The Most Relaxing Place on Earth

Do you have that one place? That place that makes you feel better no matter what? That place that you can go to or even think about when times seem worst, or are most stressful? Mine is the cottage.

My husband's family (first his grandparents and now his parents and aunt and uncle) has owned the cottage for more than 40 years. It is on a lake in Northern Wisconsin and is everything a cottage should be.

The cottage is just that--a cottage. It has running water, electricity, two bedrooms and a fireplace; to be a true Up-North cottage a fireplace is mandatory. It is not a house. It is very small. When all of us (10 total) go up for Independence Day, at least 5 of us usually sleep in tents outside. That is not very easy that weekend; many people go north for the 4th of July and the lake is busy and many people sit up late drinking and listening to music, LOUD music. Sleep does not come easily. Even at midnight people are outside.

The time that is best to go to the cottage is basically any non-holiday weekends. I would love to be able to go during the week when it is even quieter, on the lake and in towns nearby, but that would mean taking time off work. So we go weekends--its still basically free for us.

We drive for an hour and experience a getaway that would be worth a much longer drive. We bring up our food, pick the bedroom nearest the water and sit on the dock and fish. Maybe later we will take out the boat and fish on the other side of the lake. Or we could go for a bike ride to the ice cream shop that is one of our must's whenever we go up. Tomorrow we might go mini-golfing.

Yes, it relaxing. Yes, most weekends it is quiet. There are many fun options for things to do. But why do I love the cottage? Why is it my favorite place in the whole world? There are several parts to that answer.

3. Sometimes getting away, even just a short distance, is the best medicine. I don't know about your family, but I come from a family of chronic hard-workers (I also married one). You can't just take a weekend off at home. Sitting at home all you can think of are all the projects that you should be working on. Getting away, there aren't the stresses of the house and the projects.

2. We have a history there. :) When me and A started dating, I was a chicken. He told me after a month that he loved me. I kinda freaked out and didn't say it back. The next weekend, (my first ever at the cottage) after I met his sister, her husband and their kids, I told A "I love you" while sitting on the deck overlooking the water.

1. There are not many places in the world that are truly quiet. Where you can hear the sound of the water moving in the lake. You can at the cottage. It makes me feel closer to God just being there. It is truly the most relaxing place on earth. Just sitting on the deck listening to the water and the loons. *Sigh* I wish it was summer now.

Well, I'm moving on to the rest of my day. Next week the plan is to talk some about the new budget plan that A and I are starting. So far so good. :) No big fights yet. Hope you have a great week.