‎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?

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Visitation Rites

Hello Friends!

Edit Engstrom-Jonsson, my dear cousin, and her daughter, Lizelotte, came to visit recently. We really missed Tord who had to stay at home. They live in Hudiksvall, Sweden, the city near our fathers' birth place. This is the same wonderful family that hosted us two summers ago when Bill and I toured Norway and Sweden.

When Swedes come to visit, things happen and there's lots of FUN!

First, we went to the lake. Although it rained a lot, we still had a great time. We visited the International Wolf Center in Ely, ate lots, did a little gardening, and generally relaxed. Unfortunately, somehow I've managed to 'lose' all the photos we took up there. [Lize, please send me some!]

After a few days at the lake, we returned to Minneapolis and shopped 'til we dropped for the rest of the week. Then it was off for Florida. Tania and the twins were moving to Tampa and so we went along to help with the babies. We all flew while Todd and a friend, Jeff, drove the moving truck and a car down. Check out the luggage cart! It was really a good thing there were four of us on the plane, even though the twins were terrific travelers!

After settling in, Edit, Lisa and I went to Homosassa Springs wildlife park to see manatees - which they had never heard of. We saw lots of interesting wildlife, that's for sure!

The twins took to Lisa and Edit even though they didn't speak the same language. I think Lisa wanted to stay. The weather was so nice although it rained every afternoon for a while. There's good shopping in Tampa, too, we found out!

We showed Edit and Lisa Hawksbill Farm's new facility in Zephyrhills, FL. We swam in Tania and Todd's pool at their new house and generally relaxed when we weren't playing with the twins.

Last Monday, everyone went for a boat ride out to Anclote Key to swim and relax on the beach. We all took turns riding on Britta's friend Kate's wonderful jetski. Then as we saw a storm coming up, we headed back to the mainland. Unfortunately, the storm was faster than we were and the next several hours were a complete white-knuckle horror story. Very high waves, lightning strikes right near the boat, torrential rain, losing our way, running out of gas, ruining cell phones while calling for help, and more... But, eventually when the sky cleared, we found we were way off course, but we finally made it back to port. Sorry no photographs were taken to document the excitement.

It was sad to leave Florida - especially those sweet babies. Edit, Lisa, and I flew to Chicago for the final leg of their journey. We spent a couple of days in downtown Chicago and Bill drove down from Minneapolis to join us. Then we all went to stay with Cousin Sandra at her and her husband Bob's lovely home on Wonder Lake, Illinois.

On Saturday, we had a delightful time with our cousin's cousin, Linda LeBlanc and her husband, Herb. They took us all out on their boat on the Fox River chain of lakes. What a nice time! Then we went to their house to meet all their kids and grandkids and have Lou Malnatti pizza. That was a flurry of fun! The next day, Bill and I had to leave for home, but before we did, we had a last hurrah of a family gathering as Glen Engstrom (Sandra's brother), and his wife Claudia and their two children, Stephanie and Eric, joined us at Sandra's house.

In case you're part of the minority that doesn't have the scoop on the Engstrom family, here's what you need to know. In 1948, the three Engstrom brothers each had a daughter - Sandra, Edit, and Karen. So we're all celebrating our 60th birthdays this year and that's why Edit came to visit! What a great time we had! Thanks everyone!

Here are a few photos from the trip and visits and sightseeing from the last 3 weeks. Lisa, please post some of your photos too!

Greetings to all who read this!
Karen

Keeping Cassidy and Ryder out of trouble at the airport.

And we hadn't even started shopping yet!

Hawksbill Farm will be a great place for the twins to romp!

Britta and Ben - the Grand Floridians!

Britta, Lize, Edit, Ryder and Cassidy enjoy a little time before bed.

The babies loved Lize.

We had a yummy meal at this restaurant near Tania's new house our first day.

Ryder was sure this sign was a joke!

Fortunately, my name is Karen - not At Random.

Homosassas Spring park was hot but cool!

Cousins Edit and Karen in the jungle

At first we thought the wildlife was just beyond the borders of the park. (Doubleclick on the photo to see it up close).

Up close with these guys? No, thanks!

I have to say the Swedes were unimpressed with the manatees. I can't imagine why!

Everyone (except Tord) thinks flamingos are lovely.
Florida's real wildlife.

It was a beautiful day when we set sail for a 3 hour cruise.

The water was wonderfully warm and clear. Everybody was enjoying themselves.

Vrmmmm, vrmmmm.

Leelu swam for the first time!

Tania and Ryder sporting a Sweden shirt.

Todd and Cassidy pick seashells.

and then the sky turned black!
... and the rest is history! Suffice it to say that many lessons were learned!

Buckingham Fountain, Chicago

Edit making new memories and remembering previous visits to Chicago.

It was an absolutely gorgeous day to be at the Hancock.

Lunch was good too!

Karen, Lize, Edit, and Sandra at Wonder Lake

All the girls - at Linda and Herb's house, with their daughter Lisa (far left), grandkids, Keely, and Kelsey .

Herb and Linda joined us for a lovely meal on Sandy's deck. Bill and Herb sat in the shade. It was a hot and glorious day!

The Engstrom cousins. Glenn, Edit, Karen, and Sandra.

The Engstrom's - Claudia, Edit, Lize, Eric, Sandra, Stephanie, Karen, and Glen.

And a good time was had by all!
No kidding!
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1 comment:

Rachel said...

Wow! It looks like you all had so much fun!
Happy Birthday to the cousins!
I am so excited to get down to Florida and smush those adorable babies!

6:17 AM

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