A Melancholy Visit

We took a brief road trip to our place up on the lake to check on things. It was a short, overnight stay. We can’t stay away from the homestead very long because….you know….chickens and turkeys. Having livestock puts quite a damper on any impromptu trips away. If we need to be gone more than an overnight, then I have to find someone who I can impose upon to come over daily to check on the poultry and collect eggs.

The lake we go to is steeped in history for me. When I was young my sisters and I would travel the 100 miles sitting side by side in the back seat of the car whilst my parents drove us up north to visit with my aunt, uncle and cousins for a day visit. It was always so exciting the few times when we could get away and visit them at their place on the lake. One of the more memorable things was that my father would stop at the store on the way and buy and entire case of Jolly Good soda in cans. An ENTIRE CASE! My sisters and I got to pick out the flavors. We rarely got to drink soda in those days and to get a case to drink whenever we wanted for the next few hours was a glorious prospect. We were required to share the soda with our cousins; which I didn’t see as a problem as my cousins meant very much to me, and still do to this day. We were thrilled to share it with them because they were as excited as we were.

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For a couple of summers we were granted a one month stay! Oh what fun we had just swimming all day with my sisters and cousins. But most special was spending time with my soul cousin, who with me and two other cousins were born in the same year. Four of us in one year! Two girls, two boys. The boys lived out of state so we didn’t see them much ever. During that month we lived mostly in our swimsuits and rarely spent any time indoors, other than to eat and get dressed to go to the evening meetings at the bible camp on the other side of the lake or during bad weather. Outings to town were so enjoyable; time spent shopping with what little money we had and feeding the squirrels peanuts in the town square. Evenings sitting down by the lake; telling stories, laughing, and singing four-part harmony around the frequent campfires late into the night would sometimes entice kids from other homes around the lake to come over. I could go on and on with the wonderful stories of that era.

After my second son was born, my parents purchased property across the lake from my uncle. Every weekend from spring to fall I would drive my boys up to the lake. We would stay with my parents and during the times when the whole crew was there; my nieces, sisters, and my mate, that would be the time when the sleeping arrangements included sleeping on couches and floors. The boys grew into their teen years going to the lake every summer weekend. They grew to know their grandparents and my parents grew to know their grandchildren. My boys were able to spend time with the extended family as well. So much enjoyment was had. The best of times for sure.

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After my father passed away, my mother sold the property and we bought the small leftover strip of the property across the creek with lake frontage. Unbuildable property in a flood plain. However, after tenting for several years, then a travel trailer for several more, we are now in a year round home we purchased next to our property that has the waterfront. I have been on this lake nearly all my life and I can say with all knowledge and authority that our frontage is the best beach on the lake, in a bay and a long, gradual drop off to the really deep water that is yards and yards away . Totally sandy where the rest of the lake is muck or immediate deep water. Our bay had the best fishing on the lake until everyone else started fishing in front of our pier. The fish all but disappeared. No more lunkers feeding at the mouth of the creek. Consequently, I lost interest in fishing, which I previously had been avid in; spending as much time as possible throwing out a line while I was there. 🦈

We don’t go to the lake much anymore. It’s still a work-in-progress, which gets tiring. Knowing what is in store when we go up there isn’t much to look forward to. We had hoped that the boys would continue the tradition of bringing their children to the lake to make similar precious memories that they had been given. We getting to know our grandchildren and they getting to know us. But, they haven’t. A one day visit a year at first is what we were allowed and after a few years that stopped. Now no one has the desire to come to the lake. When we go up there we are alone. No one visits. We have no one to entertain. Without the expectation of seeing the boys and grandchildren, the fun has faded. We will probably be selling it all soon. It has little enjoyment for us now. And that is very sad.

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This recent visit up north was Junebugg’s first look at the lake. She liked it! I’m sure the smells were amazing to her. When she saw the lake she walked right in to the open water along the shoreline. There is still slushy ice on the lake and way too dangerous to take a walk on it, unless wet depths of icy cold water is compulsory. I feel a bit sad that Junebugg won’t be able to enjoy the lake as all our other dogs did but she did get to put her feet in to test it. That will have to be enough.

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