Blowing in the Winds of Change

Every so often an image pops up on social media. The background is always idyllic; lush tree-lined slopes leading the eye towards a lake in the distance, sunlight glittering on the waters. Central to this scene sits a cosy, well-maintained dwelling. Sometimes it's the Pioneer Woodsman-style log cabin with a wisp of smoke rising from the chimney, or the other popular choice is a modern brick-built Wilderness Retreat, stolidly hugging the ground – well designed to keep the occupants comfortable through wild storms and winter snow.
Beneath this enticing photograph is a short paragraph asking the observer whether they'd live in this home for a year, all comforts provided - including a bonus of £10,000 for completing the challenge.. But the snag is, that the house has no internet or mobile 'phone signal. Presumably no TV either, although that's not usually specified.
Then follows a list of those attracted to the idea of escaping society for a while; the stressed, discontented, not-terribly-happy-with-life-atm people who post comments such as:
“Sign me up!”
“I'm on my way!”
“Yesssss! ”

Reality is more prosaic; the vision above probably accounts for thirty five days of the year. There are maybe one hundred and fifty days when snow metamorphoses all details of mundane life. Which leaves about about ninety days both sides of max and min, delight and despair, heaven and hell - when curtains of rain drive across the aforementioned majestic landscape, an observer's view truncated at the closest ridge-line by monochrome trees in silhouette, set against a back-drop of solid gray.
Lush pasture metamorphoses into mountain bog underfoot; jump from clump to clump of darker green – still sinking, but not quite so fast. Trying to time Dear Dog's trips outside with short spells when the wetness eases off for a while..
Damp pervades everywhere, worryingly.

The communal lifeline has been down for over a week. Tempers are fraying.
How quickly the internet has become an essential tool of the twenty-first century; deprived of it, even the most hardened technophobes are thinking of excuses:
Visit a friend down in the valley whose bill bears a different network's logo.
The pub has free wifi.
Head into town and park outside McNasty's, or the more salubrious central car-park for owners of a mifi box (there's no satellite hovering above this rural idyll – visitors' expensive mobile connections are rendered useless).
..One by one residents sneak off quietly to check emails, catch up on social media, partake of whatever electronic soma pleases the individual. Returning with a smile; more relaxed, the soggy reality of an isolated mountain community in Autumn made bearable again for a few more days.

Am somewhat proud to have outlasted Dear Number-Four Son. He beats a path down the valley to the local, although it's doubtful any hardy regulars are impressed by his choice of beverage, with which he retreats to the snug; hot chocolate - for fending off the chills. Mother suggested this image might be improved with a shot of whiskey, but it's pricey stuff - kept for the Laird and deep-pocketed friends.

CD has been equipped with a canine Sou'Wester, the better to resist catching her death of cold. Double-coated dogs get very wet indeed, well beyond the drying capacity of even finest Egyptian cotton towelling. A hair-dryer might suffice, if only A) I possessed such a thing, and she would tolerate it's hot blast for long enough. Instead, a jacket intended for greyhounds covers everything behind her ears; a successful trip down to civilisation provided that.

Am sitting in the middle of a boggy, mountain-top field on a yoga mat, where - joy of joys - there is a middling-poor connection on Mifi, and the weather is at last dry enough to try this experiment. Lappy battery almost dead, but at least I've avoided paying interest on CC purchases this month (last day to transfer funds due tomorrow).
Must say I do enjoy being in m' snug camper-van, listening to rain battering on the roof.

Spends since last post:
Groceries - £72 + £56 + £16
Fuel - £30 + £42
'Phone creds [useless here - no signal!] - £10
CD's rain-coat - £17

ps. Sparky & Chev were right; I'd calculated CGT on total purchase price - Duh!

Back to civilisation next week - love you all, hope everyone is being well-treated by Life..