‎63 Years of Memories....

‎63 Years of Memories....
that's what I have now. The photo below shows the chair on the point which for so many years was my father's favorite after-supper place to contemplate and cast for walleye. As much as I feel guilty about what's happened, I know he would understand and even say there's nothing to forgive. He lived life fully and moved on many times. I'm the one with the unique experience of being attached to a beautiful place for my whole life. And despite all my best efforts, yesterday the 'cabin' was sold. I signed the papers and, truth be told, a weight was lifted. A new life lies ahead without the obligations, but with all of the wonderful memories. My unrelentingly positive attitude says this is truly how it is, but my heart is still sad.

There are some things in life for which the balance between the obligation and the joy of ownership often cannot be sustained forever. It became clear that I was no longer up to the task of taking care of the place quite a while back. However, knowing what needs to be done and doing it are often far apart. Finally, no choice was left. It had to be sold.

Now it's gone. No more worrying about how long the grass or how deep the snow is up there. No more sublimely pleasurable early morning cups of coffee sitting on the dock when the color of the lake is like pale blue glass and the air is completely still. No more endless repairs, high taxes, and utility bills. No more late nights around the fire pit with friends and family - warm from both fire and friendship. No more frozen pipes or emergency calls to the furnace guys. No more saunas and midnight skinny dipping that make you feel like you'll live forever while your connection with nature is confirmed by the gazillion stars of the milky way and the loons calling out in the dark. No more concerns with low well water levels or water so hard and full of iron the clothes turn yellow and your newly washed hair feels like brillo. No more finding the way home by boat in the dark after a long day on the lake feeling like this is the only place you really, really belong. No more praying that the boathouse will make it another year without collapsing. And ultimately, no more making new memories with friends, family and loved ones. No new memories, that is, at Half Bay, Lake Vermilion, Tower, MN. New life... here we come!

How do you thank a place for memories?

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

There's no place like home...

We're home now - tired and very happy we made the trip. We couldn't have asked for more! Great weather (kind of hot, actually), no glitches or problems, the wonderful company of our touring companions (Edith and Tord), warm hospitality everywhere we went, yummy food, fun times, and lots of terrific memory-material. Over the next who-knows-how-many days we'll post our photos and highlights of the trip - in no particular order. We took 1,282 photos so it will take a bit to find the very best to post here.

On the plane on the way back, I sat next to a woman who had spent 3 weeks touring Denmark where her great-grandparents had come from. She didn't know anyone there and had no clue if she had relatives there or not but she was thrilled nonetheless to have visited the land of her forefathers. It struck me how lucky I am to know and have so many warm and welcoming relatives!

For me, 'home' has special meaning - it's where I feel 'at home' - where Bill and I live, at the cabin, where my Canadian relatives live, where my father grew up in Sweden, and where my mother's relatives live in Norway.

THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR MAKING THIS SUCH A WONDERFUL TRIP AND FOR MAKING US FEEL AT HOME!
This photo was taken in front of my father's childhood home in Hogen, Halsingland, Sweden. I first visited it when I was 8.

Ha' det! Hej da!
Karen
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1 comment:

Todd, Tania, Ryder & Cassidy said...

I've been to Morf's childhood home 2x's. Man those guys sure do know their up keep. That place looks younger and younger.-T

9:17 PM

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