Thursday began with overcast and light rain. It remained that way until midday. However, we found a way to have a great day, anyway. Sometimes your weather is internal.
Mark’s family, mom, dad, and older sister, had arrived the day before and had played on the water yesterday evening and everyone slept late, including me. We woke hoping to get out on the water in the morning, but we had to wait. It would rain, then, stop. After breakfast, mark’s dad suggested we visit the Michigan CCC museum in Roscommon. The CCC is the Civilian Conservation Corps and was in operation during the Great Depression from 1933-1942. The museum told the story of the CCC in Michigan. The corps’ responsibilities were to reforest Michigan and fight forest fires, which plagued the regions vast forests. The CCC was a program initiated by FDR to combat the rampant unemployment of the Great Depression. The museum buildings were restored from CCC camps in Michigan and had detailed explanations of the jobs performed in the buildings and explained the overall purpose of the CCC. The museum was well done and I walked away with an understanding of the period. It must have been bleak. I wish I could spend more time walking and reading, but it is difficult with children who want to be out on the lake. William, Olivia, and the rest of us returned to the cottage for lunch.
Beth had left to return to Versailles for the funeral of a family friend who passed away, suddenly, Monday evening. I had met Dr. Hole and he had a wonderful sense of humor. He had attended our wedding and we had seen him and his wife almost every time we visited Versailles. He was a veteran of WWII, just like Mr. Weaver and was truly one of a kind. H.B., his son, was Beth’s childhood friend, and part of our wedding party. Beth needed to be home for the funeral for many reasons; it was important for her and for her parents and we were without Beth at the cottage, but we could make it turn out well.
The weather was still messy after lunch with rain, clouds, and wind. Therefore, we played cards. We learned cribbage. I am still confused but I only watched and tried to play along. After cribbage, we played a couple of hands of “Go Fish” where both Olivia and I were out fished! By then it appeared the weather was clearing and we decided to try tubing. William and Mark readied the boat, with Olivia’s assistance and we loaded and were off. William and Mark were first to tube and we headed across the lake to South Bay near Camp Grayling. The bay is protected by hills and the water is usually calmer and great for tubing, skiing, or just about anything n the lake. Also, it is where Olivia caught her blue gill last week. Olivia and Sheri, Mark’s sister, hopped on next, and then a variety of combinations of kids and even Mark’s mom tubed. It was great fun, all of us were tired, including me, and all I did was drive the boat.
We brought the boat back, unloaded, and refilled the gas tanks for Friday. I got dinner ready: burgers, dogs, baked beans and salad. Yum. The kids played in the yard, read, and relaxed. Olivia and William had been hounding both of us all summer for a campfire and I could not delay it any longer. Thursday night was perfect for a campfire. William got wood and set it up with Mark’s help. I trimmed strawberries oblivious to the fact that we would have s’mores with the fire. The night was as clear as the morning had been cloudy, as the crescent moon slowly slid over the edge of the lake and light began to disappear. We lit the fire and warmed ourselves around it. The wood was dry burning hot and quickly, soon it was ready to roast marshmallows. Olivia wanted to be the ’roastmaster’ and prepared a superb s’more for me and had several more. The sun set as we ate s’mores and enjoyed the evening while watching the fire and waiting for fireworks to end the evening. It was just too windy for fireworks and they were postponed for another night. I doused the fire and we all came inside. Olivia was the most disappointed, but she got over it and enjoyed the strawberries with ice cream.
All of us were asleep quickly thinking of the day to come. Tomorrow’s weather promises to be sunny and warm with wind, but no rain. The kids are thinking of tubing more and maybe skiing. It is gonna be a great day, possibly the best day ever. I will jump in and seize the day.