The Cleaning Crew

We are still in the thick of the cabin cleaning. 3 done, 2 to go. I am still no expert, but I feel like I can keep up at least. The picture above is my mother-in-law, Pat, cleaning a bathroom. She and Jenny are used to all the gross things they find in the bathrooms and shower houses. I am gagging away on stuff that smells funny or the thought of the smell that could exist even. I'm hoping to get a stronger stomach. I promise not to post any pictures of huge poo's or dead animals. Well......it depends on the animal and the circumstances of it's untimely death. That seems fair.

This is Jenny steam-cleaning a bedroom. Each cabin has at least 2 bedrooms, if not more. There are 2 single beds in each of those rooms. All the cabins have nice lake views too. I loved watching the sunrise from the cabin we stayed in when we first got here. (The sunrise picture on the bottom of the blog is from Cabin 2, which was our home for 2 weeks until we got our real house.)

Our little post office! Isn't it cute? I think I've mentioned that we only get mail on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The post office is open from 9:00 to 1:00 to do your business. It's about the size of a latte stand. ( This reminds me, I haven't seen a latte stand since the west side of North Dakota. COLLECTIVE GASP FROM WENATCHEE!!!!!! The horror! Coffee isn't such a big deal here. Oh, how I miss it. Nothing but drip coffee now.)

This sign says "Most Northerly P.O. in Contiguous U.S.".

The happiest little baby!

**I was attempting to get Tyson dressed to go outside and he was busy being a 2 year-old, playing and wiggling. I said,"Tyson, focus!" and he said, "I'm not Tyson Focus, I'm Tyson Keever!"

I might add that he has a boston accent like Matt Damon on "Good Will Hunting", but with a lisp.

Working For A Living

Yesterday we started "Spring Cleaning" the cabins. It was 1 degree when we went to work. That is a hell of a spring if you ask me. I'm finally earning my keep around here...or attempting to anyway. We have guests coming next week so this week provides the only break big enough to do an extensive cleaning. As the new girl, I'm asking a lot of questions. These people know thier stuff and I know nothing. I come from a desk job, I can't really bring my computer or phone skills along with me. They are talking in languages I don't know sometimes, this type of wood does this and this cleaner has this effect on that. I think they humor me in the questions I ask, but that's better than me ruining something because I didn't know it needed distilled water in it. The upside of me giving a poor performance in the cabins is that I'm related by law and they can't get rid of me even if they want to. The downside is that it will likely come up at family dinner later in the week if I do something dumb and they'll all get a good laugh at me.

So have you seen this little dream steamer? I think I got special treatment in being able to use it the first day. Seniority and all that, you'd think they would start me out with a toothbrush and some baking soda. This little gem is used on anything that resembles a crevice or hard to clean surface and makes your life a whole lot better. It cleans the places you can't reach. And let me brag on this resort for just one line--THIS PLACE IS CLEAN. When you come to visit and stay in a cabin, you can rest assured it is cleaner than my house has ever dreamed of being.

As I was scrubbing toilets, the boy was outside with our nephew Lane who is 14. Tyson has had the time of his life, sledding and playing. This picture is him going off a jump from the dock in the sled. Lane is very good with kids and a huge help in entertaining them while we work.

This is Lane pulling Tyson by sled around the marina. Tyson even hurt his bum on one of the jumps, but couldn't be persuaded that it was worth going inside.

Meanwhile, Andie Joy was not a whole lot of help in the cabins. Lazy little baby.

She did wake up to coo and give some opinions here and there. She is rolling onto her side now, very exciting!

This is the kids with Big Rick and Pat, my in-laws and the whole brains and labor behind this resort. (Pat is being non-compliant with my picture taking and hiding behind the baby. She will force me to catch her in an action shot when she doesn't know it's coming. Also, no one calls him Big Rick, that is just me. They call my husband Richard Alan or Al and I cannot bring myself to do that. So for the sake of readers here, he will be called Big Rick, the patriarch!) They have built this place from the ground up, literally. There was no road to get here, they rode a 3-wheeler in to work on it. They had a truck with a hole in the floorboard that splashed the passenger everytime they hit a mud puddle. Times were tough and they made it happen, little by little. No time in my life will ever know the struggles and decision making they have been through. But look at them now, a lovely resort that is thriving in hard times and providing for a family of 10. To be with my children all day and see Tyson out the window while I work is worth more than I can say. These 2 people have provided me with a life that most only imagine and I love them for that, but also for being kind and generous and acting like it is just what you do for your family without thinking twice. If I ever take this for granted, somebody kick me in the neck.

I should also say that the family of 10 includes Rick's brother Brian and his wife, Jenny. They have a 2 year-old daughter, Ava and a week old baby, Bridger. I don't have pictures of them yet, but you will hear plenty about them. They are also an intricate part of the life here.


**After the big workday, we had Rick's parents and Lane over for dinner. Half way through, Tyson lifted up his sippy cup and said, "This my beer."

Thank you Uncle George, Thank you so much.

Jerry's Bar and Lounge

Last night the cupboards looked empty and disenchanting, so after Tyson caught up on his current events we headed over to Jerry's for dinner. Jerry's is the place to go for most of your needs, if you don't feel like cooking, a frozen pizza or a box of wine--it's all there.

That is Michelle behind the bar. Very funny lady and she MC'd the Christmas party which was, of course, held at Jerry's. On the left you can see Tyson chatting up the locals...or talking smack about a game of pool, I can't be sure.

How often have you wondered where your dog is and then thought, "He's probably at the bar again."

That is Tucker on the left and Andrew on the right. Tucker is our nephew, belonging to Rick's brother Brian. Andrew belongs to Jerry. If you notice, Tucker is not wearing a collar. These guys wouldn't know what a kennel or fenced yard even is. They run the neighborhood all day and know everything that is happening. Tucker weighs in at about 125 pounds because he makes friends with all the campers and stops by for dinner with everyone when he smells the BBQ's start up. Brian isn't at the bar, his dog has popped in on his own.

And this is our mail box. The white box to the right is the outgoing mail. The shelves beside it to the far right hold any packages that have come through the USPS.

To You and Yours

Merry Christmas from the Minnesota McKeevers! Hope Santa brings you what you asked for!

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Kerns family as thier baby girl battles a horrible illness at Childrens Hospital in Seattle. Please pray for Harper's recovery and ask God to lift up this family and carry them through this. No family should have to watch thier 3 month old fight for her life. Kiss your babies a little extra today.

Today's Activities

Today was windy and dreary. The kids and I got bundled up for a couple errands. Our first stop was Jerry's, the bar. Our mail is delivered to the bar and we take our out going mail there too. Awesome right? Booze and correspondence in one stop. Interesting fact: the UPS and FedEx are contracted by residents up here, so they drive thier own personal rigs to deliver packages. UPS comes daily, but FedEx will only come if there are a certain amount of packages to make it worth the trip. Our house doesn't have a number on it, they just know who we are and where we live. They probably knew where we would live before I did! We stopped by the cabin Rick and his dad are working on. They have been working feverishly to redo a few of the cabins before January when we will have guests.

After our big outing we came home so Tyson could take his sister's bassinet apart and wear his underpants on the outside of his jeans. You heard it here first--this kid is going places.

Our New Home

Looking at the cabins from the store

From the lake, looking at store & cabins

Looking out on the lake

"Bomber" Takes people out for ice fishing

Hello from Minnesota! We are settled in now for the most part. Rick is hard at work each day and I am hard at work maintaining my sanity and a clean house with a 2 year-old on the loose. This journey we've started has brought new experiences and people to my life. I am still in adamant protest of the Facebook and all that. But a blog? This I can do. It will keep you all in the know and give you a glimpse of what goes on around here. To say it is a change from home is the understatement of a lifetime. But it has been a good change and one that I know is the chosen path for us. While I miss my home in way I can't explain, my heart is full with the people that surround me and the beautiful views I see.

This blog will be the tour of Young's Bay Resort from my perpective. I'm the new girl here and about as clueless as it gets. Everyday I ask Rick what and why. You have to drive on a gravel road through Canada to get here. The lake is frozen over with 12 inches of ice and it is only the beginning they tell me. Cars and trucks are driving across it already. You can see bald eagles and deer on a daily basis.....well unless you are my husband during hunting season. 9 degrees below zero is the worst I've seen, but I hear tales about 55 below. They say this is a mild winter so far for this area. I think that is God's way of easing me in.

I miss you all and think about home everyday. I miss lattes and watching the news. (We're debating over getting TV hooked up.) I miss my house and my momma. But I don't miss the rat race or traffic or dropping my boy off at daycare to spend the day away from him. I don't miss saying goodbye to Rick on Sunday night while he worked out of town all week. I am blessed and glad to share this adventure with you all.