Minnesota Vacation Day 13

As I write this evening, I can't help but be reminded of just how blessed I am.  To think that I get to spend three weeks with my family in this beautiful wilderness!  My thoughts are with our dear Loveland Elementary librarian, Trisha, today as she anticipates a big day for her family tomorrow.  Her six year old daughter Becca will be undergoing a life saving bone marrow transplant tomorrow at noon.  Just two days ago, Becca lost her first tooth.  How hard that this sweet first had to happen in a hospital room during such a sad time.  I am overwhelmed to think about what her family is going through just for the hope of happy days to come.  Please, if you read this, pray for the Kniskern family for healing and hope and happiness.  Also pray for the 21 year old young man who is donating the bone marrow.

OKAY -

Our day was fun-filled as usual, even though for Mom and I it involved a trip to the VERY BUSY Ely Speed Wash.  This morning, it was almost chilly and still overcast after a night of rain.  Zachary decided to make us French Toast out of one of the loaves of french bread he had picked out at the Farmer's Market last night.  Our internet access was down all morning, so we couldn't look up the Alton Brown French Toast recipe he's made before.  He used the recipe from his Star Wars cookbook instead, still using some of the techniques he learned from Alton Brown.  I like the way he's generalizing what he knows and not just following the recipe exactly down to the last detail.  Breakfast was AMAZING.  He's a very good cook!  Each boy had about 6 (small) slices of French Toast each with a different topping.  A big hit was topping it with the strawberry rhubard jelly from the farmer's market.

Mom and I left for the laudromat at about 11:30.  I may not have ever seen it so crowded.  We had to wait for an open dryer.  We also made a quick trip into the IGA, and we were back at the cabin by 2:30.  Just after we arrived back, the Knapp's (2 cabins down) granddaughter, Lydia, called and asked if the boys wanted to play.  They changed into their (newly washed!) swimsuits and headed over to her place.  The three of them took a sauna together (!) then came over to our cabin and Lydia rowed the dinghy to the new floating dock.  They had a great time jumping in, pushing each other in, and swimming under the dock.  Several trips back and forth to the sauna were made - by dinghy, paddle boat, and swimming.  Zachary did tire a little of the company and went in just before Lydia was called home for dinner. Jeremy walked her home.  Zachary lasted a couple of hours, though, which I thought was pretty good.

We had hamburgers, pasta salad, and Mom's awesome homemade vegetable soup for dinner.  After dinner, the lake was perfectly calm and the clouds were just clearing up (it was overcast almost all day).  I felt the need to get in the lake and swim, even if it was just for a few minutes.  I've been in the lake every day but one that we've been here.  It's one of my favorite things about being here.

It was about 7:30 or so when Tim, Jeremy, Goober, and I went out fishing.  It was a perfect night for casting, which was why we only took one boy.  While we were gone, Lydia came over and asked to play with Zachary.  They played a math game on the computer.  Mom said he was a great host and did a great job playing with her.  I'm so proud of him!

Right before we were ready to head in, Tim caught a 1 3/4 pound smallmouth bass.  He didn't want to keep it.  He never does.  Jeremy talked him into it, so the deal was that Tim would kill it and I would clean it.  I did about 3/4 of the fish cleaning.  I didn't feel like I was quite as successful with the bass as I was with the 2 sunfish from last week, but it wasn't too awful.

It was a long, busy day, and I'm grateful for every moment of it!