Family Vacation 2017. A Diary.

Family Vacation- A Diary

Sunday July 2, 2017

Arrived mid morning at cabin to start annual family vacation.

Just Rosie and me start.

Weather is warm with some clouds.

No large rented lake cabin and no full week pontoon rental this year.

We are near Hazelhurst, Wisconsin, at our cabin purchased last year.

Our children will arrive later. Other commitments.

A late morning grocery trip to Minocqua to pick up rented 2 person paddle boat.

Back at cabin, paddle boat is slid down hill and into lake.

The trees are darker green and leaf fat, fed by summer’s unusual repeating rain storms Up North.

Lake is high, only inches from dock, even after I set dock in higher this year.

Neighboring permanent docks are touching water line.

Cleaned out accumulated sand and returned river stones to sidewalk plot by front entrance.

Removed cracked caulk around garage doors and reapplied new.

(Professional painters to paint main cabin body come September)

Rosie shoveled weed chunks from the large front yard perennial garden.

Lunch eaten in the back yard on our lake deck, under tree cover and with nice partially obstructed view to look down to lake, some 50 yards away. Perfect.

Chicken dinner from the kitchen griddle; Simpler than starting the barbecue.

Dined on our lake deck.

A paddle boat trip around the silent-water evening lake. No one else seen out.

Fish occasionally break water line as we foot peddle along.

The complete circular route with a few meanders takes 30-40 some minutes.

Moday July 3.

Up for coffee and she for tea.

Pleasant weather again to work outdoors.

Helped Rosie shovel and pull out last weed clumps from perennial bed.

Let’s go to town for more perennials, she said.

Purchased Spider’s Wort, Silver Mound, Tickseed, Russian Sage, and Anemone, I’m told.

Back at cabin, she plants in the spaces still left.

We lunch again on our lake deck.

The Janssen’s arrive from their temporary home in St. Germain.

(They’ve sold old house but must wait for basement repairs before moving into next house)

Charcoal grilled dinner with Italian sausage, jumbo dogs and side of potato salad.

A soft breeze rustling through leaves, and water view, are our usual desert.

A paddle boat trip around our quiet lake, after Janssens head back home.

Met some pontooning Medford neighbors, 3 lots northwest bordering highway.

A 3 quarter moon lights the night time sky as we walk back up to cabin from shore.

Tuesday July 4.

Up for coffee and she for tea.

Weather sunny and still warm to start the day.

Replaced a custom made board on rear of cabin.

(Special cut at home where the large tools are kept)

Grocery shopped in Minocqua at Save More Foods.

Purchased one gallon of close-to-almond trim at Hallman Lindsey. Test painted some strips and we have the right match.

(I fix boards and paint trim. Professionals to paint the main cabin)

Lunch again on our lake deck.

The Crow family arrives near noon.

They are staying in Minocqua at the Best Western Hotel.

Andy takes my boat to fish the other side of lake.

He returns to dock for more fishing from shore with son Gray.

Rosie and Kylie paddle out to free a stuck hook.

Charcoal grilled hamburgers and more jumbo dogs for night time dinner.

The Crows return to their Minocqua hotel.

We paddle boat once more around our evening lake.

Tree reflections run deep into lake waters this evening.

No ripples, no waves, to smudge our paintings, as the sun sets behind the tree line.

Wednesday July 5.

Up for coffee and she for tea.

(Rosie wakes earlier as usual, and typically is found sipping her 2^nd tea by the time I walk into kitchen)

Thunder and rain start the day.

Showers end midmorning, allowing us outdoors.

A paddle boat trip around our quiet lake. Once again, no one else on lake.

Replaced 2 more boards near front door of cabin.

Puttied some wall board holes made by man and beast.

The Millers arrive at 12:30 pm.

The Janssens drive over again from St. Germain.

The Crows come again from their Minocqua hotel.

We are at full family mode.

Barbequed brats at a later time lunch and eaten on the lake deck.

Family relaxes in the afternoon by the lake or in the cooler cabin air.

Well spent conversations catch up on news.

Barbequed baked potatoes and boneless chicken for supper.

Everyone eats on our lake deck.

Rosie commands we take our yearly family photo.

This year with one added; Loki, the Miller’s dog.

3 photos are snapped on our lake deck, with a timer to allow my return to the set.

The last photo Andy says to “be silly”, and will be most remembered by all.

Some family fishes again from our lake dock.

I end the daylight with Andy in my boat.

Jeff and Mike made a wood camp fire in back yard fire ring.

Andy catches a large dark crappie-looking fish near the opposite shore.

He claims it’s “the largest pan fish ever” , he’s caught.

But I hesitate to agree. For the sun is squinty bright.  The fish-time return to lake is short as it falls from hook by boat. The story might get out. The more fishermen might find out.

Our boat is alone on our lake once again-though flies bite like tigers till the sun turns in.

They hover in boat bottom to bite our ankles as we are in short pants.

Boat provision check: No spray. No oars. Electric troll motor red light shows low power..  Cell phone charge less than 20%. Seems we’ve ignored most every necessity in our haste to get out for just a short time.

Luckily the motor charge is enough to return to shore once too dark to fish. No S.O.S. needed.

I turn on window AC as the cabin warms more.

All lights are out by 11 pm.

Thursday July 6.

Up at 5:50 am. Overcast and calm.

Coffee and tea for us as usual.

Rain predicted all day.

A drive to Three Lakes to pontoon in that chain of lakes.

Except Rosie stays at cabin with Loki anticipating thunder.

But the day turns to sun, and storms never come.

26 lakes in the chain, claims the map.

We rent from Watercraft sales on hwy X.

Overcast with a few drops of rain falling as we head into lake.

Soon, it is sun and heat for remainder of day.

Andy is the driver and I ask we start north to the river, ending at Burnt Dam.

Burnt Dam holds back the water running into Eagle River chain.

We encounter narrow passages with buoys to follow between.

Downed trees and a fishing boat to motor around.

2 canoes arrive at about the same time when almost there.

Returning back, we stop where river opens to first wide lake.

A giant rubber tube is splashed into water. Grandkids and parents tube away behind our open throttle boat.

Hunger strikes early afternoon and a lake restaurant is motored to at 2:00 pm.
(I believe on a lake somewhere east of boat pick up).

But the place has already sold out the last of their food they say.

We find another farther southeast. Park pontoon, and walk across hwy 32, east of Three Lakes village.

The restaurant bar is hot. Most choose to eat outside under a park like tent.

More pontooning and tubing until 5 pm.

Grampa says,” enough”, and we head back in.

A long journey to cabin, arriving close to 7 pm. (lake and cabin are about one hour apart)

We motored thru lakes Planting Ground, Long, Round, Island, Little Fork, Medicine, and Big Fork and the river to Burnt Dam. 8 lakes I figure, of the 26 total.

Later in evening, a storm thunders in.  Electricity goes out at 9:10 pm.

Bathroom use limited to remaining hot water and pressure tank in basement.
The Millers are here overnight with Crows in town and Janssens at their home.

D cell batteries light enough for the Millers to read.

The last are in bed without power by 11 pm.

Lights flicker on (a tease), then off again, just after midnight.

Cabin air is still, but luckily not overly warm.

Friday July 7.

Still no power at morning’s sunlight .

Water pump tank in basement now empty. Hot water heater also.

A drive to McDonald’s for coffee and hot water for tea.

Kids and grandkids dine at Paul Bunyan’s, 9:30 am, while Rosie and I nurse our silent cabin.

My loss for not getting to Paul Bunyan as we look forward to and chuckle about the place each year.

I re-register on line that power is still down, since someone has deleted our earlier records I find out.

A call again in the afternoon and power returns while talking to operator. Coincidence?

Power was out 13 hours.

Water pipes make swooshing sound and re-fill the basement pressure tank.

Water heater fills again and heats contents.

Cooler weather blows in by late afternoon.

Barbequed brats in evening since everyone returns and wants them.

A paddle boat again around our round lake. The Medford family is parked in lake, fishing.

Jeff and Mike test an old canoe left by at cabin last year. My request.

They note it does work, and show me the dry bottom.

Saturday July 8.

5:30 am fog clears as sun warms the air over lake.

My coffee and her tea start another fine day.

A paddle boat in the morning around our lake.

The Crows are at hotel,  the Janssens in St Germain, and Millers asleep in cabin.

We good-bye the Millers at mid morning time.

Crows and Janssens already goodbye'd them last night.

Return paddle boat to Minocqua.

Breakfast with Janssens and Crows at Minocqua Island Café.

Goodbye the Janssens on the street just after.

The Crows join one last time at cabin.

Light fishing in the boat by Andy and Gray.

Holly and Kylie sun-breeze by our dock.

I photo both couples with my hand 55M zoom camera.

Goodbye the Crows around 1:30 pm.

Clean and we pack in cabin.

Goodbye our cabin at 5:30 pm.

Home again we both nod with our heads.

Vacation has ended and it was a might different I sensed.

Some chores done before children even came to event.

No large cabin rented. No pontoon for the week.

Visits by our children were more on the brief.

But we welcomed what we could.

We enjoyed like we should.