‎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?

Friday, April 04, 2008

Island Time / All Decked Out Time

The view from our deck on St John.
Another day, same view.Noel, Laurrie, Karen and Bill on our deck. The vegetation below our deck included some interesting trees and very tall cacti.View of the night sky from our deck.Laurrie and Karen on the deck.Trunk Bay, St John, USVI.
Trunk bay body surfing. Click on this photo to see detail.Beautiful Trunk Bay.Two views from the road to Coral Bay.

Cruz Bay Local color!
Katherineburg Sugar Mill - Noel
View from inside the sugar mill ruins.
Karen and Bill on guess where...The view outward from the blow hole on Yost Van Dyke.The blow hole from above.Foxy's dog, Taboo.
St. Thomas, 99 steps.
Cruise ships in Charlotte Amelie, St. Thomas.Drink it up.
This one's for you. It was a lovely cruise.
Our island time was one Caribbean dream. A sublime Cruzan-infused week in paradise.
Same time next year????? (We can only hope!)
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)