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!

Little gem hidden on Wellesley Island - Thousand Island Park

Why on earth haven't I visited this little gem more? I believe I have been in Thousand Island Park once before and that was on a rainy and gloomy day some years ago. And I sat in the car entire time and looked at the houses. 10 minutes or so. How could you soak the soul of a place like that? Duh!

Yesterday we decided to go and get some ice cream in TI Park and so we did. Liisa's friend is here with us and we wanted to show her something else than just our camp. Off we went and I didn't have too many expectations because of my earlier (lazy) visit. And was I blown away entering this gem or what?

This time this lazy woman actually stepped out of the car and went straight to the ice cream sign (Guzzle). All 4 of us had some really delicious ice cream and strolled to the waterfront or should I call it the the swimming spot from the dock. Of course this family with friend didn't bring their swim suits but we sat there and enjoyed the ice cream.

When you visit this gem, take a walk and admire all the beautiful Victorian style homes. The porches, the trims, the colors of the houses just blew me away. And the boat houses! So insanely cute. If you can say that about a boat house.

I sure will be back and who ever reads this blog post, do go visit Thousand Island Park and no, I am not sponsored...

Be prepared for some pictures of houses!

Beauty

Strolling around and feeling so relaxed and peaceful

Look at those trims! I should mention something about it to Jonas, my husband...the fisherman you know. Or maybe not. He will probably turn them into fishy-like-things.

This is the cutest I have ever seen

Lot of people uses golf carts in the village. They are not allowed after 8 pm. Just sayin...

I had to take two pictures of the house. When standing in front of it, I realized it would be difficult to install customized blinds because not an angle was straight. Charming though.

Why not

My daughter Liisa (to the right) and her bestie enjoyed the visit.

Back to our camp. Our gem. Our Paradise.

How to impress your Swedish friend

Boy, oh boy have we had a gorgeous weather this past week or not? That's one way to impress your guests like you're the one who planned it all.

A childhood friend to Jonas, my husband "the fisherman" (that's what he thinks he is) is on a road trip here in US, with his girlfriend. They decided to come and visit us here on Wellesley Island. And that is something they will not regret! First of all the weather (I know I sound like a broken record) was the best and then allllll the beauty Thousand Islands offer impressed them big time.

Jonas and his friend, Anders, grew up together in Sweden. Their parents built summerhouses next to each other at a lake called Sälgsjön. And if you try to google it you will probably not find it because compared to everything here it is more like a big pond, hahahahaha. Everything is big in US, right?

This week we have been boating and also worked some on the exterior of our cottage, we've been eating and had a few drinks here and there. Hey, it was 4th of July week! We've been visiting Alexandria Bay and Clayton. And guess what, Anders been couple of times to the local building store. Did I tell you he has his own building company and for some reason it seems to be interesting to visit these stores. A screw is a screw, right?

Another thing our friends mentioned was all the nice neighbors! They were really impressed of their politeness and friendliness.

Here are some pictures from their visit:

Our paradise

Our friends from Sweden enjoyed their visit. At least it looks like it.

A day on the boat

Our friends were impressed of all the boats and "toys" everywhere.

This was of course not so fun to see but it gave them an idea of the amount of water there is in the "system"

In A-Bay

A lunch at Bella's in Clayton

Our lower deck. Who's on duty in the Tiki bar tonight?

Then I would like to show you some pictures from one of our visits to the summerhouse in Sweden:

Instead of pontoon boat, lot of Swedes have floating docks with a motor.

A view from Jonas' parents  summerhouse 

Jonas' parents summerhouse

These are very common in Sweden as well, robot lawn mowers! And this one has it's own house to  go to  when he/she is done mowing and needs to rest (recharge).