Perhaps–only perhaps, you understand–perhaps by the middle of next month I will have something resembling Real Internet. This will not interfere with my affection for Real Mail, but it will certainly give me more time to devote to writing Real Mail, and it will stop me whining about the lack of Real Internet.
I have just signed a commitment—I know! I am commitment averse! But I make exceptions for True Love and Real Internet!—a commitment to pay a Rascally Internet Service Provider (RISP) quantities of money to bring Real Internet to my house. If the RISP succeeds, the RISP will immediately become a Beloved ISP (BISP), and I will continue to fork over hard-earned cash on a monthly basis. If the RISP disappoints me, I will probably have to commit a felony, in which case I will probably be able to use the Real Internet in the prison library once a week.
Just thought you’d like to know. Want to see some pictures of the Bay from Thursday? The wind practically blew us off our feet, but it was exhilarating.
That bit in the foreground is beach, the sand churned and frozen and full of ice balls, not unlike the Cowboy’s fur. Beyond that there is ice and more ice, and beyond that ice mountains made by the waves splooshing up through holes in the ice, and beyond that some really cold water full of large chunks of ice and choppy waves, all of it battering at everything around it. Far, far away on the horizon is the Leelanau Peninsula, where I will bet you even bigger choppy waves are pounding. Fierce.
Here are some closeups. Sort of. The little camera did its best, but the wind beat me fair and square and the motion was not all in the waves.
Imagine what it would be like to be a bird that fished for its living. For that matter, imagine what it would be like to be a fish trying to maintain its equilibrium in all that chaos.
But the birds, the fish, and all of us at the Writing Studio and Bait Shop seem determined to live in this trackless wilderness. When you come right down to it, pretty much every day is a new leap of faith of one kind or another. Exhilarating.
Torch Lake Views 
Dawn
February 20, 2011
Looks cold. But beautiful too. I am enjoying it from my warm chair, which, perhaps, is the best place to be on these cold winter days.
Gerry
February 20, 2011
Well, maybe New Mexico is an even better place to be, but the warm chair is good. Welcome home.
Wendi
February 20, 2011
Gerry,
Don’t kill me, but I recently heard that Charter is upgrading its service in our area, hopefully by this fall. I should have told you imediately. It may be rumor, and it may not go as far north as you are, but it does give hope for Real Internet. It may cost us a forturne too. I promise to visit you in prison (unless of course you are there because you killed me…then I can’t make it).
Gerry
February 20, 2011
I would never kill you, Wendi. You have fed me excellent treats every time I’ve seen you. That tends to develop a kindly feeling, even in the heart of a Fierce Wild Blogger. Also, you did tell me. Everybody’s been telling me.
The matter has been thoroughly discussed at Sonny’s, and all along Michigan Trail, and at every place of business in the Township. I have heard many, many stories about Charter’s plans, and quite a few of them are credible. I have so far, however, not been able to nail down an official assurance from Charter management that the plans include Real Internet to my house.
I’ve signed on for one last try. I figure if Charter does eventually come through–which would be in the fall of the year at the earliest–well, I can always choose a new provider when the first commitment is up. But in the meantime, I will have Real Internet. Assuming the Rascal comes through.
Stop laughing. It’s unkind. Now you have to feed me treats or things could get ugly.
Belinda
February 20, 2011
Gosh its so wicked and beautiful looking at the same time. I was working out in my yard today. The daffodils are coming up.
Gerry
February 20, 2011
If we lived in Maine we could say the Bay is wicked beautiful! In fact, we can say it anyway. I was working out in my yard today, too, hacking away at the frozen snowpiles at the bottom of the stairs, checking the propane supply, chiseling frozen Cowboy pellets from places where they definitely do not belong. No daffodils yet.
Karma
February 20, 2011
Yes! Using “wicked” as a modifier is a very New England thing to do! I approve, LOL.
I hope that your RISP certainly does become a BISP – best wishes with that.
I thoroughly enjoyed your extremely scientific explanation of what we are seeing in the first photo! 🙂
Gerry
February 20, 2011
I have always loved my wicked good LLBean slippers. I am glad that someone appreciates the hard work I do to make sure that this blog is scientifically accurate.
Preston Surface
February 20, 2011
Are you sure you really want real internet. The stuff is addictive for the next thing you will be doing is upgrading to a faster service within the same internet server. Then you might consider the fastest service for just a few dollars more. Then across the cold waves at Torch Lake you will soon see the clouds of Wi Fi coming in. The bait house will turn into a Ipod, Ipad, Iphone, and Kindle Wi Fi central staging area. The librarian will lose her job when they find out she purchased an E-book and before you know it the library will be closed. The paper-boy will have to sell his bike since all the residents will be reading their paper on-line. The local post office will be put on the cutting block as well. The general store will close down and you will have to order kibble on-line, but since there is no Post Office to deliver it you will have to travel many miles to a lesser ghost town to pick up your supplies.
Gerry
February 20, 2011
It’s OK. We’ve been through all of it before. There is nothing like historical research to give a person perspective in these matters. Everything is going to change. Everything. Except the people. We’re pretty much going to behave the way we always have, often badly, sometimes with a tenderness and grace that makes it all worthwhile. I’ll let you know how it goes! 😉
Scott Thomas Photography
February 21, 2011
Those winds blew through upstate NY over the weekend, too. Wish it came with the sunlight, too, like yours. People ask me why I live in a place of snow and cold. I reply where else can one see Nature at it’s worst and most beautiful.
Happy the wind did not blow you or your furry friends away and that the RISP does indeed become your BISP!
Gerry
February 21, 2011
Maybe it’s all in what we’re used to. Still, I can’t imagine living fulltime in a desert, or in the Rockies, or in the Everglades, even though I love to visit all those places. Ah well–with any luck I will be able to Skype people in all those places. 🙂
Nye
February 22, 2011
The snow looks like waves, it looks beautiful and cold.
I have less time to surf, so I love our fast internet service. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you and hope that they’ll come through.
Gerry
February 22, 2011
My fingers are crossed too. Thank you for the good wishes!