It's sort of hard to describe our last few days here at the cottages on Farren Lake with our superb hosts. It's been laid back and busy at the same time. Every time I got to the point of writing a Journal entry, there was something that popped up to do. Then, I caught a cold for a couple of days and just didn't feel like getting on the computer.
Thursday
This morning, Steve & Esther had some errands to run. They are in the process of changing their domicile from Alberta to Ontario, so they have to jump through many of the same hoops we have to jump through when we change domicile states in the U.S.
Linda & I went out to do our exercise together. Usually I run and she power walks, so I've been running with Steve and she has been walking with Esther. Today, she jogged with me most of the way at a little slower pace. But she ran well over two miles.
The rest of the day stayed rainy, so we read our Kindles and played Qwirkle.
Friday
Today, the first day of August, was beautiful.
This morning, Steve and I played golf at Mapleview Golf & Country Club just outside of Perth. It's an 18-hole course with a nice layout and reasonable rates. We both had our share of mostly good holes with a couple of blow-up holes that killed our scores, but it was an enjoyable morning and a good walk.
After golf, we ran a couple of errands including some grocery shopping - one of my least favorite things to do. But we managed and didn't mess it up too bad. :)
Esther and Linda did their walking while we were gone. When we got back, we had a heavy lunch and then us boys went for a run a little later. It was a bit more sluggish than our usual morning runs, but that was to be expected with full stomachs and having walked 18 holes earlier.
Steve & Esther were excited because their son, Matt, was coming in from Toronto on the train this evening. The first Monday in August is a civic holiday for most of Canada, so this is a long weekend. It goes by different names in different provinces, so it's often just called August Long Weekend.
But then they got a call from Matt. He was waiting to board the train when they announced it was cancelled due to an accident on the tracks between Toronto and Ottawa. They didn't expect the route to be open until late Saturday.
Esther went into scramble and "fix it" mode. She was able to book Matt on a bus first thing in the morning. She had been working hard preparing his favorite meals and getting ready for his arrival. He would be our cottage-mate for the weekend - hope he's okay bunking in the same cottage with complete strangers. :)
Once Matt's travel crisis was handled, Steve grilled some salmon and we had another light, tasty dinner.
As the sun went down, we got some nice color over the calm lake.
The rest of the evening, Linda, Steve, and I played Qwirkle with Linda dominating - she won three in a row before we called it a night.
Saturday
Once again, Steve & I did our "loop" run. It's a lot easier first thing in the morning.
It was a warm, calm day that really felt like summer. While Esther & Steve went to pick up Matt, I inflated our Sea Eagle FastTrack 385 kayaks (InflatableBoats4Less).
We have the same boats, but they are different model years. There were some slight differences getting them set up. It seems our newer FastTrack (in the background) is a little sleeker.
As I was getting them inflated, Kathy & Jeff paddled by in their kayaks. It was a perfect morning to be on the lake.
Linda went for her walk and I did a little reading until Steve & Esther returned. They arrived at the same time Herman & Rita got back from Ottawa. We met Matt, and there was a little family reunion.
Once Matt settled in, we set out to do some paddling. Here's a view of one of the cottages from the water.
The cottage we are in is pretty well hidden by trees. Many of the cottages around the lake are summer cottages, but there are also year-round homes as well.
There are three small islands out in front of the cottages, so we paddled around those.
The water is so clear in the shallows.
We saw quite a few fish, so that may be the next sport we need to tackle while we're here. :)
There was a loon next at the end of one of the small islands, but it looked like the chicks had hatches. Esther stood up in the boat to see if she could spot them.
No luck. But, as we paddled to the other end of the lake ....
to circle a much larger island, there was an osprey with an almost grown chick on a rock.
We paddled a couple miles before heading back. The breeze picked up a little, but it wasn't enough to deter this float plane from landing in front of us.
After we got back, I did a little reading and then Steve, Geoff, and me played tennis. Yep, it was another three-sport day.
After tennis, Steve and I cooled off in the lake. I wouldn't exactly call it "swimming", more like a quick dunk and then back out.
For dinner, Esther made some of Matt's favorite German dishes - German Potato Salad and Kaesespaetzle which is a cheese/noodle dish with a carmelized onion topping. Here was the pot before going in the oven.
After dinner, we walked over to watch the sunset from the dock at the other cottage.
Shortly after the sun disappeared, Esther's youngest sister, Gina, arrived. We briefly met her and then let her and Dan get settled in.
It was another fine day on the lake.
Sunday
This morning, we had an early tee time at the nine-hole Rideau Lakes Golf & Country Club. Five of us guys went out and joined another couple that had a cottage a few doors down from where we are staying.
I played awful. It was the worst nine holes I've played in a long while. But it was good exercise, and I enjoyed playing with Steve and Esther's dad, Herman.
After we got back, I was starting to feel like I might be having some sinus drainage and hoped it was just allergies and not a cold coming on.
I stayed away from the group most of the day and rested. Later, I felt good enough to take my little three-mile run, although it was a struggle.
Linda fit in with the group and had a great conversation with Esther's mom, Rita. Linda asked lots of questions about growing up in Germany during World War II. Linda reads a lot about that era and she is really curious about the hardships that everyone went through on a personal basis at that time.
Later on, when I joined the group, we had more conversation with Rita & Herman. They are lovely people and we've already grown to be very fond of them.
After the war, when they emigrated to Canada. They told us stories of those early days and how they were grateful to an American colonel that hired them on.
Soon, we participated in a family dinner where we all sat down together and enjoyed several dishes.
Eventually, we called it a night.
Monday
Steve & I did our morning run although I was feeling a bit of a sore throat coming on. As the day went on, I started feeling worse.
I pretty much stayed in the cottage reading all day.
The gals made sushi for dinner, and we played a couple of games of Qwirkle. By bedtime, I was pretty sure a had a full-blown cold.
Tuesday
Esther had to get up before light to take Matt to the train station. And Steve and I had a tee time at Mapleview Golf Club at 7:30. I had a rough night and wasn't feeling great, but I though walking 18 holes in the heat might do me some good and let me sweat out some impurities.
Well, I played even worse today. I didn't know what was going on other than I had a complete lack of focus. Steve provided moral support and said it was good that I was out there at all.
Back at the cottage, I ate a big lunch and pretty much retired to the bedroom to read and take a long nap. That's what I did all afternoon. Hopefully, it will do me some good. Esther brought over some NyQuil and that usually helps me get through the night. Hopefully, it will work like it always has before.
We pretty much had a "chill" day and we all ate as we got hungry, and not necessarily at the same time.
Around 8:30, I took some NyQuil and called it a night. Linda wasn't far behind.
Hopefully, I'll get some sleep and feel a little better in the morning.
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