Yesterday I picked up the kayakers on our river, across from Ruggers Landing at a little boat landing. They had gone through 3 sets of small rapids and been out about 5 hours. One of the ladies in a kayak has a more severe type of disability in that she cannot hold much in her hands. So she could not hold a paddle or even clip on a seat belt in the car. John was worried about her going through the rapids in a kayak, but she insisted. She said, "You only live once." I will try to always remember that when I am on the fence about participating in something fun that might be a little risky. You only live once.
I took off the kayak trailer and drove home 3 people from our group. Then I picked up a manual wheelchair that one of our customers needed and drove back. She was patiently waiting and swatting off the mosquitoes. By the time I got back to the boat landing, John and a friend had loaded and strapped down the kayaks on the trailer I had left there. So it turned out all I had to do was drive. It was nice to not have to load up the kayaks. I also would have had to take 2 trips anyway because there was no way we all would have fit in one trip in our Toyota. It was only about 5 miles one way to the pick up point.
It was Monday and our last pot luck was supposed to be at 6:00 p.m. It was already after 5:00 p.m. and I hadn't the time to make anything. I had been in Ironwood doing errands all afternoon. I had to pick up supplies for the cleaning of the cabins, dog food, dog medicine and toilet paper, etc. So on the way to pick up the 2nd group, I stopped at a local restaurant, The Pines. I saw Erv and he and I jokingly talked while I ordered 4 pork schnitzel sandwiches and a caesar salad to go. I said I would be back to pick them up in 20.
When I arrived at the boat landing, they hooked up the kayak trailer. Then we loaded everyone in, and off we went without incident. We stopped at the Pines, picked up our food, and headed back to the resort. There were 3 customers waiting for the pot luck to start. At least I had prepared the lodge for us beforehand and set up the paper plates, plastic ware, napkins, trivets and pitchers for water. So we arrived 20 minutes late but with food in hand, which made it more bearable.
We enjoyed our last pot luck and after our meal, I provided chocovine wine, which is a chocolate wine after dinner drink. We sat out on the deck in the evening light and talked. It was fun.
Today, Tuesday, we had some customers leave early. They had arrived yesterday evening. The husband came into the lodge and said that his wife was unhappy and that they wanted to check out. This was devastating to me. The cabin they were in was spotless, had brand new, hand sewn, batik quilts with matching curtains, had the best view of the lake and was the smallest, which is what they wanted. I pressured him to tell me why they were leaving and kept asking him what was wrong with the cabin. He said it was just that his wife doesn't like it up north very much and that it wasn't our cabin at all. I offered another cabin to them, told them that we had several others to choose from, but he insisted. He said his wife was already packed. This hurt my feelings a lot and I know I shouldn't take it so seriously and that we cannot please everyone, but I still feel hurt.
I went into the cabin and checked everything and it all seemed fine. I stripped the sheets because laundry was being picked up today. I went into the basement and loaded all the laundry into the large, white laundry bags and dragged them over to the large door. There the laundry will pick them up, as well as the laundry cart which I also hauled by the bags. This is probably going to be our last laundry pick up for the fall. I should have enough sheets to last until New Year's now when this load of laundry is returned on Friday. When there are a lot of weeks between laundry deliveries, I cover it with large towels or blankets to keep the dust off, etc. Our season is really winding down.
John knew in advance that someone was going to be coming today to speak to him about people with disabilities. Bob is his name, and he is curious about what John does for sports and recreation for people with disabilities. John has been doing such programs since the 1980's and he told Bob a lot of information about it. Bob is possibly going to start a non-profit wherein he offers assistance for sports/rec. for people in other parts of the state. He and John talked for quite awhile.
I made a big dinner tonight and it fed 8 people with leftovers. I love to cook. I made cornish hens, and all the Thanksgiving-type trimmings. Then John took us out on the pontoon for a sunset cruise. He went to the beach and retrieved an adirondack chair for me so I could sit comfortably on the pontoon. He is so sweet.
When we got back in, the moon had just risen above the trees. We floated on the pontoon just outside the resort for a little while before we docked. It was beautiful.
Football and baseball were on TV and the guys wanted to watch. So I took out one of the women, who is staying here and who I consider a friend, into town. We had one drink, talked a little, and then came back. It was fun to get out for awhile without the guys.
Tomorrow will probably be more kayaking. I can't help but feel that I am on vacation a little this week. It is our first week in awhile that we are not completely full and it feels a little too easy. There's not as many people needing my attention or anything in particular. I enjoyed having the time to cook a large meal and have our lodge table set up for a big group with table settings, etc. Its been awhile.
The trees are starting to change color. Every year mid-August this happens and each time I feel surprised a little by it. We haven't had our first frost yet and might tomorrow night I understand. That would mean no more mosquitoes. I can only hope!
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