Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Last weekend at the Goose

Columbus Day weekend here in the States gave the family a four day weekend, so we drove the old camper to Wisconsin to help my dad close up camp for the Winter and to enjoy the Goose's last weekend for the year.

Our camper is down there, somewhere.

When Nature provides hills, one takes advantage.

The weather was more like Summer than Fall. Days in the mid 80's, cool nights that allowed us to have the windows open...no need to fire up the furnace. The trees were just coming into color in the valleys, but the higher elevations were bright with orange and yellow. With the exception of hordes of lady bugs, it was a picture-perfect weekend.

One of the many cart-ridden paths. Oh, I guess one could walk on it, but why? Oh, exercise...

Speaking of ladybugs, I remember ladybugs as cute-as-a-button things that didn't deserve the title of "insect". I wouldn't flinch if one landed on my arm...in fact, I would watch it crawl around for awhile, like it was was some minuscule cat. Now, they bite and let off an offensive smell, like damp, rotten leaves (well, that is what they eat all the time, what else would they smell like?) And don't even get me started if I discover them en masse, tucked away in a crook of a tree or a corner of a shed. **shiver**

Before we pulled up stakes and headed back to Illinois, we took the golf cart (preferred mode of transportation in the campground) for one last drive around the park. The semi-permanent residents who were still there were rolling up their canopies, stacking various items in garden sheds, making sure windows were locked and blinds closed. Making last-minute checks to make sure everything would be secure for the Winter. As we drove past one older couple that we had befriended, we waved and wished them a good (and short) Winter, and that we hoped to see them next year.

"We hope to see you, too", was the reply, tinged with bittersweet.

It made me think that 'next year' for many of the campers is most likely not an assumed given, either due to age, or health. Then I realized that for any of us, the 'next', whether it be year, month, day or second, should never be assumed.

That's what makes places like the Goose, the people who call it a part-time home, and time spent there precious. But then, such is life. Even as I sit here, at home, mundanely typing away at an entry for my blog.


A reflective Moon on the Rock River


1 comment:

  1. So, when are you coming out here to visit? It's only 50 miles further than visiting Dad ;)

    ReplyDelete