Cottage Country

I spent a wonderful weekend with my pen pal and her family at Lake Rosseau.

The first highlight for them was spending time with my family. When we grew up, we were fighting all of the time. When my parents died, we had to decide what we would do with our family. Would we let it die a natural death or do something to keep it together?

We decided to hold an annual bowling tournament to commemorate the fact that my mother started bowling in her 70s and continued as long as she could. The result has been that through the years we have actually become very close. My family has become a very strong factor in my life and something that I am willing to share with anyone. I am proud to do so.

My guests enjoyed the experience of meeting everyone.

Second on the list was seeing the cottages at Lake Rosseau. Gone are days when people went to some rustic retreat to get away from it all. From what I saw, it looks as if they bring everything they have from the city. Most of them better than the new homes being built in St. Marys. Even the boathouses are exquisite. One of them had room for seven boats.

Many people might be envious. I am not. I can’t see the people sitting down at night and playing a friendly game of Scrabble. The satellite dishes pick up far too many television stations for some friendly, family interaction. I would doubt it there is a Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys book to be found in these mansions.

What we found unusual with almost all of these huge palaces was the fact that there didn’t seem to be anybody around enjoying them. Perhaps the kids are too busy playing video games or chatting on the Internet. The parents could be soaking in the hot tub.

Really, why go outside in the nature when you have every luxury know to civilization inside?

But give me the old-fashioned cottage any day. I love the old, creaky floors that get swept with a corn broom. I even have no problem with an outhouse.

It seems that the phrase “getting back to nature” is very unnatural these days.