Peace in the Valley

Sunday mornings at the cabin are usually leisurely and laid back. You get to know who the early birds are and who the grasshoppers are and who had too much to drink. We have a friend who can't sleep well, health problem, and he is always first up. He starts the 30 cup coffee pot and builds up the fire.

The other early birds join him, usually after the coffee is hot! Surprisingly enough I am one of them when usually you have to pry me out until at least 9 am. Seeing the sun rise over the wide vista of the big lake is different than watching it peek out over the neighbors houses and is worth getting up to witness.

The line to the one bathroom for wash ups and such starts. As our pals file back down the packing starts. The tents drift to the ground like small travel balloons, the bickering over what goes where or folds which way is minimal and then the policing starts. Misplaced beer cans and trash are refiled in their proper recepticles or burnt, calls of "Who's _____ is this?" echo like mourning dove cries as the odd brush or sock is located. I had grabbed the wrong chaps and had to swap for my own back. I wish I could have fit in the ones I took, I think she is a size 6...LOL!

Everything gets packed on the bikes and the next thing you hear is "Where are we eating?" or " What are we eating?" Some years we cook in and some we eat out. This year the kids had budgeted to eat out so we opted for that. They had enjoyed there visit and wanted to do what the leaders of the crowd were doing.

As there is still one place you can eat and smoke in the little town I was ok with eating out. The food is great, the service is great and the company is amusing, even at 7am.

The neice and nephew in law are leaving with the rest of the group. The Nephew and NIL are staying an extra day with us. WoooHoo and YAY! Our kind friends have agreed to leave us with the cabin open and tonight we can sleep in the 5th wheel.

Ma was the last to leave. She had to drive the supply wagon this trip and she wasn't happy. She didn't get to ride her brand new bike, she didn't get to stay and she cleaned up with a vengance, chasing me off so she could work off her pout.

Then they were gone. Running in a pack just ahead of the rain again. The good news is they got across the bridge ok. The bad news is they left the rain with us. Most of the day was cool and drippy with just enough clear spots to tempt you out on the road before douching you again. We got out tents and clothes packed up before it hit!

We sat on the back porch and played cards, told stories and taught the kids that there was more to poker than Hold em. I got a little under the weather and copped out after I lost my second tray of chips to take a nap. The mate took the kids down the road to see Whitefish Point while I slept off my headache. They had a great time there but when they got back to the parking lot, the tire on the trailer was flat again. Poor mate! He nursed it back to the cabin at about 15 mph for about 15 miles.

While they were gone I woke up to find my head much better and my tummy not upset anymore so I grabbed the camera and snapped some shots, set up the laptop and dumped them in to play with and just in general enjoyed myself. I was right in the middle of a tricky little, not quite a hikue type poem when they got back. They were discouraged and hungry!

The mate and I cooked up sausage and pancakes, then the kids cleaned up and did the dishes. We got done just about dark and went back out to stir up the fire. Resuming our duties as resident fire watchers was no chore. It was nice and had quit raining and we had the whole area to ourselves. So call me greedy! I loved it so much I'm going to do it again next week!

Just M, Ma, the mate and me and the gulls will be enjoying at least two and maybe more days at the cabin. Can you hear the sigh of contentment?