Day 5 on the island: We're on 'island time' now

But first things first. You want to know how we all handled the first night in the house, don't you? Well, we survived it ghost-free. I actually slept really well and was quite happy to be back in our wonderfully comfortable bed. My sleep was so restorative it actually put me in the mood to go running!

I opened my eyes, looked outside at the sun and thought,  I should go for a run. Inspired by that thought, I jumped out of bed and immediately donned my running clothes. This is a tactic I use from time to time. Even if I don't feel like running at that moment, I'll put my running tights on and sports bra so that I don't have that hurdle in the way later. You know... I'm already dressed for a run. I may as well go. Sometimes it works. Other times I spend the day writing in tights and a suffocating jog bra never to actually go running.

The island chimney guy and furnace guys all showed up in the morning to our delight. Heat, heat! We need heat! And after a quick check of the chimney, we were given the go-ahead to burn a fire in the fireplace. The chimney, it was declared, is clean. Now all we need is some wood and a proper grate.

The furnace is another story. Bob calls it, The Hatch.

This house has been vacant for two years. So you can only imagine what came flying out of the furnace once they got it working. A whole lot of nasty.

It was determined that the furnace works just fine. It's the pipe under the house that needs to be cleaned before we can actually use the furnace. So we have to wait for someone to be able to come by and clean out that pipe. In the meantime, we vacuum out the cobwebs and dust and dirt. That's me doing that... putting the Dyson to good use.

While I was conquering 'the hatch,' Bob was in the next room being recruited by the fireplace guy for the island Men's Barbershop chorus.

Bob told him, "I don't really sing."

He said, "That's okay, you just need to carry a tune."

To which Bob replied, "I don't even know if I can do that."

(I just love the fact that Bob is being recruited for the barbershop chorus. He likes the idea too, but probably won't do it. In his defense, he has never sung before. Not formally. "Never had one lesson." So, the idea of joining an a cappella singing group is definitely intimidating.)

This day my tactic worked... the wearing-of-running-clothes-to-motivate-me-to-run tactic.

Chris joined me for a nice 45-minute run through our new neighborhood that included more Alpaca sightings and lots of hills. I felt quite proud of myself as it had been about a month since I last went running! Moving is not good for my workout schedule... who am I kidding... I haven't stuck to a 'schedule' for years. Anyway, running = good.

Next? The six-hour errand. Bob stayed home as he was working (or practicing for the Barbershop choir... we will never know) so Chris and I were on our own for this off-island 'adventure.'

We hopped the 1:40 ferry that sails direct to Anacortes arriving at 2:45. It was a beautiful ferry ride. Gorgeous weather! The only problem with this ferry is that it originates in Sidney, BC making it international... meaning we had to go through customs on arrival... meaning it just takes that much longer to get to where we need to go.

Once we got through customs we drove the 20 miles to Burlington to the closest Budget place. It was a quick in and out and back on the road trying to make the 4:30 ferry. The 4:30 is a direct from Anacortes to Friday Harbor. We really wanted to make that ferry because the next one wasn't until 6:00 and stops first on Orcas Island making it an hour and forty minute ride.

Well.... try as we did, we did NOT make the 4:30.

And that's how it took 6 hours to run one errand off-island. Yep, six hours. We left Friday Harbor at 1:40 and returned at 7:40.

I now understand why some people here only go off-island once every four months. It's really exhausting. I mean, I like the ferry ride itself. I love being out on the water. Love it. It's the waiting before and after and the overall time it takes that gets me.

One thing for sure, island living requires a much greater level of organization than I have previously exhibited in life. At least in recent memory. Generally I have been too easily distracted. The good thing is that there are way fewer distractions here. Yet another way this experience is good for me. This life requires thought, planning, organization and patience. Actually, it kind of reminds me of the adjustments I made while studying in Spain. I got used to the lack of convenience then. I will now too. In fact, it's kind of a relief.

They have a name for it here: Island time. And we're on it now.

Show of hands, how many people think Bob should join the "Island Chordsmen" - the island Men's Barbershop Chorus?