‎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?

Sunday, May 17, 2009

These are the voyages...

The Hubble is getting what is likely its last repairs and the Europeans are launching an even bigger space telescope. Our astronauts are hanging out in the space station watching a bootlegged copy of the new Star Trek film. Its been 70 years since Asimov invented space and 35 years since Steve Miller invented the space cowboy and rocket ships are still as cool as ever.

Its ok to look directly at the sun if its this picture. Peek really closely in the bottom left, you can see the shuttle docking with the international space station. Click to zoom in.
This is the Suez and Cairo. Red sea on the bottom and the Mediterranean on top.

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3 comments:

Lottie Dah said...

My comments probably get boring, but geez, this really is cool!

10:20 AM
Todd, Tania, Ryder & Cassidy said...

hi, I liked the whole history of the computer bit. I just opened an abacus that Mariette sent to the kids, they find great thrill in using it as a musical instrument, and I got to tease Rachel cause she forgot what it was called, but all in all its the first one I have owned and since I also own a ipod I am the the alpha and omega of the human races technology! Are you for real about the tiny dot on the sun being the shuttle docking? or is that what I see because you told me that is what I'd see?

8:37 PM
Todd, Tania, Ryder & Cassidy said...

hi, I liked the whole history of the computer bit. I just opened an abacus that Mariette sent to the kids, they find great thrill in using it as a musical instrument, and I got to tease Rachel cause she forgot what it was called, but all in all its the first one I have owned and since I also own a ipod I am the the alpha and omega of the human races technology! Are you for real about the tiny dot on the sun being the shuttle docking? or is that what I see because you told me that is what I'd see?

8:37 PM

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