Post Vacation Post

This was my sister on the beach in RI. 

I've had a busy and wonderful last 3 weeks.  Lucky me!  I picked up my sister in Montreal on the 29th of June (she flew in from Naples) and we got to spend three uninterrupted weeks together.  I took her back to Montreal on Friday (7/21) so she could fly to Vancouver to be with her husband and daughter.  How did we spend all those days together?  With cousins, then with my niece and her family and my mother, then alone here at Silver Lake.  What a grand time it all was.  I had the dogs with me the whole time and Bear bonded with Molly (who is a great dog trainer, which is what he responds to).  Our 10 days in RI were great with much visiting and some taking care of motherly business.  We got to the beach a few times but the waves were mostly too big for me to swim comfortably so I mostly just jumped in the waves and waded.  My mother is wonderful and in great health but it was hard to say goodbye.

Meanwhile back in Hawkeye we spent a week in the boat house together.  Actually the first 2 nights we were back we stayed at my house because it was rainy and cold.  Then we settled right in at the lake.  We visited with lots of my friends, hosted some, had morning coffee with people.  Lots of swimming--and I discovered that Bear is indeed a retrieving retriever.  He loves to jump off the dock into water to chase tennis balls or sticks.  He's a bit weak on delivering them back to me but he drops them nearby.  Molly and I had lots of gorgeous sunrises together and took turns cooking dinners.  It was all grand.

Now I'm alone, the last cousin left today so camp is empty.  I was very sad after taking Molly to Montreal, stayed at home that night but then returned to the boat house.  Today I visited with the neighbors and then mowed my lawn.  YIKES!  I actually mowed my lawn.  I didn't do a very thorough job but it sure looks better.  In need of more attention for sure but an improvement.  What's next?  I think I'll head back to the boat house for the night.  Tomorrow is a dump day, I have the fridge in the boat house and the one here at home to clean out.  Lots of dump material.  One day this week I think I'll have lunch with Julie, maybe.  Carol is out of town until Thursday so I'll not be walking with her mornings.  We did pick up walking last week and did pretty well.  I may walk without her but that's not historically what I do.  Who knows.

Silver Lake is in full summer season swing.  Yesterday afternoon there were many, many, many jet skis and boats in the afternoon.  We have a pair of parental loons that spend a lot of time in front of our camp with their young 'un.  Lots of fun to keep track of them.