Well, I'm back, much to my dismay. I had a great vacation. I needed it. The week before I left was really busy (in case you couldn't tell from my abbreviated diary entries).

Its funny, once you get to the cottage, you never want to leave. Life settles into a strange pace where time has no meaning.

You basically wake up, and someone has been motivated enough to make big breakfasts of eggs or pancakes or waffles. Then, after that, you drift down to the dock, probably still a little drowsy in the morning sun. You swim or read or nap in the sun. Occasionally, someone decides to get their act together for a tubing trip, or a jet ski ride, or a waterski/wakeboard jaunt. You definitely take a swim to the island everyday. Some of those days, you take little kids with you, who start getting scared because someone has been telling them shark-who-lives-in-the-lake stories all day. They freak out, and the adult on "Baywatch duty" on the dock, comes and "rescues" them, while the rest swim on to the island. On special days, you might take a trip to the marina for gas or to the cliffs for cliff diving. Some unlucky soul may have to make the 3 hour round trip (+ additional shopping time) into town for groceries. Then return to the dock routine. Snack foods in the cooler for lunch.

Eventually, the sun gets behind the trees, and it starts to get a little chilly. You might push it a little by going waterskiing just one more time. Eventually, though, you saunter up to the cottage, because, well, just because.

That's when the massive cooking effort begines (at the height of the week there were 20+ people there). Everyone does something, so its fun. You may go to a neighbouring cottage and eat there. Food fights may or may not ensue. Dinner is always delicious because you've been active all day and are starved. Usually they are followed by warm pie for desert. Or even better, freshly picked stawberries and blueberries.

After dinner, we may roast marshmellows. We may set off fireworks. We may play stupid board games (pictionary, balderdash, scategories). We may watch stupid movies over and over (Monte Python and the Holy Grail was the classic of this trip).

Finally, go to bed and repeat.

I'll post pictures when I get them developed.