Tag Archives: water sports

Day 56: Racing and the Emergency Room

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Borcher’s – the sponsor of Casey’s Challenge

Friday began like the past two days, cloudy and overcast with the lake still, but no rain. We had had rain overnight Thursday leaving the ground moist. It is good for the Ausable Canoe Marathon because it raises the water level and allows paddlers to race faster. The forecast called for clearing Friday by midday and rain on Saturday. It will be a wet parade and wet start to the race. But, for Friday, it looked to be dry with time to be outside and enjoying Michigan. We had William’s race at ten and we needed to be ready to go at nine.

Continue reading Day 56: Racing and the Emergency Room →

updated – Day 55: The sandman cometh and so does the rain….

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Rain in Northern Michigan remains a constant part of summer. I can remember summers at the cottage when the temperatures did not rise above 70 and it rained most of the time. Yesterday afternoon the rain came and brought grayness with it. It had not rained since Sunday and we have had four good days in between for outdoor activities, moon watching, and campfires, not a bad trade. Continue reading updated – Day 55: The sandman cometh and so does the rain…. →

Days 52 and 53: Lazy days of summer…

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Ivy sleeps by the door early in the morning.

Monday and Tuesday were a blur. Wednesday morning began with a light fog clouding the lake, the dog sleeping, the kids and Beth still asleep, and all quiet at the cottage. The lazy days of summer are upon me. It is the time of summer when I fight inertia, a struggle with time.  The week welcomes the town’s river festival week, ending the with the Ausable River Canoe Marathon start on Saturday night. According to the weather forecast, Monday was expected to be the best day of the week, it turned out Tuesday was pretty good, too. Continue reading Days 52 and 53: Lazy days of summer… →

Day 49 and 50: Two days on the lake

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The three anglers work the lake Saturday morning near Big Bear Point

It is Sunday morning at the cottage and the past two days have gone quickly. It is overcast and rain is in the forecast. The past two days have been warm, sunny, and breezy. Today the lake is calm almost lake glass with gentle ripples. Our guests departed this morning and everyone except for Olivia woke to wave goodbye. Sunday is the laziest day of the week and everyone, including Ivy, is taking their time getting around. The television is on and I am watching CBS Sunday Morning, then the Tour de France. One of the best parts of the month of July is each year I get a bicycle tour of France courtesy of the race.

With our guests here, we have been busy with boating, fishing, swimming, and enjoying the cottage. It has been a great time well spent: certainly, the days have counted. However, I have fallen behind on writing and other chores. Sunday will be a catch up day with all sorts of tasks and looking ahead to the coming next two weeks. Continue reading Day 49 and 50: Two days on the lake →

Day 47: On the Road, again.

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Tuesday night and Wednesday morning blended in to one, and I did not get much sleep. I woke and slowly started moving, made coffee, and woke William. We loaded the car and checked our list, twice. What we did not check was whether we had everything we needed. We turned around twice to get Beth’s clothes and letters, which needed mailing. Fortunately, it only delayed us twenty, or so, minutes.

Six hours is a long time and it gives me plenty of time to think, listen, and talk with William. For William it was time to watch a DVD, sleep, or talk to me. Yet, this time he was reading. I had purchased Knucklehead by Jon Scieszka and he cannot put it down. It is all exciting to see. I just hope I can find another book that has the same appeal and same reaction – he reads! I recommend it! Continue reading Day 47: On the Road, again. →

Day 39: Cleaning and Fun

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William manuevers Ely boat into the lake

Tuesday went quickly, very quickly. Before I knew it, it was afternoon and I felt as if I had not accomplished much. Though in reflection, it was busy and it counted for many reasons and people – including me.

The cottage has two boats: a pontoon boat and a small wooden boat lovingly called ‘Ely Boat.’ Ely Boat was at the cottage when Beth as growing up and has been around for William and Olivia. Ely Boat is striking; built in the 1940s it is painted blue and white with red upholstery. However, the best feature is its power plant – a 3 HP lawnmower motor. It is not fast but is perfect (and legal) for a twelve year-old on Lake Margrethe. He uses it to go fishing; and ride it up and down the lakeshore. I have even ridden it across the lake and back. The first order of the day was to get Ely Boat into the water and out of the garage. Mr. Weaver was anxious to help and I wanted to ease his stress – his perspective was it was July and we did not Ely Boat in the water. We had not been here but a week and I had only been here two full days and we had accomplished other priorities. William hooked up the trailer and Beth, William, and I loaded into the car and drove to the boat ramp at the bottom of the street. We had her in the water and William had her on the boatlift by the time we returned to the cottage. All was good at the cottage – the pontoon and Ely Boat presided over the lakeshore.

Continue reading Day 39: Cleaning and Fun →

Day 38: Livy ski skims for the first time

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Olivia poses on the boat.

I slept until ten and awoke in a panic. I went down the stairs to find Ivy waiting patiently for me. I took her outside and noticed Mr. Weaver’s truck was gone; and I had seen Beth and Olivia were up and out of their room when I got up. I assumed they had gone to town and let William and me sleep. I was worried Ivy had had no one let her out all morning long. Ivy did not seem stressed and after she finished, we went back inside, Olivia and Mrs. Weaver appeared, and reported Grandpa and Beth had gone to town grocery shopping. I got coffee and began to wake up. Ivy settled in on the floor and chewed on her bone. I was about to serve breakfast when Grandpa and Beth came home and we all enjoyed a ham and egg scramble. It filled everyone up.

The forecast for Monday was rain and I need to catch up on home stuff – bills and balancing the checkbook, but not in that order. Grandpa was working on his egg cards so we sat at the table and worked together. William and Olivia were in and out and Beth baked in the kitchen – rhubarb bread. I finally finished the balancing and needed to go to town to get a fast internet connection at the library. We can use the dial up service at the cottage but it is slow and long distance charges apply. I had updated the blog at the cottage; it took much longer for uploads and I needed a quicker connection. Continue reading Day 38: Livy ski skims for the first time →