let's start with a trip to the cottage

this year, i could only manage one venture to georgian bay, but thinking of jody, i appreciated that one visit as much as i could. it was super-fantastic, despite a few bummers.

this is denis (actually riding shotgun on the way home while anna and i were crammed with all the band equipment - yes they brought it- and a half eated watermelon in the back seat. at least we had pillows). he was really hungover.

ryan and i first headed up with andrew, alex and anna. we first hit the lcbo and then the goodwill where we each seemed to find exactly what we needed, but forgot to bring along (andrew: a jacket; alex: a sweater; me: some beach shorts and the secret of nyhm on vhs).then we settled into the cottage by tripping it to the beach and throwing stones that made cool clunking noises on the wet sand. we also spent a lot of time chasing around a bat that had found its way in through the chimney.

the first morning waking up at the cottage is always amazing: take that feeling that you have when you wake up realizing you are late for work, but really it's your day off and then add to that the fact that you are by a lovely beach and you get to wake up all your friends with a damn good excuse. we cook breakfast in a very cozy kitchen...two people max and they are always knocking elbows. i don't know how many times i saked that weeked, 'do you have any idea how long it takes to drive to midland hospital'. and there's only a fifty per cent chance i don't get lost on the way.

so poor ryan had to drive back to pick up julia, karis and denis to make our party and sleepspace complete. then i guess it was a mess of drinking, movies, sitting on the deck, sitting on the beach; your usual cottage stuff.


some highlights were: going to the flea market with alex, denis, anna and ryan which was the best fleamarket in years (i got a slingshot and we all found cool books and cat figurines and old junk like that); the stars; two beach fires (we are not allowed but this was the first year i decided to take the chance); grocery shopping, as unenthralling as that sounds; convincing denis to stay up one more night because he is really funny when he is drunk; the two-day concert from the living room that could be heard all across the beach (the neighbours came up on our last day to say they were sad we were packing up, "my mother thought you were playing records! ha ha) there's also lots of stuff i am leaving out or slipped my mind.
okay, so ryan had to drive julia, karis and alex back home the day before we had to leave, so denis and anna and i went to the beach, which was extremely cold and windy. despite that, denis went swimming for a long time because there was a storm the night before and the waves were bitching. anna and i sat on a picnic bench and made friends with all the dog beachbums and looked for good sling shot rocks.

it was really really cold so we went back up to the cottage and layed on the deck with sleeping bags because the stars were super cool. denis wanted to play where the red fern grows over and over and so i started telling ghost stories (well, the really weird encounters we actually had up at the cottage) and perfect timeing: ryan comes back from toronto and confirms all of the stories i just told. so we spend the rest of the night freaked out on the deck and before we know it, it's daylight.

then it was massive cleaning and a race to avoid my dad, who i haven't spoken to in ages, but we ran into him anyway and got out as soon as possible. i had to get everyone to stop in elmvale on the way home so i could throw up in the washroom (my stomach takes the brunt of my stress) and then it was so-long vacation.

i will edit later, i just wanted to post something dammit!

i love you guys so much for sticking with me...hello? is anyone still out there?