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| Moose Tracks - vanilla ice cream with a fudge ribbon and mini peanut butter cups! |
Eileen and I met at university and so have been friends for a very long time. For many of those years, Eileen lived in faraway places like Atlanta, Georgia and Singapore due to her first husband's job. But now she's back in Toronto and we have been able to establish a more regular contact.
When the Hubby and I arrive at the cottage she and Chris have already been there for a couple of days and are chilled. The difference in our energy is palpable. They are languid. We in comparison are static electricity. But just a bit of time looking at the lake sparkling in the afternoon sun and we`re languid too!
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| The view from Eileen and Chris's cottage deck |
Even though I don`t have a cottage, I have managed to compile my own repertoire of favourite cottage activities. First on the list is morning coffee on the deck. The coffee must be strong and hot and the perfect colour. This can only happen with cream. Milk, particularly skim milk, just turns coffee into a horrible shade of grey/brown, totally unsuitable. The air is not yet hot as you know it`s going to become so you sit in the morning sun soaking it and the view in.
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| Morning coffee |
Ideally someone is inside the cottage making you an amazing breakfast. On this morning, Eileen and Chris are making us Oat Pancakes with Ontario berries and maple syrup, scrambled eggs and bacon. The perfect start to the cottage day.
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| Laura holding the milk bag on which the recipe for Oat Pancakes is found |
A leisurely boat cruise around the gorgeous lake has us fantasizing about which cottage should be ours. Reading on the deck or dock is also on the cottage to do list. As usual I bring up way too many magazines but I'm ever hopeful.
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| Me and Eileen on the boat |
Dinner is made on a charcoal grill. Gas barbeques are fast and convenient for the city but at the cottage there's time for the charcoal ritual. Dinner is shish kebabs and a cucumber salad with yogurt and fresh mint from the garden.
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| Chris and Eileen |
Eileen and Chris have pampered us by providing all the meals. In turn, the Hubby and I happily do the dishes. Well, first the Hubby attempts to bribe Laura, Eileen's daughter, to do them for him. But when that is ultimately unsuccessful he then happily does them too. Dusk at the cottage is the best time of day. Loons call and make me remember my mother and how she loved the sound. Mosquitoes buzz and I add "screened in porch" to the must-have list of my imaginary cottage. Momentary stress occurs when the Daughter, who is home looking after the Beamer for the night, calls in distress that he won't fall asleep. Visions of us driving the 2 1/2 hrs home in the middle of the night pass silently through both of our heads. But thankfully she manages to settle him and we marvel once again at the competent and self possessed young woman the Daughter has become. After dinner Laura watches Lars and the Real Girl and I am faced with a conflict of choice. Lars and the Real Girl is my favourite movie of all time! But the pull of euchre is stronger. I choose the Hubby as my partner. When he's the opposition he annoys me to no end. But when we're on the same team I am happy to let him annoy others while I maintain my cottage serenity. Eileen and I must endure as each play is analyzed and debriefed. Manly verbal jousting occurs. Eileen and I just roll our eyes. And eat chips.
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| Euchre playing |
Before we know it, it's time to go home. Many thanks to Eileen and Chris for sharing their cottage paradise with us. A fitting way to celebrate Canada Day!
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