Cottage 2010 and the magical weekend

Opening Day ~ ~  2010

The cabin fever finally broke last Friday!  I should have known it would seeing as how I had been on antibiotics for a week at the time, and yes, they did take care of any fever I had!!! 
Luckily this year, the bad fever held off until the 80 degree days we had in March.  Ugh... March?  Even this sunslut KNEW that it wouldn't last, and that we could expect at least one more snow storm.  Mother Nature did not disappoint -- as we were given a nice ole 3" snow fall just days after the 80 degrees. 

Hence the fever. 

Even DH was climbing the walls by this point!  He doesn't get to travel to Mexico every January to alleviate some of the winter blues.  Poor baby has to stay behind and work (truthfully he doesn't care for that type of vacation any more).  So... let's just say he was VERY anxious to have me open up the cottage. 

The first clue is the multiple trips to various mega-sized fishing stores.  Cabellas (his home- away-from-home), Gander Mtn, and yes... even a trip to Madison for a stop in the Orvis store.  He tried telling me that only Orvis had the prescription sunglasses that he really "needed".  Uh huh!  I can always tell when he's ready to shake off the winter cobwebs.... by this shopping habit?!?  Hmm... he's always told me that he HATES shopping, but of course put him in a fishing store and well...he could stay for hours (and does).  I guess fishing stores do not qualify for "shopping"? 

I really wasn't looking forward to the work that comes with opening the cottage for the first time.  I knew that those wood blinds that I "ignored" last year, would all need to be cleaned and dusted.  We have quite a few windows -- so that was definitely not going to be fun :(  But luckily the day was nice, found a great Rock station on the DirectTv and I could "rock out" to the Boss, Eagles, etc. etc.  It did make cleaning more bearable. 

The cleaning went quickly -- or at least right up until I lost water.  Oh crap.  Sent out serious S.O.S. calls to the plumber and all those who I thought might be able to help me.  In the mean time I decided to take a run back into town to get some water jugs just in case we were w/out.  While returning, I stopped and visited with a neighbor.  While speaking to him, I look out over the lake and say "who is stupid enough to be out on a pontoon in this wind?", and we go back to chatting.  A few minutes later I look out again, and think "hey that looks like OUR boat -- what the hell?"  Yup... it WAS our boat -- Toto 523 -- being delivered a week earlier than expected.  YAY YAY YAYAYAAYAYAYAYAYAAYYYYYYYYYYY 

The plumber called and I guess he purposely leaves the main water switch off so that no one can use the outside spicket (sp?) . WTH?  The good news we had water again, the bad news was that the water would be dirty for a bit.  I guess the rest of the cleaning would have to wait.  Oh darn.  Luckily I was able to have the front part of the cottage cleaned prior to the water issues.  The back laundry room and bedroom could wait.  Next it was time to do the serious dusting.  Asthma inhaler... check.... cleaning tool for the ceiling fans...check.  Ambition to do it?  Non existent.  Time for a TLC break!!!  But I "got 'er done".   Bed made...check.  Time to chill. 

Mike arrived around 4:30 and the magic started right there and then!  We had an awesome time just walking around and checking out our most awesome (I know twice in one sentence) landscaping job and new fire pit.  This year, we hired our house landscaping company to come over and really clean her up.  The local dump charges an arm and leg for yard waste and we'd be burning all summer just to get rid of it all.  It's cheaper to hire someone to haul away so that's what we do!  This year, Mike decided that he wanted the fire pit to be larger and nicer. 

You can see the before and after pictures below. 

Before:

After:

We LOVE the new pit, and cannot wait to use it, even thought I've never been a huge fan of bonfires in any way shape or form.  Thanks Dad for scaring the shit out of me when I was a kid.  My fear of fire was born when my father used to drill it into us that if you ever smell smoke to feel the walls and doors.  I remember going to sleep after those "drills" and having nightmares and freaking out about impending fires.  Hence my irrational fear of all things bonfire.  Hopefully with a deeper and bigger one the fire may be more contained.  The beautiful flagstone will also supply a safe zone for chairs too.  I'm willing to try it, and we'll go from there.  The other reason I don't care for them is my asthma.  If the wind is blowing a certain way, it's not so hot for the old breathing issues. 

Later on that first night our most awesome neighbors/friends came over -- Karen and Dave -- for a nice visit.  It was wonderful sharing Vegas stories and such while watching the Brewers lose yet again.  C'est la vie... the season is young.  To say that they were just what the doctor ordered would be a very true statement!  Laughter is definitely the best medicine for me. 

And for all of you that have been following my cottage blogs know about the Yahtzee war.  Mike is up two years to none.  My prediction:  that was the past, and I AM THE FUTURE winner.  Yup... 2010 will be MY YEAR.  PS -- I am up two game to ZERO. 

I give all of you permission to "remind" (ahem) Mike of this most unfortunate turn of events.  He HATES to lose (not that anyone likes it), but he has this wonderful (not) way of pouting when he does!  He'll never admit it, in fact he will deny it vehemently -- but he DOES pout.  He couldn't nor wouldn't let me savour my two game victory... he HAD to beat me at something.  We pulled out the deck of cards to play 3-4-5 and yes, he did kill me.  So what though -- card games are NOT posted on the refrigerator wipe board for the whole world to see.  Sorry sucker, you are the loser all week!!!!!  lol lol lol.  

Back to savouring my victory  :)  I'm sure we'll be back to shaking the dice come Friday.  He won't be able to stomach losing two weekends in a row!!!! 

But this weekend will be different -- we'll be taking Toto out for her maiden 2010 journey.  I'm sure that Mike will have his fishing poles busy at work while I drive us around.  I look forward to getting a jump ahead on my summer tan -- even if it will be a "farmers tan" for a few more weeks.  Sixty degrees is just too cold for a swimsuit -- but perfect for capri's and a possibly a warm tank top.  Barefoot too, of course! 

On Saturday we opted to drive back home.  If we would have stayed at the cottage, I would have felt compelled to finish the cleaning, and that meant yet another trip into town.  I still wasn't feeling great so home we went!  The awesome-ness didn't stop at home.  I mean, come on... does it get any better than a hot George Clooney movie, having the "Army" visit, and having your husband join you?  He loved the movie just as much as I did (although for VERY different reasons), and he actually was in quite the chatty-patty mood.  Rarely does he do this, so I just "went with it".   TMI alert:  Clooney is awesome foreplay.   Enough said. 

lol 

So, I will end this blog on that very (wink wink) happy note... and will look forward to many more cottage blogs in the near future.   Does anyone want weekend updates? 

Let the Yahtzee war begin...............