Water sports

Oh my, did we have a wonderful time at the camp (still not comfortable calling it "camp"). The weather was perfect, the company the best and an entire week. A week felt like a long time before we came up. But TIME DO FLY! Gosh, it's like being on a jetski! I want it to be like a rowboat.

So the tornado, The Fisherman, arrived late Thursday evening and guess what, he was up before 5 am Friday to hit the river to go fishing. Well, he is consistent. I am good with that, because then I can get some quiet time in the morning with my cup of coffee on the deck and enjoy the beauty of Lake of the isle. You can't get tired of it. Ever. And you know what, when I sit there, sipping my coffee I take pictures. Tons of pictures. It is my comfort when I go back home to look at them.

Being at the water it is not only about fishing. You can enjoy water sports and that is exactly what we did. Or they did. We should have considered the choice of activity twice. It didn't go so well.

My son used to wakeboard a lot when he was younger. For some reason he thought he was 15 again. Maybe that happens every time he comes "home"? Well, he decided to try some tricks and we ended up at the emergency! His shoulder was dislocated and the pain was unbearable!

Before the doctor and the nurse put the shoulder back to its location, my son got some "juice" and boy did that make him high as a kite! Friday evening my son slept like a baby and fortunately he felt much better next day but with a sling.

This accident did not freak out my daughter, she wanted to try the wakeboard as well. She made it! This was her second time and she did great!

Be careful out there. Maybe fishing is the best sport to do after all...

Can't get tired of this

Our "camp"

Walking down to the lower deck and to the dock gives me such a satisfaction

I am blessed

Lake of the Isle

Beauty

My son enjoyed the boating

Here he is before...

...and after

Day after the accident a visit to Clayton and Bella's

My son

My daughter is trying wakeboard for the second time. Mommy 's nervous

Yay, she made it!

Bye for now, we will be back soon

Just hanging out

My son is till here, enjoying the place and guess what? The Fisherman came yesterday already! And it is like a tornado when he comes, hahaha! He is an early bird, a really EARLY bird and he talks about the boat, going fishing, eating breakfast before sun rise, go to fill up the gas to the boat and he goes on and on. That's The Fisherman.

A neighbor of ours here on Wellesley Island, explained the feeling he gets when he comes here. It starts at the bridge and as soon as he has crossed it, all the problems are left behind. On the main land. If we all have the same feeling I almost feel sorry for the main land because can you just imagine the weight of problems it has to carry! But I agree, something happens.

We had so many plans when my son came, but we have mostly been hanging out at the house and the dock. But of course we've been to the gym, had lunch in both Clayton and Alex Bay. And if YOU are going to Clayton, go to Bella's !! Best place ever. Great food, the staff is awesome and the view is gorgeous!

The gym in Alex Bay is also great for someone who needs to put in their workouts as my son. Pumping he calls it. Go figure. This gym "Thousand Island Fitness Center" has all the equipment you need and they are not complicated as some gyms have so you don't have to have a PhD to figure out how they work. And it is cheap!

Today, with the tornado in the house aka The Fisherman, there's going to be some boating. We did go on boating with our great neighbors yesterday. But before that, we had some cocktails at our Tiki bar!

He is showing off. I know...

Alex Bay NY

Hanging out with my youngest daughter and my son in Alex Bay.

Lunch time!

My son is waiting for the guest to come for a cocktail hour or two at our house.

I'm back and how did it go

The feeling when you are driving to the Paradise of yours, is almost impossible to describe. This time I was the driver and it takes me a bit longer than if my husband drives. Go figure.

In the car with me, I had my youngest daughter, Liisa, who just came back from a visit to Sweden where she's been staying with her older sister. I guess she is a bit jet lagged.

My husband, remember the Fisherman, where is he then? Well he had to stay at home and work and he is SO jealous that he couldn't come with us. I am sending him tons of pictures and that doesn't help. He's constantly reminded of the beauty up here. Or is he missing all the fish?

Yesterday my son, Albert came! It's his first time here and he seems to love the place. He is surrounded by beauty where he lives in Switzerland but he still thinks this place is just as great but in a different way. And yes, Sweden and Switzerland are different countries...

So how did it go with our first renters? I must say I was a nervous wreck and my brain was spinning and thinking; "do they like it", "is everything functioning", etc. And yes, They loved it!

Second renters did also like it BUT there were a couple of, should I call it, "issues".

This is a small road and everybody knows each other and keeps an eye on others' properties. Last week there were several houses rented on this road and they all seemed to know each other in some way. They gathered in one of the houses for an event even if the owner of that place doesn't allow big events. That house accommodates 6 people but there were around 30 people at one point! They smoked in the house, there were foot prints on tables and the cleaning staff never seen the place like that. Our renters were part of this party. But I am glad they did not gather here. I did find couple of things broken and missing but I am not going to make a big deal of it. I guess it is part of renting to take those risks.

Well now I am going to enjoy this week, with my son and youngest daughter! On Friday the Fisherman will join us.

Love our lower deck and have my morning coffee there

Watching the sun rise and yes, I am an early bird

Sorry for the picture but this is relaxation to me

Having dinner with my daughter and chat the entire evening is so valuable. Even if I have to think twice sometimes. Did I tell you she is a teenager?

After the renters, yes there were some cleaning left. The grill! I don't know but I was wondering what on earth they have been grilling? Grease, grease! Well now it's clean again.

Love, love Wellesley Island and all the Chanterelles you find! Yummy!

My son prepared for the sunset

Yes, he is old enough to have a drink or two.

Time flies and preparation for renters

How fast can time fly by? Not sure but it felt like the 2 weeks we spent at the camp/cottage/house (Sweet child has many names - a Swedish saying) went like the speed of light!

Prior to our stay, I had tons on my list I wanted to do, see and experience while up there. Did I do it all? Of course not! And does it bother me? No, not particularly, because I know I will be back many more times and things don't run away. Well some of them don't, and only if you don't count those small little patches floating in the water. Looks like mini-islands and I tend to think we have new inhabitants in and around the river, like animals who try to built their own islands.

Right now, we have our first renters in the house and I have mixed feelings about it. It is great that the house is taken care of and doesn't have to be alone, poor house. At the same time, I am a bit worried, what IF they don't like the house, they don't appreciate it, they don't take care of it. At times, I don't want to dig too deep into my thoughts and just go with the flow.

I wrote a post on Facebook about preparing the property for the renters and the suggestions I received were just amazing and great from lot of River Rat people! I did prepare with a little welcoming basket with coloring books and crayons for the children, shampoo and soap, slippers, Swedish candy and a bottle of local wine. I hope they will like it. Other than that, we cleaned up the dock, deck, the house, bought a solo stove since our fire pit is in the water. Remember, you have to be able to make smores. No vacation without smores!

I also created a binder with some information (and rules...that doesn't sound so fun, I know) and many pamphlets about things to go and see and do.

But what if we forgot something? Soon I have no nails left.

Ok, enough of babble and some pictures of our stay!

The new solo stove while the other fire pit is under water...and since we say in our add we have an outdoor fire pit I figured out we have to get one that works.

Girls doing smores!

There is always something that needs to be fixed before renting. Jonas is fixing the ice maker.  He may have to change from Fisherman to Handyman?

I spray painted the whicker furnitures and stained the old bench where you can sit and babble. In Sweden we sometimes say Ljugarbänk, which means a bench where you sit and make up stories.

Lot of recommendations I got, was a visit to Boldt Castle so I left a pamphlet to the renters. I visited the castle myself with my daughter and her friend. What a place!

The details were everywhere

And this happens when you have teenage girls with you and they find a mirror in the castle...sigh

After a visit to the castle it's nice to jump in the river and cool off.

Should I tell the renters about the Gold of the Forest? We have found Chanterelles almost every year we have been up there and they are coming again!

Chanterelles!

More preparations before the renters were coming was to get some new furnitures.

Wait! Did you lose your Honey-Do-List?

I lost! Jonas had to have recliners! Not my first choice but they are comfy. I have to admit that but don't tell Jonas that.

 That's all for now folks!