Miss Sadie waits patiently
Charter highspeed internet service
On June 16 I posted So about this broadband thing, citing Bill Morand, Senior Communications Manager for Charter Communications. Bill said that Charter hoped to complete its upgrade project in Torch Lake Township by the end of October, and he helped me map the locations covered by the upgrade. Last Friday (June 24) a Usually Reliable Source claimed that the project was done, and that a person could “call Charter and order the service today.” You may be sure I checked it out immediately. The URS was misinformed.
The map in the June 16 post is correct, and the October target date is correct. The areas to be upgraded cannot get Charter internet today. However, assuming all goes according to plan, all of them–all of us–will be able to get it by the end of October. Bill Morand emphasizes that the entire upgrade will be available at one time, not piecemeal.
There are two little parts of Torch Lake Township where Charter internet has been available for some time, which probably accounts for some of the confusion. One of these parts is about a one-block area in the unincorporated village of Eastport and the other is at the south end of the Township, just north of the border with Milton Township. The upgrade project will fill in the seven miles in between those parts, and some other bits as well. It is coming, but it is not here yet.
Duo on the alert
Scary wildlife alerts
Yes, Daugherty Johnson saw a bear. It was a big bear, and it was loping across the cornfield on Farrell Road north of M-88. Daugherty says he wishes I’d been there with the camera. I wish so too. I keep driving around up there at dawn and twilight looking for the bear when I should be taking the Duo for long walks.
Yes, the beaches are littered with Junebugs, but there is reason to believe that we’re almost done with them and I’m not going to post their mugshots this close to the height of tourist season. The potato beetles, though, may be here and making mischief for quite awhile. I will fight them for the potatoes. I am fond of potatoes.
Yes, local strawberries are in
Personally, I think the bear was probably looking for strawberries just like these. The farmstands are full of them, and they are utterly ripe and delicious. I’m going to buy a whole flat of Certified Organic Strawberries from Providence Farm and spend a day washing and hulling and slicing and freezing and praying we don’t have a power failure. I need to learn to make jam. A person can make jam over a woodfire and keep it in a cupboard.
Torch Lake Views 
Karma
June 28, 2011
I heard another rumor! That Karma extended the June photo hunt deadline til the end of the month! Actually, that’s not a rumor – it’s true. Would love to see the Gerry take on it if you have the chance.
Gerry
June 28, 2011
This is one of those weeks when Everything is Happening at Once–with the bonus of slooow dialup. Who knows what will get posted when? Not I, said the little red hen.
Fee
June 28, 2011
Mmmmm strawberries. We’ve had a couple of bowlfuls from our own wee patch, and they taste much better than the supermarket ones. My mum’s homemade strawberry jam was the defining taste of my childhood. All you need, as I recall, is a mahoosive great pan, strawberries of course, lots of sugar and a whole lot of patience. I may have oversimplified that just a tad …
Gerry
June 28, 2011
Or even mahoosively.
Pat
June 29, 2011
Gerry, have you ever tried to make “freezer jam”?? Too easy! The hardest part is finding enough plastic containers (I use butter tubs). Cut berries, add sugar and pectin, put in tubs, freeze. Really. I can never make enough, it seems to really fly out of the freezer about time the kids visit, for some reason. 🙂
Enjoy your 4th!
Gerry
June 29, 2011
I have not made freezer jam. That is mostly because my freezer is somewhat unreliable, although I don’t let that stop me buying ice cream. I have a friend with a large freezer who has graciously given me space for my beef quarter. I’ll bet I could tuck a bit of freezer jam here and there amongst the roasts. I’ll let you know how it goes! I’d still like to make “cooked” jam that I could store in the cupboard. I like the feeling of being prepared for lengthy power outages. Nothing like excellent treats by candlelight.
Giiid
July 1, 2011
You on bear hunting with a camera doesn’t sound reassuring to me, but perhaps you have finally read the camera instruction manual and found subjects like “How to use your camera as a weapon”?
Living in a bear-less country, I never had any use of reading this part, and as my concern probably can tell, I´ve never had any experience of being closer to a bear than…well, actually haven´t been close to a bear …actually I can´t be sure that they really exist, since I never saw one, and you know photos can´t be trusted now days.
If you find the bear and fight it with your Schweitzer camera, I will definitely trust your photos to be truth, though. Be careful, – and don´t forget to load the battery.
Gerry
July 4, 2011
I promise I will stay inside the car and far away from the bear. Yesterday Daugherty told me there’s a picture of the bear over at King’s. I can probably get a copy of that for you quite safely. Of course, I’ll have to brave the dangers of the rows of fresh pies and jams. It’s always something, isn’t it?
Carsten
July 3, 2011
Wildlife can be DANGEROUS!
We sure miss bears here in Denmark, but we do have dangerous species.
You better watch out for the Ixodes ricinus. The tick is the most dangerous animal in the woods!
Gerry
July 4, 2011
The Cowboy agrees with you. He would rather face bears than be examined for ticks–or worse, have them removed from his hide while I mutter imprecations.