The other day I got wind of this very positive, very detailed review of Witches, Stitches & Bitches by Vagabond Saint. It’s a great look at the book and each of the stories; he really GOT them, I think. And I’m taking it as a compliment that the reviewer didn’t even mention my name until […]

It’s been an interesting few days here, alone on the island. Friday, as I mentioned when I blogged last, I was kind of discombobulated after Mark left. Unfocused. I went to town to do some errands and got half of them wrong. I puttered around the house, accomplishing very little. I was tired and underslept–since

Late yesterday we got a phone call informing Mark of an emergency in his family…and then we learned more about the downsides of being on a remote island with limited ferry service. Not to mention the special joy of last-minute air fares! So this morning he left to drive to California to be with his

Today we drove around part of the left-hand side of the island. It was another spectacularly beautiful day, though COLD! So being in the car was great. We started by exploring down to the end of the road at Deer Harbor, admiring the many lovely no-job homes. (There’s an expression here on the island–as is

When we last heard from our intrepid Substitute Innkeepers, Mark was heading to town to buy ice cream. I am sorry to say, the selection is… sub-par. He came home with Tillamook vanilla, which, well, Tillamook is a lovely Oregon institution, and I have been to the ice creamery and enjoyed it, and their cheese

So we were just now finishing up dinner, and contemplating whether Mark wanted to drive to town to see if he could find some ice cream, with a side discussion about how all the ice cream on the island is either unsatisfactory, or ruinously expensive, or both, and how we should buy or borrow an

Yes, yes, I know: “How’s it going? What’s it like taking care of Real Live Inn Guests??” I am pleased to report that it is going well! Naturally, we had a few little glitches along the way, but nothing anyone would even have noticed if we hadn’t told them about it. 🙂 Because of course

One of the things this B&B does is provide fresh-baked cookies in the afternoons. The innkeepers make various batches and freeze the dough, taking out just enough to bake a few cookies a day. Yum! Though Mark is a highly accomplished cook, and though he has a sweet tooth a mile long, baking hasn’t been

Today we left the island, because the larder was bare, and the island stores are oh so very expensive. And Thanksgiving is soon, and the fambly is coming for that, so much shopping in bulk needed to be done. We caught an early ferry over to Anacortes. Despite rain being predicted all this week (as

We unpacked today, and rationalized the kitchen somewhat (which I’m sure won’t seem rational to the Actual Innkeepers, so we’ll try to remember how it was so we can put it back before they return in February!). Also, just figuring out how to live here–how to answer the phones, how to troubleshoot the internet, what