Weather forced relaxation

I have been on holidays for the past two weeks. During the first week, I was preoccupied with fishing. Traditionally my wife and I have taken the last week of July and relaxed at the cabin. This year was no different.
Normally, it is one of the hottest weeks of the year. As everyone can verify, this past week was one of the coldest in history. On Sunday, we checked the weather network to pack appropriate clothing. The network promised some warm weather with a bit of clouds and a shower and an even more occasional thunder shower over the week.
Evening temperatures were expected to be cool and we looked forward to that. Daytime temperatures were to be warm and we had thoughts of blue berry picking, some canoeing, some swimming and some fishing. We had some activity planned for each day.
And then we came to appreciate this year’s weather forecast. If you don’t like what you have right now, just wait 15 minutes and it will change. Unfortunately, it normally changed for the worse. We would compare wind speeds using the Falls weather forecast and the Fort weather forecast. Seldom did they agree. Both were correct about half the time.
The lake water temperature continues to hover in the low 60”s (17 C), much too cold for swimming. Common sense told us that the driving north-westerly winds would not make for safe canoeing.
We traipsed the island looking for blue berries. The blue berry season is late this year. As Marnie and I hiked through the bush, over fall down and rocks, we picked the occasional berry from a plant. There were no big fat clumps of berries to be found on the island.
Daily, a fire was lit in the wood stove to take the chill out of the cabin. The heat remained through the day.
Marnie had stocked up on books from the library, and as the wind blew or the rain poured down on the island, we curled up on the chairs enjoying extra cups of coffee, read and dozed. It was relaxing and exactly what a holiday should be.
However, the lake temperature was not inviting. I would take a quick dip in the morning and shampoo and soap down, but Marnie was not prepared to jump in. And by Wednesday, we had committed to building a shower at the cottage.. We did have some plans and a quick trip to town, had building materials delivered Friday afternoon.
We began heating the hot tub Friday afternoon, to ease the aches and pains from hauling lumber. Within minutes of getting into the tub, a driving cold rain, chased us from the tub. The stinging cold rain drops were a sharp contrast to the muscle soothing warmth of the hot tub.
I was surprised on Saturday morning with the force of the wind. It took two of us to hold the measuring tape down to mark and make a cut. The cold wind blew hard. We dressed and then added jackets and fleece to work outside all day.
The outdoor shower is nearing completion. The holiday is over. We accomplished everything that we set out to do. It wasn’t the planned holiday, but sometimes the best holidays are those that force you to relax.

–Jim Cumming,
Publisher