corner of my tiny cabin, I can hear it marking the passage of time. Tick-tick-tick.

Fire. When I arrived last night, the owner of the cabin had left a cozy fire burning in the wood stove to welcome me. The fire died out overnight, so this morning it was up to me to re-kindle the flame.

Apparently, it takes more than old newspaper, firewood, and matchsticks to start a fire. I have new respect for arson as an occupation.

Socks. Essential. See issues with re-kindling fire noted above.

Stillness. One other thing I learned in the first two hours this morning – sitting alone at small table in an isolated northern California cabin is not the same as plopping your butt down in front of ESPN at home.

~ Coffee made? Check.
~ Fruit cup eaten? Check.
~ Cell phone picked up 50 times to confirm there is still no signal? Check.

Okay, now what?