August Was...

Not long enough. Here and gone all too soon. Summer too for that matter. That's always the case, but this summer especially so as I knew at the end of it, Ted would be leaving home. It was a struggle to be in the moment and not spring too far ahead or get stuck in my head. I'm happy to say I was mostly successful. The piece de resistance of summer 2019 was our week at Webb Lake. It was our best trip to this magical place yet, and the other visits were hard to top.

As we made the turn onto the half mile private drive and drove through the forest to the lake, I immediately felt peace come over me. The knotty pine house is lived in, not fancy, and perfectly appointed for our group of family and friends. Nine of us this time. A good group.

After unloading our cars, Ted and his buddies went to play tennis and then ping pong in the aire libre. Lily and Isabel headed down to the lake for a swim and they were the first in the hot tub too. Mike and I also went for a beautiful swim while we waited for Brad and Ashley to arrive. We grilled burgers to order for dinner, which was served at 9:30. That was par for the course all week. The guys played Black Jack after dinner. I overheard my brother's toast from the hot tub. Questionable words of wisdom for three college bound boys.

Here's to being single, seeing double and sleeping triple.

Tequila may have been involved. All week my brother offered up advice for the boys. Nathan dutifully took notes on his phone and promised to read them daily. It became known as Brad's Manifesto. I hope to publish a copy.

The hot tub was a steamy 104 degrees so the girls made a run for the lake to cool off. One of my other favorite things at Webb Lake is night swimming under a sky full of stars.We had an almost full moon too. The water was beautiful. The four of us declared ourselves fierce for taking the plunge in the inky water.

We ended the night with hot cookies out of the oven and big glasses of milk, oh and a surprise firecracker that we are lucky didn't burn the house down. Fireworks made a nightly and sometimes daily appearance. Funcle Brad bought such a haul that they had little room for much else.

I slept soundly through the overnight storm exhausted after the full day and cozy in my bed in the house in the woods. I was the first one up so I made my way to the screen porch on the cool, cloudy morning. It wasn't long before a hummingbird appeared. First I heard her wings and then I heard her chirp. That was a first for me. Eventually everyone got up. The boys played pool and started a puzzle, the girls were making bracelets, Mike was gassing up the boat (he ran out of gas picking the boys up from the sand bar the day before and they had to paddle back), B & A headed to town to get jet skis, and I went for some exercise. I made three trips up and down the private drive. During the first loop I just listened to the birds and the wind through the trees. The second I cried. On the third, I put on tunes, found a heart shaped rock and sang along to Landslide out loud. I felt like a new person when I returned. I was lighter. Time away from everyday life offers the space to hear, see and feel the things we pay little attention to when we are consumed with the daily grind. It's one more thing that I love about this place.

I was lighter until I filled up on the hot pizzas my bro and sil came home with. It was a choppy day on the lake, which was fine for tubing. All the kids took turns. The girls screamed the whole time they were on, but rumor has it that one of them did lose their suit. What happens at Webb Lake stays at Webb Lake. Teddy and Cole both went water skiing and before we knew it, it was happy hour. Another favorite at Webb Lake. Ashley was the mixologist with her Vitamix this year. She whipped up concoctions for all ages every night. We played some cards and then went for a pre-dinner soak and dip at my brother's insistence.

It was a group effort to get the fajitas to the table. Everyone was famished after all the activity of the day. After dinner, the three amigos headed to the hot tub with a bottle of Kendall Jackson that they finished in like 10 minutes. The big boys put on an awesome fireworks show for dessert and then the nine of us gathered around the table again for funny game of Meme. Earlier in the day, Mike edited the cards. Cole won. Finally, Gratefully. We were all exhausted. It was time for bed. I managed a chapter before falling asleep only to be woken when it sounded like the boys were going to come through the floor above me. I texted them to settle down and they did. The wonders of technology. It was 1 a.m. They were still feeling the affects of the bottle of wine I surmise.

I woke Monday morning to the smell of coffee and was ready for a cuppa my brother's jet fuel. This is pancake morning. Teddy and Cole promised to make their "world famous" banana chocolate chip pancakes for all of us. And I have to confess I'm not a pancake girl, but these were quite delicious. It was another full-on lake day. The jet skis arrived and they got maximum use. All the kids loved hot dogging on them. Honestly though, I'm a big chicken. I felt like 25 mph was too fast. I prefer to float on the tube tethered to the pier and soak up the sun. That's my speed. When the bald eagles fly overhead, I couldn't be anymore blissed out. And we spot them all day. Every day. Some of us enjoyed happy hour on a cruise around the lake. We bring back Navy Seals. The 4 adults jump off the slow moving boat in the middle of the lake to complete our mission. Don't try this at home. The girls were waiting on the pier for us wishing they had come along for the ride. Next time. Family style homemade spaghetti and meatballs, buttery garlic bread and a big salad hit the spot as did the delicious Chianti Mike picked up at Wayne's earlier in the day. It was a quiet night in the cabin. We retired to the great room for a sparsely attended showing of It. All attendees fell asleep. Before going to bed, I secured all the doors and windows.

  

On Tuesday Uncle Brad took the three amigos to golf. They were up and off early. 6:00 a.m. and they were able to get in 9 before the skies unleashed quite a deluge. I enjoyed my coffee along with the thunder and lightning show. The girls got out my paints and we engaged in what I consider the perfect rainy morning activity. We all enjoyed Mike's camel's eyes for a late breakfast and then the boys waited out the rain while watching The Breakfast Club. It ended up being another great lake day. The jet skis were on the water all day again. I think the girls love them best. Lily is absolutely fearless. Isabel likes it when Lily drives and she rides tandem. There was more tubing...Uncle Brad style today and skiing too. We ended the day with another cocktail cruise this time with the ladies. The three amigos stayed home to make dough for pizza night. We took the plunge at the sand bar. When we returned, we put on loud tunes and all got to work getting the pizzas ready for dinner. Not much had been accomplished in our absence. Then it was time for another festival worthy fireworks display. Cole and Nay Nay have to leave Wednesday to get ready for college so Brad gave them a proper send off. The adults hit the hot tub, the girls curled up on the couches to watch Open Water  and the boys retreated up to their suite.

  

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I wake up Wednesday at almost exactly my time of birth to another beautiful day at Webb Lake. I have zero qualms about this milestone because I am here with them and there's no place I'd rather be. Life is good. The day is too. It goes like this:

Read and write with the hummingbirds (yes, plural today), walk 3 miles back and forth along the private road, return home in time for a delicious breakfast of eggs Benedict lovingly prepared by my sister in law complete with hollandaise and a bloody. That's followed by a nap in the sun on the pier during which I can hear all my peeps all around me. I take another ride on the Sea Doo and this time I decide to get it up to 50 in honor of my age. Fifty and almost fearless. Afternoon soak in the hot tub and then a game of Rummy with my bro and sil, which I badly lose. Later I traipse all over Ted in Boggle. I enjoy the gloaming on the pier alone for a few minutes to take stock and give thanks. My peeps prepared quite the feast while I lingered in the hot tub and then the shower. They serve up lobster tails and perfectly grilled steaks, twice baked taters and fresh green beans. Teddy is a fan of the red wine. So much so that he drank mine after he finished his. We had laughs going around the table telling stories about me. Honorable mentions were "This is BIG BOY seasoning!" and the "rager" I threw on Kensington Street. Thanks bro! Later we went around the table telling stories of times we were most scared. Apparently, Teddy remembers almost drowning when he was three. Teddy should have told the story about his dad parking the sea doo earlier. The night could not have been any better except then we had chocolate cake the girls made with butter pecan ice cream and glasses of Veuve. The bubbly opened all by itself and we all agreed that Nanny was in the house. The cards made me cry the sweetest tears and the gifts were all perfectly thoughtful, Even Teddy's box full of heart rocks. He forgot his gift under the bed so he went out in search of hearts for me. I tell ya, I felt the love.

  

  

  

  

I slept in a bit on the cool, cloudy Thursday morning. My sleep was fitful the night before. I spent the wee hours worrying about all that's too come when we get home. It's a lazy cabin morning. Brad and Ted are golfing. The rest of us retreated to our own corners of the house. Mike and I finally motivated for a little tennis. We played a good 6-3 match. I'm good and sweaty so I took the kayak out for a ride along the shore and then I took a dip in lake. The water was Heaven, but the air brisk. The 104 degree hot tub beckoned. Eventually we all gathered around the table on the deck for a game day - another Webb Lake Favorite. We played Wizard, Pictionary and Boggle. The boys vs girls were two time Pictionary champs defying gender bias. Dinner was a mash up. We're at that point in the vacation where it's time to clean out the refrig. Unfortunately, we needed to make one more run to the Main Store as we're out of two essentials: coffee and vodka. No bueno. My brother, my husband and a bottle of Jameo burned the midnight oil. They were up past 2. When I wake Friday morning, I'm beyond grateful I did an Irish goodbye. 

  

   

Friday is the last day and in its honor we declare we must do everything, and we succeed. It is a full day of skiing and tubing and swimming bookended between kayaking and walking in the woods and hot tubing. A few games of pool and a little puzzling thrown in for good measure. We have boat drinks and a cocktail cruise with the eagles and loons. We play more Rummy and eat more left overs. And yes, at the end of the night there are more fireworks.

   

  

Saturday we spent the morning packing up to head home to real life. Of course, I'd like this week to last longer, but I can say that it lingered in the best of ways. It didn't speed by because we were present. I was also grateful for every minute, sunset, eagle sighting, hummingbird visit, toast, hug, story told, memory made. And I know we'll be back likely as soon as next summer.