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25DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MARVEL OR THEIR CHARACTERS. I ONLY OWN MY STORY AND MY CHARACTERS. LIFE SUCKS CHUNKS!
ISLAND DREAMS REALLY
Chapter 2
Ororo looked in her huge wardrobe for something to wear. It was still chilly out so she pulled out a thick sweater and heavy denim pants. She pulled on long johns and thick soaks first and then added on a pair of ankle length fur lined leather boots. Those crates were sent from heaven. Ororo needed to harvest some fruit and vegetables today. Also she had planted cranberries a few weeks back.
Thanksgiving had been on her mind. Even almonds were growing along with their walnut and peanut relatives. Ororo grinned. She had quite a few more seeds she would plant. One was to grow the cacao that you made chocolate out of. She wanted that one badly. They may have a supply of chocolate but nothing lasts forever. Hopefully she would be able to make chocolate covered almonds and maybe make her favorite ice cream with them.
Logan looked out of the window at the weather. It was strange and quiet. Like the wildlife and birds were hiding. The snow now looked about six inches deep. He would check on the animals. He had already grabbed his long johns and thick denim pants. He was pulling on a heavy cable knit sweater. He had on his thick boots with fur. He pulled on a scarf, heavy jacket, hat and gloves.
He made his way out side after he added three large cords of wood to the fireplace. He took up a shovel by the door and cleared the porch and stairs. He cleaned the path to the greenhouse first and then the barn. That snow got in despite the enclosures. He reached the barn to find the animals alright and began the task of cleaning their stalls and putting in fresh hay. Logan loved that Ororo keep a fresh supply of fruit and veggies for the animals to eat. They seemed to love it.
Logan Looked at the goats, pigs, turkeys and chickens. They all looked healthy and bigger. They seemed pretty content too. They weren't sitting in the dark all day either. Logan adjusted the shutters he had put it here as well. The snow he had removed from them wasn't much. The place was warm thanks to the heat from the pipe system. The rooster didn't seem to crow so much or at least he and Ororo had just gotten used to his sound. The heavy glass that he had installed on the sides allowed ample sunlight when the shutters were opened. It was too cold to allow them out into the enlarged pen. Logan was glad he had cleared what would be about ten acres of land when he had decided to enlarge the campsite area.
He looked around at the spread. It was beautiful. Something he and Ororo had built with their own hands. It took a lot of trial and error but they had done it. Made a home, a barn, forge, smokehouse and even a hell of a green house. Logan was proud of them. The greenhouse especially. First it had been an enclosure. Then he expended it for at least two acres. He made a tier system for the plants that didn't need to grow like trees. It was an accomplishment he could never hope to surpass. That pleased him. It was Ororo.
Thank goodness Ororo had nothing but dwarf plants that her father had created through grafting. He only used heirloom seeds. All natural never modified. He believed in that. Every fruit and vegetable had to be chemical free. The man was a genius. He loved all natural and nothing else. He believed in completely organic farming and so did his wife. Grafting was his vice. He wanted people in urban areas to grow food that didn't take up much space. But he wanted no chemicals in their food as well. He felt urban dwellers were being sickened by the chemical laden foods that they were fed. If they could grow there own food on rooftops and balconies they could survive and live longer. Logan admired that. He wanted Ororo to have a greenhouse befitting her.
So he put in a stairwell for easy harvesting. He made sure to have guard rails as well. He didn't want Ororo to hurt herself. He'd gone all out on designing them. They were higher then normal and made so that not even a toe could get inside the iron covered lower half. Logan had done a spider web design of the rail below. Reinforced of course. The iron was thicker then most would've thought. He didn't want Ororo to have any accidents. Logan even added in a large dumbwaiter on a pulley system so Ororo never had to lug anything to heavy for her to carry. There were even large work tables and baskets on each level. Logan though out the entire greenhouse. It was in a way his tribute towards Ororo.
This woman made the meals, fixed the house, grew the food, made their clothes, worked on the farm with him, helped him make things and created a home where there was none. She helped him to create what he hadn't before and to remember what he had done in the past. She was Logan's anchor on this island. Her bright smiles and sunny attitude even in the worst of it kept him going. She was stronger then any man he knew. She was a survivor and she saved his life from day one. She made him feel he could go on even while they were stranded. He knew he did the same for her. Together they kept each other going. It was a relationship that empowered them both. Logan loved her but didn't quite know how to put that into words.
He didn't want to disturb what they had. Ororo was always calling him a gentlemen. He loved that. His father had raised him to treat a woman right. Most never noticed or cared about his holding their chairs or doors. Walking with them on the inside of the street. Making sure they were comfortable before he himself. Many just ignored it or never spoke on it. Logan had been taught this since he could crawl. Always treat a woman like a lady. Ororo was the only woman who ever complemented him on being so. That flattered his ego and made him smile. He always felt a warmth in his gut whenever she did. That was something Logan had never felt before. He loved that about her. She was like sunshine in his heart. Most of all she kept him sane and with less need for his beer.
He collected the eggs and milked the goats. He checked on the pregnant pig and then went to head back to the cabin. He noticed Ororo was bundled up with a heavy scarf wrapped around her head. She was going into the greenhouse. He would put the milk and eggs away and then go check on the greenhouse with her. Ororo checked on her fruits and veggies. She had a large amount. Her plants the peppermint, roses, peonies and others were okay. She had luckily covered her outside plants with tarp and heavy old blankets.
The snow would melt soon and she would have a new set by spring. Ororo looked at her watermelon. They were growing nicely and the warm air was keeping them going. The cranberries were coming up. The concord grapes were ripe and she harvested them. Wine would be nice she thought as she added them to the basket. She put the full one in the dumbwaiter as she got another empty one. The oranges looked ready, the lemons, apples, apricots, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, limes and even the peaches were ripe. Her lemons were growing well. The green and red grapes thriving. Ororo looked at the cherries. In spring she was going to make cherry vanilla ice cream. Ororo sent all the fruit down the dumbwaiter.
She heard footsteps down below. Logan was placing the fruits from the dumbwaiter into the four wheel cart and lugging it to the cabin. Ororo smiled. He was forever helpful. She moved on to the vegetables. Many were ripe or maturing for harvesting soon. Last would be the nuts. By what Logan knew was eight o'clock they were finished harvesting the greenhouse food. It was quite a load of food this day.
Ororo had already gone upstairs after removing her boots and coat. She had to dress down in the cabin. It was so warm. Logan checked on the cords of wood in the back. It was still pretty full. They had so much. It shocked him how much he had chopped. He'd removed his boots and jacket. He was now in his long johns and changing from them to his plain pants and shirt with slippers. He often kept his house cloths in here just so he was closer to the bath in case he needed one. Ororo knew that was his spot to change and gave him his privacy. The cabin was hot but it felt good.
He washed up and headed for the kitchen. Logan made scrambled eggs with cheese. He toasted some bread. Then sliced some ham, frying it on the grill and pulled out the cereal. Then he grabbed some fruit juice and soymilk. It was ice cold. He also made coffee and tea since that was in the crate as well. Some mornings Ororo preferred Tea. Remembering her lemon juice Logan made a quick run to the cooler and grabbed it. He was back up in a flash. Ororo came downstairs in a lighter sweater and pants with a pair of slipper shoes on.
Logan looked at her smiling then went back to making breakfast. Then he looked again. Ro had her long hair lose and it looked wavy, shiny and beautiful. She noted his stare and seemed a little shy about it. Logan grinned as he held her chair for her. The fruit was washed and put away and the vegetables were washed and in the veggie bin he had made for her.
"Ro your hair looks good." Ororo smiled.
"Thank you Logan. I grew tired of it always being in a ponytail. I wanted to try something new." Logan laughed. He smiled looking at her shiny lovely hair.
"Ro you could wear your hair standing up on your head or even be bald and ya would still be beautiful." Ororo grinned as Logan made her plate. He sat her bowel down with the cereal and milk.
They ate talking about the snow and how it reminded them of the main land and how cold winters could get in New York and Alberta. Both ate some cereal with the soymilk and sugar as well as the cheesy eggs, ham and toast. Both washed and dried the dishes. Ororo wanted to make wine and told Logan about it. He piped up and noted that there was a book among the six dozen books they had that spoke about that. Ororo grinned.
They seriously talked about building a windmill to grind the wheat into flour and make cornmeal much easier. Even for the sugar cane and maybe other grains. The smaller mill could grind the soybean oil and maybe canola oil as well. Ororo wanted to try vegetable and corn oil as well. They talked about a meat grinder. Ororo seriously wanted that. Grinding meat with knifes and the mortar and pestle was too much work. Logan grunted on that. Goat meat was tough. The turkey was easier. They also talked about building a wind turbine for a fan system for the hot summer days. The books were a God sent. There were best sellers and classics like Moby Dick, Jane Austen, Octavia Butler and Stephen King but there were also an enormous amount of how to books and for that both were pleased.
A few weeks later found Thanksgiving coming. Logan was hard at work in his forge intent on making Ororo a meat grinder. He had read several how to books like a man possessed for several nights. Ororo too had been reading hers. They decided since the snow melted but it was still cooler weather to do the meat grinder first. Logan was working on making the different sized grinder heads for various sizes of meat. The wine they still knew would be a lot of work. Ororo was weaving some more cotton into cloth. She had quite a bulk of it. It came in handy too. The outhouse looked so much better. Ororo had painted the inside white. Using one of Logan's goat hair brushes. She made the paint from plants in the green house and decided to cheer the place up. Logan had laughed his head off. He loved it.
She had even made candy apples last night coated with crushed nuts. Ororo loved trying new things. Logan would never complain. He ate four of them before his stomach got full. Ororo had made a fried fish and shrimp dinner with sweet potatoes roasted so tender they were eaten with just a fork and butter. She'd spiced them with some seasonings that made them taste great. She cooked collard greens made with turkey meat, green, red and yellow peppers as a side dish as well. The taste was so succulent of the greens, Logan had seconds and thirds of the meal. He had loved it.
It was all served with a cool concord grape juice that left both very full and feeling good. Three nights before she'd made a baked blue fish that Logan inhaled. It had been stuffed with some fruit and vegetables and lightly seasoned then baked. Tomorrow she would do a crab stew. She was on a seafood kick. She finished the weaving for today. Now she would see about lunch. She pulled out several very large loaves of bread that she'd made the other day. They were very much Italian bread loaves. She made about six of them. Ororo had improved on her bread making. The cook books helped.
She set them aside and went to get her tomato sauce, and pulled out the mozzarella cheese. The cheese came from the dehydrated products. She cleaned and peeled the skin off the large eggplants, then cut them into semi thick slices, then seasoned them with spices and coated the eggplant with her homemade slightly seasoned bread crumbs and some flour.
Then she fried the egg plant in soybean oil. Placing them on a clean paper towel to allow the oil to run off. Then she cooked the tomato sauce in a pan with some light seasonings added in for taste. The bread she cut open buttering the insides and placed the fried slices of egg plant, then sauce, then cheese until it was built up enough. She loved that the dehydrated cheese was thick when rehydrated and cut it into chucks. Ororo was making egg plant parmesan sandwiches.
She placed them in the oven to bake. When they were done. Ororo placed them in the large iron pan that she used to keep prepared dishes warm. This sat on the oven. They kept warm from the heat of the iron stove. Then she cut up fresh white potatoes into four halves, slicing them with the slicer into thin French fries and fried them twice. That made them crispy. Seasoning them with some onion and garlic that she fried with them. Then sprinkling them with a powdered version of onions and garlic along with salt and black pepper. She added a dash of red pepper as well. Ororo had made dried onion and garlic and beat them into a powdered form. The red pepper was powdered as well. She needed a bigger mill for larger amounts.
Then she pulled out her almonds and made a pot of warm hot thick sweet chocolate. Then using one of the grated large spoons Logan made for her, she dipped the almonds in the rich chocolate several times waiting between dips, until they were thick and coated with the chocolate. Then she let them cool on a plate over a bowel filled with ice. So they could harden. Ororo pulled out some beer and fruit juice. Logan would be in soon. Now a clock sat over the fireplace. Logan had made it after reading a book on clock work toys and puppets. The clock was the easiest thing to make.
Right on time he walked through the door. Removing his jacket and boots. He slipped on his slippers and headed for the bath to wash up. Ororo set the table. She had changed out the tablecloth several times now and this one was a tie dye of red, blue and white. Logan liked the bright colors. She placed the dishes and glasses on the table. Adding the juice pitcher, beer and then the food last. She arranged Logan's plate with the hot oozing sandwiches and placed the French fries on a smaller plate with the chocolate coated almonds on another. She poured his ice cold beer into a glass as he emerged from the bathroom. Logan grinned. Only Ro could make lunch a feast.
He helped her into her chair as always and kissed the top of her snowy head. Ororo giggled. Lately she and Logan were very affectionate towards one another. Ororo poured herself some fruit juice. Logan bite into one sandwich. It reminded him of how good these tasted when he worked in Alberta and would stop at the Italian deli across the street at lunch. Ororo was a chef. She ate hers and smiled. She had seasoned them just right. She was thankful she had made a jar full of seasoned bread crumbs several weeks back. Both ate their sandwiches, munching on the French fries between bites. He loved her seasoned fries. The almonds they saved for last. Logan was thankful for home brewed beer. But he loved one thing she always did. Ororo always had a large bowel of fresh fruit on the table.
Logan loved the fact that she did that. It reminded him of home when he was a kid. His mom always had that too. He grabbed an orange. Peeling it and eating it. It was sweet and good. There was even pink lemonade in the cooler. A real cherry and watermelon drink too. He liked the lemon, strawberry and orange drink as well. Ororo made some great fruit drink mixtures. He drink them more then his beer. She was talking about preparing food for Thanksgiving. Turkey was no problem. The wild turkeys had reproduced. So They set about making the menu. Logan wanted to fry a turkey. Ororo though why not. He could built a pot big enough and fry it outside away from the house. They both sat talking about the plan for Thanksgiving with Ororo grabbing a plum as they talked.
Thanksgiving was now just a day away and Ororo had fixed up the cabin like Christmas was here. It was still cold outside and Logan felt it in his bones that another storm was coming. They had reinforced the trail to the outhouse. No wild pigs or goats could dent the iron fences. They even made better covered trails to the forge, barn, greenhouse and outhouse. He'd caught the wild turkey weeks ago and had already plucked and trimmed him. Logan had even seasoned and marinated the fattened bird. Now he was ready for frying it tonight. Logan had made the grinder but was working on something he wouldn't tell Ro about. She knew it was a Christmas present.
She was working on his. The cabin was transformed. Ororo had dyed some cloth deep red and made curtains, tablecloths and matching napkins. She had aprons of every color and even pot holders that matched the deep red color for the holiday. Even the sofa and chair covers were now a deep red color. She'd re-stuffed the cushions in the house using only the cotton. Lord knows she had at least a few tons of it. Ororo had been spinning cotton for months non-stop almost. It made it more comfortable. Ororo was secretly making Logan a whole bed set. She'd done the pillows and comforter already. The sheets were halfway done. She wished she could knit a bed spread but they had no wool and the goat hair would not do.
Ororo had tried the meat grinder several nights ago and made ground turkey and goat meat. Frying up hamburgers and sliders, (mini hamburgers) with onions, lettuce, tomato and cheese. She even added bean spouts, red cabbage, cooked Boston baked beans, and relish to some. Then made cheese fries with them. Logan ate about twenty of them. Trying one or more of each. He was happy with the cheese fries as well. Ororo even made sausage using the clean casings of the pigs. Logan had smoked them a few days ago and now they were in the cooler. He would be surprised when they ate them. Ororo had made some spicy and some mild. She even cut up pork chops and had them in the cooler. After thanksgiving she would make her mother's pork chops and chutney made from fruit and spices.
Right now she was making the cranberry sauce and trying to get it sweet enough. Ororo had the three bean casserole done. Her fried onions garnished the casserole. She had the macaroni and cheese done. She made sure she had enough cheddar. Thank God for Logan's crazy ex. There was enough dehydrated products to last for seven years. The yeast biscuits she'd perfected. They were buttered and warming. She was finished baking the sweet potato pie, an apple pie and a cherry pie. She even made mini blueberry, blackberry and raspberry pies. They were snack size. Logan liked snack pies. Ororo even did a fig pie shaped like a large sized fig Newton.
She did garnish the smoked ham. It was baking now. The stuffing for the turkey was cooked with all the extras her mom always put in hers. She had string beans cooking and her collard greens as well. Ororo even made a green salad and that was in the cooler. Mashed potatoes were done and Logan had his pot out back ready for frying the already fattened turkey. Thank goodness he had made the pot extra large. That turkey weighted over twenty pounds. The wild ones were eating themselves into a larger size. Ororo even made more candied apples using nuts and chocolate on them. They were in the cooler. Her cooking was started like her mother two days before hand. She had really gone overboard. Ororo shocked herself. There would be leftovers for days.
Ororo pulled out her cake pans from the cabinet. She would make a chocolate cake like her mom always did. Her whole family hated fruit cakes. Ewww! Ororo shivered as she though about the awful tasting thing. Every year her grandmother sent them one. Her mom always found a way of breaking it up and feeding it to the animals on a neighboring farm. She made sure there were no sharp parts or harmful pieces to the animals. They all hated that darn cake she sent every year. Ororo cheered up as she got her ingredients for her cake. She already had made her ice cream yesterday. She had mixed in thick rich chocolate with chopped almonds in her vanilla ice cream. She made a huge batch and placed it in the cooler.
It was so stacked with ice that Ororo felt like she was walking into Alaska. She made her cake batter after retrieving her eggs, milk and butter from the cooler. She greased and lined the pans with flour and placed the cake batter in the other oven. Logan had surprised Ororo with polished iron bowels and candle holders. He had made a spinning wheel of a rock that polished and grinded the iron to a finish like no other. He had needed sharper knifes and boy did that rock do the trick. He went polishing crazy.
It made Ororo smile as she pulled out the cake platter. It too was polished as well. He had gone through the house and polished and cleaned all of the old iron products he had made. Everything looked brand new. She placed a glass plate over it. She didn't want to ruin the shine. Ororo smiled as she looked at the palm made holly she had over the fireplace and the clock. She had put several dried cranberries and popcorn through it. Even stringing apples of green, red and yellow over the fireplace. There were now several poinsettias in the cabin. All the red color was making her blind.
But she loved the feeling it gave off. She even made large red candles for the table and they were decorated with dried cranberries and green sprigs as well. Logan loved the deep red table cloth. The chair cushions matched. Logan felt they should get a tree for Christmas. Ororo agreed. She peeled a banana to munch on after finishing washing out the used dishes she had made to cook the meal. She sat on the re-cushioned sofa. It felt good. She was tired but luckily had made the icing the other day for the cake.
Ororo got up and pulled out some stew she had made the other night. It was a creole stew made with red beans, wild rice that they had from the products in the cabinet, and pork sausage. Ororo had added vegetables a ton of them, corn, potatoes, asparagus, carrots, onions, garlic, leeks then some cubed turkey meat and lots of spices to it with some twisted pasta. Logan gobbled it up. She toasted some large loaves of bread coating them generously with butter and pulled out the pink lemonade as she put back the milk eggs and butter.
She also pulled out some cookies from the cabinet and set the table for Logan's lunch. Ororo got out the big soup bowels Logan had made. He loved this stew. He came in just as she finished. Flashing Ororo a smile as he went to wash up. Logan loved Ororo's cooking. She grinned. Popping a cherry into her mouth. Her cakes were done and she removed them letting them cool. The pies were done and The bulk of the meal was in the new warming drawers Logan had built. He was always improving the home.
He improved upon the stove moving the stone oven to the side. Closer to the fireplace and expanding the iron oven and grill. He even made an open eye stove top with grated cover. It sat next to the grill top. Ororo also had an island now with cabinets beneath. She had an iron sink and faucets. Logan had with Ororo's help created a sink with running water from the water source. The runoff was filtered to the greenhouse. The faucets were stunning. They too were polished. Logan every night used some gritted paper that came from the crate to get them smooth and shiny. Ororo adored what he had done. Logan was improving every day. Her kitchen island was wonderful. The top was her old smooth glass counter top and Ororo loved it. Logan even had stools to go with it. The beds were improved as well. Ororo had made thicker stuffed mattresses with the cotton batting. She had a lot of it.
Logan made wider beds to go with them. It took weeks to make the huge mattresses. She actually sewed and stuffed them upstairs. They were too big to get up the staircase. They looked bigger and wider then the ones she bought in the mattress stores. She was very proud of her work. Logan was too. He built a combination of iron and wood framed beds just for them. They looked amazing. A far cry from his first beds. He even improved the doors in every room. Even the front door. Logan wanted the cabin to shine. So did Ororo. They even were drawing out the plans for the windmill and the fan system for the home. Ororo grinned. Living like this was true freedom.
Thanksgiving went off without a hitch. But true to his bones a storm came and it was big. Logan figured it was a hurricane. It was. It knocked down trees and threw sand every where. The greenhouse and barn survived but the out house got some major damage. The forge was okay but the smoke house had to be rebuilt stronger. The oddest thing two large crates with parachutes had landed where Ororo had nearly a year ago. Logan and Ororo found that odd. They inspected the crates. They had to be opened with Logan's homemade crowbars. Inside was a lot of fancy, shiny electronic equipment. Neither could really make out what they were looking at. Logan checked the writing he had seen on the outside of the box. It appeared to be in Japanese. Thank God he studied for a full year in Japan as a college student.
Logan had gone on a school exchange and fell in love with a young woman named Mariko. She died that year too. She had died from heart failure due to a heart defect. It had broken his heart. But he had to move on. That had taken a while. Thus Suri the worst choice for a wife ever. He was glad she was gone. But back to the matter at hand. He realized that the writing said that this was media equipment. The fact that it had a parachute could only mean the plane it was on was lightening it's load due to engine problems no doubt from the freak storm. In the stuff was what appeared to be a flat screen TV and from the look of the jumbled shiny metal in the crate, the rest of it looked like it needed to be put together.
Ororo was staring at it like it was all alien to her. Logan grunted. They opened the next crate. Inside was what looked like furniture. There were Japanese wardrobes. Four that were beautiful and wrapped in thick tarp. There was even a lazy boy. A TV console. Four bamboo screens. Two Japanese tea tables. And strangely a media cabinet for storing DVD's. It was packed with brand new never opened American DVD's. Logan and Ororo stared open mouthed. Many were Disney classics and a load of various comedy classics, some very old and many new. It was as if this was a collection of some of the best movies ever made. Many both recognized as award winning and TV favorites. Both just looked wide eyed. Logan would have to make a cart to haul this stuff. The old four wheel barrel could only take a little.
He built the carts and a ramp to the cabin. He even made a temporary outdoor crude elevator, based on heavy weights and crude iron chains that lifted the heavier stuff to the second floor. Ororo wanted two of the wardrobes for her room. Thank God she had the room with the balcony. Her wide doors would allow him to get all four wardrobes inside. Logan put the other two which were less feminine looking to him in his room. Most of the electronic stuff went to the storage area in the back. Including the tea tables. Maybe he could find a use for them later on. Logan had to read the books slowly in order to recall most of his lost Japanese. Ororo tried just looking at the stuff. Most of it was similar to her fathers media room things but not by much. This stuff looked state of the art. Besides they had no electricity.
It was several days before Logan figured out the media equipment. Some of it anyway. The cool snap was still going and it was going now for weeks. Christmas was just days away. Both knew another big storm was coming. The strange looking boxy thing was a solar battery. Ororo was stunned. The rest would take time to translate. Ororo and Logan had placed the flat screen on the console in the main cabin area along with the media cabinet filled with DVD's. The lazy boy was placed in front of the flat screen and Logan loved sitting in that. Even Ororo loved it. It was leather luxury. It made Logan figure he needed to improve his leather skills. He could make one just like it. Ororo beamed.
Christmas came and Ororo and Logan cooked the dinner together. Much smaller this time. Ororo had to laugh noting Logan's stunned face at Thanksgiving. The table was covered in various dishes. He was too shocked to speak just smile and plant a kiss on Ororo's cheek. They had both laughed at her over zealous Thanksgivings effort. This time a lot less was made. There was still leftovers from her feast. They even made a small palm tree their Christmas tree. They decorated the tree with strung popcorn, cranberries, fruit and vegetables. Logan even made some small ornaments. Ororo painted them. Ororo presented Logan with a bed set that he loved. The sheets were cool and comfortable. It had a quilt she'd dyed a royal blue to match the set. His new pillows were bigger and softer. The cotton batting was thicker. Ororo had improved with her spinning. Logan presented Ororo with a new and improved cloth weaver.
This one made the threads more refined. It gave her more threads to weave. He even made her a chair to go with it. This one made like those chairs that helped your back. Ororo hugged him when she saw it. It was amazing to behold and Logan set it up in a corner by a window with two of the bamboo screens to cover it when Ororo wanted privacy. She was thrilled. The other two screens were in her bedroom. The two even figured out that one of the packages that was not assembled was a satellite dish. Only all in metal and very shiny. The whole thing was in pieces. They would have to put it together. Ororo and Logan were dumbfounded at that. Now they just had a few more pieces to figure out. Some very large.
Weeks went by and Logan worked on making a copy of the lazy boy. The frame was easy. But his leather work he had to really work on. He needed bigger animals to make more leather from. The weather was too bad to try to find the large pigs that were roaming around. They kept to the caves because of the weather. Ororo was going to town on her new weaver. She made better sheets and cloths. The way they felt was amazing. She made Logan a few shirts and pants too. They felt amazing. She even tried her hand at translating the Japanese books that came with the stuff. She mainly went over Logan's notes. He had made detailed notes recreating what he recalled from a language he hadn't used in years.
Ororo and Logan finally figured out just two days before the big storm came that one of the unassembled pieces was a portable toilet. They both laughed after reading the translation and looking at the shiny metal thing. Logan put it together and sure enough it was a toilet. They couldn't believe it. For one thing it was taller then any portable toilet either had ever seen. It was self functioning and actually compressed the waste for easy removal. That made Logan think the outhouse could be converted into something else and they could put a toilet in the cabin instead of outside.
The storage space was huge and Logan could easily make another room for the toilet with a sink hooked up to the hot springs. He had already done a pipe and faucets for Ororo in the kitchen. The waste water went over a rock made filter system covered with various plants and fauna under the large iron sink that Logan made with Ororo's help. It was somewhat enclosed but you could expose it to sunlight when the weather was warm. It was already exposed to the heat from the oven near it. Logan had fashioned thick heavy glass that he exposed it to during peck sun hours in the day. There was a pair of iron shutters that covered them when not in use. He was glad that he had made the cabin large like the land. That heat and solar treatment cleaned the water as it lead to a pipe that fed into the greenhouse.
There it washed over a bigger rock waterfall system lined with more plants that cleaned the water even more as well as sun exposure before it led to feeding the plants and trees on a drip system. The thick glass she had him make to heat the water as it passed into the greenhouse was doing the trick. Ororo knew all about killing germs with sunlight, certain plants and rocks. She understood these things because of her father. She liked the idea of the indoor toilet. It compressed the waste so she could still use it for her garden. The best part no more frantic late night runs outside to go. That was always scary even with the fencing, covering and spikes. Those wild pigs, goats, turkeys and chickens were still mean and mad about there family being caught.
They got it hooked up just in time too. A strong storm came with gale force winds and snow again. It was brutal. It stunned them both for this part of the world. Global warming was very real now to them both. Weather like this was never seen before. This only happened in colder climates not this part of the hemisphere. The winds howled and railed for hours. Logan and Ororo both checked on the frightened animals. They seemed to be huddling in groups. The pregnant pig gave birth in the storm to her piglets. Both were present to make sure everything was all right. By now Logan kept a lit lantern in the barn. The light helped to calm the animals.
The piglets were healthy. Ororo made sure they had enough hay, food and water. They made sure Mama pig was all right. Her piglets fed easily. Papa pig kept near by in a locked pen while they worked. All the animals had enough food and water. Logan had reinforced the barn several weeks ago. He did not want it ripped away and he had made more rock walls and used more iron to secure the barn. Even the cabin. Logan was thinking bricks would be good. Ororo knew pottery making and loved the idea. She could make porcelain plates and any number of things.
Right now the storm took their attention. They had reinforced the enclosures and thankfully so. The winds were knocking down lose trees a few feet from the encampment. The sand again was blown from the distant beach and sent everywhere. Logan grunted peeking out the window. The glass he had made for them was thick and he had the good sense to make iron shutters that covered them. He closed the shutter back. Locking it. The howling wind could be heard clear as day inside. He added more wood to the fire place.
Ororo sat sewing since they had come back from the barn and greenhouse. The snow was blowing everywhere. But it was mixed with the sand. It was hard to tell one from the other. Ororo had read how to make mayonnaise. She'd made apple cider weeks back and made some of that into vinegar. That had allowed her to make a large jar of mayo. Logan couldn't stop humming as he ate four large bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches. The chicken soup Ro made with it hit just the spot on a cold winter day. The soup like her stew was thick and hearty. She ate her soup with her favorite peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Both sat content and warm.
They went great with warm cider. Ororo usually sat drinking her tea with her homemade lemon juice. That always hit the spot for her. Logan noted with Ro's food, treats and teas neither one of them got ill. He just figured she grew good and natural food and they were thriving on it. He was loving her apple sauce, chicken breast sandwiches with plenty of greens, her hearty stews and chicken soups. Even her homemade peanut butter and jellies. And boy could this woman bake breads. She made all kinds and they were great. That always made him smile. Eating anything Suri made always gave him heartburn. Like for three whole days. He grunted when he thought of his flaky ex. She couldn't hold a candle to Ororo.
Ororo had the fire going in the fireplace. Her greenhouse and the animals depended on it. The old out house was still being warmed as well. Logan figured it could become an animal run. Letting the animals stretch out in cool weather from one warm place to another. It was enclosed and protected by the fences as well. Ororo liked the idea. Besides the buried pipe kept the trail warm. The piglets would be rearing to go in a few weeks and they would need a place to run and follow their mama.
Logan was cooking tonight. Ro was reading by a lit lantern near the fire. Logan had made a chandelier that lit up the space. Ororo loved it. Logan was making hamburgers and French fries. He wasn't a chief like Ororo but basic stuff he could make. He read one of the cookbooks and got the idea to mix a little goat, pig and soy together with some seasonings and cheese. He even mixed in some cherries pitted of course. That was said to add flavor and protein. Logan even added condiments.
To go with the fresh homemade catsup, Ororo had fresh mustard too. She wished for bees to make her favorite honey mustard. But there were no bees on the island in this weather. She'd made a relish too. He would add that to the burgers. Logan added both to his hamburgers. He made the fries from both russet and sweet potato and fried them twice like the book said. He added spices to them and then cheese letting them warm in the oven. He cut up fresh lettuce and tomato and even sautéed some onions. He made sure the bread, Ororo made a potato bread that Logan loved, was warm and toasted before adding the vegetables and hamburgers to them with cheese. Plus the mustard and catsup.
For dessert Logan did a recipe he had learned from his mom. A simple sugar cookie. He baked them a little, then glazed them with a glaze made from egg whites and sugar before returning them to the oven. When done he placed them on a plate. He decided to do another dessert. Zeppoles. He'd loved them as a kid. Logan got some flour, yeast, salt and sugar mixing them with some water and a touch of vanilla. He made a somewhat thick batter, shaping them into O's in the oil and fried them until brown and then when ready to eat he would sprinkle powdered sugar over them.
Ororo looked up when Logan set the table. The book she was reading was good. She inhaled. The burgers, fries and the desserts smelled amazing. She sat with Logan of course assisting her. She loved how much he was a gentleman. He poured the warm apple cider into her mug and his and served her the burgers and cheese fries. The cookies and zeppoles they would enjoy after dinner. The zeppoles sat in a warmer draw. The cookies cooling on the counter. The wind still howled as both ate. By the time they were enjoying the cookies and zeppoles they heard a crash. Both looked at each other before running to the door.
Out on the beach again was a really large crate. Both stared at each other. Not again was the key phrase running through both their heads. It was then that they noticed the storm had passed. They suited up to inspect the crate. It was wooden and had holes on the top. Inside they heard a weird noise. Something or things was alive in there. Logan got the bigger knife he had made in the forge. It was almost as long as a sword. Ororo held another he had fashioned just for her. He opened the crate making sure Ororo was not in harm's way.
Inside sat three cows and a one bull. The bull appeared to have hurt his hind leg and couldn't charge or get up. Although he was trying. One of the cows looked to have hurt two hind legs as well. Ororo and Logan were speechless. It's like they were on Noah's ark. Animals kept washing ashore or falling from the sky. Logan rubbed his face. He was going to need a bigger and separate barn for these animals. More work to do. Ororo rubbed his back she would help. They both sighed.
That night Ororo placed some herbs in some apples that would knock out the injured bull and cow. That would allow them to inspect their legs. They got that done finding that for the bull it was not serious. Just sprained. They treated it. The cow had severe breaks. Life threatening. They would have to put her down. It depressed Ororo but it had to be done. Ororo wanted to get her off the beach first so did Logan. He got to work on a bigger enclosure for them until he could build the barn. Ororo helped. The two cows went along okay. As for the bull, they had to use the carts he had made to lift the dead weight inside.
The last cow they took to the smoke house. Carting her after the bull. Near it they put her down. Logan did the deed. Cutting her throat and then having to lift her on a chain to bleed her. Logan and Ororo would skin her and secure her meat after they put the others away. They secured the two cows and bull putting all in the temporary new enclosure. Then they skinned and did the meat from the dead cow. Than both went to pass out for the rest of the night. By morning both were working on a bigger barn farther from the cabin. Ororo was helping Logan do the frame work and even hammer in some of the walls.
Logan decided last night to make it big enough for all the animals. It took four and a half days. Ororo helped with it all. They worked as a team with them having to keep the bull semi-sedated to treat his leg and milk the cows and the goats. They also saw to the chickens, turkeys and pigs. On day five Logan and Ororo were finishing off the rock wall that they had built up on the barn. Logan was glad he had made ladders. They came in handy for the two story barn. Ororo was glad that hay grew so fast and they had built a stronger bigger animal enclosure. The bull was mean.
Ororo worked with Logan on the fences. They would need a lot of fencing and taller too. That took seven to eight more days. It was a hard work. The iron fences were bigger and thicker. They had to hold the bull indoors. The bull was well by then and a handful. He tried kicking down the wooden pen he was in. Logan made sure this iron fence was strong. The camp would have to be enlarged again. Ororo just wanted to rest. But they got the job done. Both pushing themselves to do what had to be done.
They put the rest of the animals in the new barn. Logan and Ororo moved the pipe to this barn. He had built more pipe. That had taken them longer to get finished. The cows came after and the bull last. Another drugged fruit made him listless but he didn't pass out. He wobbled to the barn mostly following the cows. Once inside their side of the barn. Logan closed the Iron gate and locked the bull inside. Both he and Ororo nearly fell out on each other.
Weeks went by. The new Year had passed and the kiln had been built. Spring was nearly here and Logan with Ororo had redone the cabin again. In Fact the whole encampment was different. The cabin was now bricked and sported a third floor. The rock walk ways now had brick instead. The greenhouse was attached now to the house and was bigger. It too was covered by brick halfway. The forge as well as the smoke house were covered by heavy brick walls. Even the lower half of the barn had brick covering what used to be rock walls on it's lower sides. The naked chimney pipe now had proper brick surrounding it.
The old barn was now moved. The empty space was where Ororo made a spot to plant many Island palms, native trees and plants. Logan made a small gazebo with rounded bench seats inside the now cute spot. The once barren area was filled again with native fauna. Even a banana tree. The piglets and their parents used the old outhouse trail as a run during the waning cold weather. Even the goats and turkeys enjoyed it. The chickens were indifferent at first but soon followed.
The cows and bull were unaffected by the cold. They grazed outside with no problem. Logan had enlarged their pen. Now all the animals had a space to graze unbothered. The camp looked more like a farm. They had spread out from the small pop tent they had started with. The place was looking good due to hard work. The best part they had figured out another of the various pieces. Two very large ones. Assembled they turned out to be two very tall and deep fridge and freezer appliances. Both Ororo and Logan were amazed. They were made to either be together or separate.
Logan even figured out that there were damn near paper thin solar panels. They comprised a majority of the pieces. They could cover the entire roof. He figured out how to attach them to the battery that held any reserve power for days or nights when their was no sun. The wiring was thin. Ororo was overjoyed. They could convert the cooler into a cheese room. Ororo wanted to make aged cheeses. They took a few days to attach the solar panels. Logan even got the satellite up there. Then they hooked up the wires to the battery it had to be in a cool place at all times. Logan made a small brick room where he kept some of the cooler ice in a large bowel below the battery. He enclosed it to keep it cool. That would be temporary until he could build the fan system.
By the following month. Ororo had all the cooler items in the fridge freezer combo in the kitchen. The cooler was brick walled now with wooden shelves on the walls and some free standing units. She made them with Logan helping. She had quite a lot of cheese aging in there. All kinds too. There was Almond milk cheese, soymilk cheese, goat cheese and of course cow milk cheese. Ororo had some spiced and covered with nuts. Some with various kinds of nuts or almonds. She had her own parmesan and mozzarella as well. Logan loved her fresh cheddar. All this because Ororo believed in fresh and natural food. She'd rather make her own food then buy it.
Ororo had read how to age them for various kinds of cheeses. Those how to books were a must have to her. It was better then the classes. She was glad she could make her own cheese cloth. The curds were not a problem on the farm. Logan took to her having him taste test the cheeses to see if the favors were right. He enjoyed that a lot. It was work having to turn them and keep them in the dark for a certain amount of time. But Ororo loved it. She had yogurts and cream cheeses as well now. Fresh yogurt mixed with fresh fruit had both of them smiling. Logan wasn't complaining. He had never eaten so good in his life until Ororo. She was like a kitchen Goddess.
The satellite was working but not much could be seen from it on the TV. Mostly static. That was disappointing. Logan wanted to see if a radio was in the stuff. His ship's radio was long gone. They did watch DVD's every few nights and enjoyed that. Logan loved the taste of cow's milk and the butter that Ororo made with it. They had frozen the cow meat and Ororo made beef hamburgers, beef links, hot dogs and even beef sausage. Logan loved that she made them fat and spicy. He even made Ororo a sort of spinner that she could crank with her foot instead of beating with her hands to make the butter. It worked it faster and Ororo preferred it. They did a lot of work on their farm. That was what they referred to the camp as now the farm.
When spring came Logan had up some electric lights. He made them with his glass making skills. Making the filament was harder so it had taken a while. He was even working on ceiling fans for the home. Both were excited about that. Cool air in the house was a must. Ororo even helped to weave large palms for the fans. Ororo had a lot of pottery items in the home now and even on the porch. She had large pots with plants overflowing. Even had some filled with fresh flowers everywhere on the porch. It made the house look beautiful and welcoming.
The goats, turkeys and cows had babies. The piglets were running all over the pen playing. They were thankful they had netting. Logan made two long benches and a large picnic table for eating outdoors. He made a large brick and iron grill. It was sturdy and looked great. It cooked good too. He made a porch swing and Ororo fashioned that with cushions. The bull was still mean but had gotten used to them. He didn't snort at them as much. Mainly because he loved Ororo's various apples. Both always fed him apples.
The house now sported an open living room, study, open kitchen with counter. The kitchen now had brick walls. Logan and Ororo tiled them with Ororo's tiles that she made. The bamboo cabinets were reinforced with iron ties. There were glass knobs on them now. The counters were smooth with large thick tiles. The tiles were colored a beautiful rainbow of colors. There was even an iron forged range hood. Huge and polished to a shine over the redone stove and oven. Logan even carved in a wonderful design on the hood. It was a mixture of their names. Logan had made knobs for the new redone stove and Ororo had done the tips in oval shaped pottery with the levels painted and then gazed into them.
The oven looked like one from the early nineteenth century only bigger and better. It had three bigger ovens and it had three large warming drawers. It even sported seven eyes covered with grates and a bigger grill. Logan was becoming very skilled with his iron and glass work. His wood work was becoming refined as well. Ororo had better iron pans and pot ware. There were skillets hanging over her island. Even iron trivets for her hot dishes. Logan had gone all out to make her a dream kitchen.
He added more chairs to the dinning table. It now sported eight chairs. They were improved upon as well and showed it. He made a bench with both wood and iron work that was amazing to behold. Ororo couldn't stop gushing over it. It sat outside on the new patio where the grill was. She in turn got into her pottery like she never left it. The bricked patio was an accomplishment for both Logan and Ororo. It was a semi-circle design and so beautifully done it looked like it belonged on the home of a large manor house. Both had worked out a design to make it a showcase and it looked the part.
Ororo had a lot to be proud of too with her own work as well. Her pottery was amazing and seemed as if she had never left it. She had huge cookies jars and treat jars filled with her chocolate covered almonds, caramel corn with nuts, potato chips, chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal cookies, cornmeal cookies and pretzels. They all had lids that locked. Ororo fashioned simple iron wire that helped lock down the lids that came more inside the jar when closed. Logan grinned at the way her mind worked. Ororo even made a bread basket that she kept fresh bread in when needing it for the day. That allowed any cold bread to thaw to room temperature for meals. She even made jars, bottles and lids for her mayo, mustard and catsup. Even large butter dishes and covers. More pitchers and even syrup jars with cork lids that gave you the type they were by the painted picture of an orange, peach, cinnamon stick or any fruit or image on it. They even had sprouts that were covered until you wanted to pour. Ororo didn't like critters in her food or allowing air to ruin her food when it needed to be sealed.
She had finally made saltine crackers right. She and Logan adored those in her soups. Chicken, tomato, potato, bean or even minestrone they ate them. Logan liked them with the French onion soup she made too. Even getting a cheesy flavored cracker right that Logan adored. She had to make a large jar for those now too. They tasted better then the store bought ones. He ate them like he drank water. That was a lot. They both loved Ororo's creative cooking. She had an apple sauce that Logan had to have with roast pork and even over scrambled eggs. A favorite dish of her mom's. He tried it and loved it. Even a mixed salted nut jar sat on the heavy duty shelf that one Logan loved the most.
He often sat snacking on nuts when watching a movie. He did major changes to the home then just the kitchen. The stair case was improved and made wider and stronger. The hand rail was a marvel to see. Logan went all out making it look fancy and modern. It was a mixture of iron and wood. It was done in a peppermint leaf design that impressed Ororo. It showed off his iron work and how much skill he had acquired. The second floor was made better with a real hallway and painted artwork. It sported mirrors and hung electric lanterns now. Even a standing table below the main mirror near the stairwell. Ororo placed two huge vases on either side. They always had fresh fragrant flowers in them. She hung live plants from the walls. The third floor sported three bedrooms where Logan had redone the former beds and placed them in the rooms.
He made the third bed just so the room wasn't empty. Ororo did new mattresses for them. They too were thick and filled with cotton battening. Along with sheets and pillows. She made bed spreads and quilts as well. Logan even made hangers for the wardrobes in each room. Ororo had bathrobes in every room. Fresh towels and a water bowel and pitcher as well. The hallway too looked just as good as the second floor. For some reason they just added the three bedrooms. All were outfitted with wardrobes and dressers. They looked good. Curtains, full bed sets and rugs with art work and flowers in pretty vases went in. Fresh hanging plants. All had lights as well. The bathroom downstairs looked great.
Ororo and Logan tiled it and set up strong shelves along with fresh flowers, plants and art work. Logan even did a fancy full length mirror. The frame was amazing. Ororo added more colorful towels and bath rugs. The walls she kept as bamboo with more art work. They had toilet paper thanks to the paper products crate. Logan built a stand alone toilet paper dispenser. It was damned fancy in it's polished iron. Ororo loved the look of the home now. Logan had improved the windows too.
He made them able to open and close with iron locks. They made screens to keep out any bugs. The books were still read. The two preferred reading over the DVD's. Learning new things had them both making improvements. Ororo and Logan both sat down most nights making netting for the windows and door screens as well as for fishing and crabbing. They were living the life. Being farmers and pioneers. It just seemed to suit them. They felt content even in the silence they often sat in together. Neither complaining about the quiet they shared in.
By the end of spring Logan had the windmill built. It sat a ways from the house. Built of brick. It could grind flour, sugar and the soybean. Ororo was growing canola now and it would help to grind that too. Even the corn dried for corn meal was ground to a fine quality. Ororo now had a panty filled with cornmeal. Logan loved her cornmeal seasoned and fried fish and shrimp. She even added some to her crab cakes and he gobbled those up. Cornbread with fresh butter was one of his favorites. Fresh oats now sat in jars, powdered sugar, refined sugar, soybean oil all sat in jars in a larger walk in pantry.
Even pressed soybean, tofu, sat in the fridge. Ororo loved her fresh soybean milk. They had three kinds of milk, butter, cream, cheese and ice cream. There was even ice cream that came from either goat milk, cow milk or soymilk. Almond milk was next. Logan was enjoying the veggie burgers Ororo made. She even perfected the tofu hotdog. The right amount of seasoning and then smoking them helped. She even made sun dried tomatoes that she added to them with cheese. He devoured those. Her blooming onions had his mouth singing.
She even did this breakfast where she made cinnamon rolls and iced them then scrambled eggs and placed cold apple sauce on them. Logan tried it and loved the taste of the natural sweet apple sauce over the eggs. Her Ma's favorite. Then the homemade cinnamon buns were like nirvana. Soft and gooey with just the right amount of icing. She even made a banana favored icing she used on them. He was loving his being stranded with Ororo. She even did homemade buttered yeast biscuits and syrup with turkey bacon. That had blown Logan away. Ororo claimed they were southern dishes that her father loved. Logan now even loved grits. He liked them with cheese, biscuits and bacon or even fried fish with grits. He was finding that he loved southern dishes. Ororo had a fried chicken that Logan found tasted better then any store bought kind. Ororo made meals to die for.
It delighted Ororo to know Logan loved her cooking. She felt great when he had that look in his eyes as he bit into one of her meals. He was like a man lost in a sea of sensation. She found herself giggling as she ate with him. He enjoyed what she made so much. It felt great and fulfilling to know he appreciated her and all that she put into the meals she prepared. It just seemed to make her feel whole again. She hadn't felt like that since she was a child. Logan was savoring all of her meals. It was a wonderful feeling. Over a year on this island and they had made the best of it. The two would find themselves strolling around the farm on nice spring nights. Logan even set up lights with his old lanterns all over the farm for their strolls. They even ate more outdoors.