Week 2

‘Heavy bank of low lying clouds’...quote from my brother coming in from outside after some time on the dock. This brings up my brother’s catharsis, awakening, cocooning. After 47 years of coming to the cottage he has awakened. Or what is that quote about seeing something for the 1st time. He is discovering the cottage all over again for the 1st time. And boy has he stepped up on the maintenance side...it’s a good thing this awakening. Now we just need to do something about his eating habits!

‘Heavy bank of low lying clouds’. Sounds like a great opening line for a book…

I’m sitting here with my wife looking out at a heavy bank of low lying clouds over the lake. We’re soaking up the early morning sun after 3 days of clouds and rain. The sun feels so good on the skin. 1st time in shorts as well for 3 days as the temperature also dropped with the weather.

Canada is a wonderful country. I think. Or it’s not. It’s either too cold, too hot and rarely just right. But we live here because we were born here number 1 but also we have family here and they hold onto us. With 3 of our 4 parents gone we have the opportunity to go somewhere I guess but where do we go? I have my business of course but we would never leave the kids. The worry of course is that they leave us. We’re lucky so far. My cousins pretty much all left their mom and dad in one way or another. Why that happened we have no idea!

Back to the cottage. Yes, lucky gene. Born in the right place. Born to the right parents. 47th summer in a row. Helping me maintain sanity throughout my life. Peace. Quiet. Social. Family. Beauty. And of course sports. Water-skiing, volleyball, horseshoes, and the last few years spikeball. We have a great, sporting competitive group. And boy can they party.

Anyway, grandma and I are sitting out here warming our old bones in the sun. Our summers are short so I don’t hesitate to get up here and enjoy the time. No, we’re not grandparents. My advice given many times to my sociable, handsome son every time he goes out ‘I don’t want to be a grandparent yet’. Just gave that advice to my 18 year old for the 1st time as he is about to move into residence at McMaster University. He is very level headed so it would be ironic and a little bit funny if he messed up on this front. Maybe not funny.

So I’ve always been about lists and quotes and whatever I need of late to help me through a situation. The list is dynamic as I change and what I need changes. So I'm wondering if I can come up with a list that will stand the test of time…

It will likely be biased to who I am now but we’ll start with a bigger list and cull and add as needed.

You can lead a horse to water... (raising kids)

Work hard.

Play hard.

Then a long list of understanding, sympathy, compassion, positive attitude, treat people the way you want to be treated, but then the list would be too long. How about love? It encompasses everything.

Love. Or

Be like a dog. That’s good. That’s got some cachet. A dog is love, enthusiasm, forgiveness, understanding, fun, comfort, strength…

Be a dog. Yes, strange but it works.