November 3, 2001

NaNoWriMo Day 3

"And it was gone."

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Between raking leaves and doing my "real" job, it was tough going today.  Still, I managed to get the total number of words up to 5,382.  I should have more time tomorrow to crank it up a little bit.

I updated my word count on the official NaNoWriMo web site:

http://www.nanowrimo.com
(note:  clicking on the link will open a new instance of your browser.)

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WA: Ours was a 400-acre lake, abundant with fish, shallow enough for a child to walk out a block or two and be in no danger, and we stayed at a variety of mom-and-pop resorts over the years, but when I went back in '91, the last resort we had stayed at was gone.  Literally gone.  The cabins had been bulldozed, the trees that gave the place its name - Oak Grove Resort - the oaks were gone, even the stumps.

LB: Why was it gone?

WA: Because as is the case, it became more difficult for the proprietor to make money, to make a living - a decent living off a small resort.  And, of course, the land has become so much more valuable as pure real estate.  And he was supposed to put in a new septic system which he couldn't really afford.  They came around and asked if he'd be interested in selling.  "Oh yeah," he said.  "You bet."  And he did.  And it was gone.  And I missed it because I wanted to go back there one more time.

William Allard, writer and National Geographic photographer.

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