Every September the favorite back to school topic is how was your summer holidays? Holiday? I spent my summer at our family cabin in Wisconsin running a resort and preparing meals for a dozens of hungry “campers” who thought they were at the Club Med of the Northwoods. It seemed like when we weren’t hiking, swimming, sailing, skiing, and eating we were recovering from hiking, swimming, sailing, skiing and eating.
We never saw the bear, but we sure had lots of other excitement: one sever allergic reaction, an episode of vertigo, a tick bite, an acute lumbar spine injury, a broken toe, 2 herniated disks, plantar fasciitis, tendinitis elbow, and an infected bite from an unidentified creature. Thankfully these ailments did not befall the same person.
We were so lucky to have access to free medical advice. When in doubt call Dr. Nat.
“I am a pediatrician,” she repeated, “and I hate to break it you, but you are all over the age of 18.”
Ah, the blessing of having a doc in the family. “I’ll tell you what I told you the last time you called. Go to urgent care or check with your general practitioner!”
So we learned that if you call 911 on one of those old-fashioned land phones, the rescue squad could locate a cabin hidden back in the woods with only a fire lane number.
Ze Frenchman, the only one who ignored the doctor’s advice, waited to seek treatment until the bite on his shoulder morphed into an abscess the size of a turnip requiring minor surgery and major antibiotic intervention.
We also had a lot of back injuries. Fortunately, we are blessed with a first rate chiropractor, Dr.Dave. Unfortunately, he moved his practice 50 miles further north to Eagle River.
It seemed like every day someone had a chiro appointment, so we switched in names of patients depending on whose pain was greatest.
“I twinged my back,” Nic said, “but right now my toe hurts worse. I dropped a weight on it.”
Dr. Dave was surprised to see our son, who lives in Minneapolis, limp through the door.
“Doc, you always know we’ll be bringing a bus load from Summit Lake,” I said. “You just never know who’ll be on the bus.”
In between our ambulance rides, urgent care visits and doctors appointments, we had a blast.
We had birthday celebrations for my dad, my sister, and my niece. We threw a wonderful party for my mom’s 80th. We toasted my sister’s retirement, my siblings wedding anniversaries and our daughter’s first official day on the job.
You know those Frenchman; they never pass up an opportunity to raise a glass in good cheer.
And surprisingly, on the coldest summer on record, we ran out of ice every day because we were nursing so many injuries.
But hey, no one is complaining. When friends and colleagues asked about our summer holidays we tell them, “It was great!”
When we look back on our Summit Lake summer, we forget the aches and pains; all we remember is the love and laughter.
So, do tell, how was your summer holiday?
Oh, man what a great post! I loved your descriptions – can you put together a dozen short stories and publish it? Ze Frenchman deserves a chapter all his own! Now you can go and recover from your “holiday”!
Back to school is not the place to go to recover from holiday. ha Short stories, hhmmm, now that is an idea. Feel a bit lost now that my book is done.
Looks like you had a wonderful time, in spite of the mishaps, Pat. Can’t go wrong with loved ones and Mother Nature!
Can’t beat having the time to enjoy family in God’s country.
Such a fun and serious piece all at the same time! So glad you had a ‘great’ summer with all those marvellous mishaps and adventures blended together. I do miss the grande rentree to La Chat where I could hear your stories in person 🙂 hugs and love, Rach xxx
It seemed easier to take all the mishaps in stride when we didn’t have the pressures of our daily jobs to weigh us down. I sure miss sharing stories with you.
Thanks for your reflections on your summer vacation as a club med director.. Enjoy it while it lasts, those campers grow up fast.
So true, they have already grown and flown and we feel lucky to hang out with them during the family reunion at the lake.
I can promise you this – my summer was not as accident prone as yours! Love your sense of humor about it all. Spent most of our time at the lake with friends and family – please don’t tell any of my kin they are allowed to get injured, not sure we would handle it as well as you and yours.
Can’t believe you didn’t have any mishaps if you spent your summer on the lake front. Don’t worry, I won’t let on to your kin that lake living can be hazardous to your health. ha
Ahhh, that sounds wonderful, despite the injuries and workload! How lovely to spend extended time with your family, Pat.
I love the pictures of Summit Lake. It brightened my day.