A Birthday

The first lady of Youngs Bay had her 61st birthday this week.  She spent it the usual way, working.  Perhaps she can celebrate not scrubbing a toilet on her birthday for the first time in over 30 years.  Woohoo!  I don't think there was too much excitement for her big day, but there is a dinner tonight at Jerry's.  Maybe she will get wild and crazy and dance on the bar.  Again.
Way back in the beginning with Big Rick and their oldest, Julie.  I think this was around 1974 or '75 maybe. (I haven't told Julie's story yet, but I promise to do it.  She is Lane's mom for those who didn't know.  She passed away in 2007.)

Here she is at the start of raising a husband, 3 children and a resort.

She and the resort were just a smidge younger in this photo.

Celebrating a past birthday with a guest in one of the cabins.  This appears to be a party for 2, but I assume there were others present.  Or maybe this photo shouldn't have been in the album......

Back before her boys were married and she only had visions of so many grandkids dancing in her head.  Now she can't get away from the boys, their wives or the gaggle of grandchildren.

 Pat has spent more than half her life with this man, building the resort that supports us all and gives us an easy, happy and unique life.  She has worked hard to make ends meet and done jobs that I'm sure she would like to forget!  She is kind and thoughtful and spoils us rotten with gifts and babysitting and help when we need it.  She is a potential hoarder, a craft enthusiast and drives like a bat out of hell on occasion.  All this adds up to the lady we love.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA PATTY!

The Store

The Store is basically the hub of the resort.  It's where guests check in, gas is sold, there's a table to eat meals and people come to socialize.  Big Rick always works the morning shift.  ALWAYS. The rest of us work afternoon and evening shifts. I am just getting trained in working in the store.  Last night was my third time working alone.  I have Brian on speed dial and call or text him constantly with questions.  He is the most patient and kind person out of all of us.  He won't tell me I'm irritating or lacking intelligence.  He'll probably just tell his wife later when he gets home.  There are a lot of questions people have in the store...how's the fishing, where are the fish.  I find these answers obvious, but people continue to ask.  There was no way to be fully aware of everything there is to know, so I just jumped in and started working my own shifts.  Most guests already know how it all works and tell me what to do.

View of the store from the channel.  It has a lovely wrap-around deck that is mostly used by Tyson and Ava to run like mad and scare their parents.

The McKeever men in the store.  Looking out the window takes up a lot of time because there is usually something going on outside.  From the front door you can see the boat launch, Jerry's, the fish house and Cabin 3.   The main points of excitement.

We've got food items, fishing gear, bait, clothing, maps, Immodium AD--blah blah blah.  All the basics.

Of course Tyson is seen running through every picture.

Rick tending to the minnow tank and Brian in deep concentration.  The minnow tank has become Rick's project and he checks on it daily to make sure the temperature is right and I think there are some chemicals involved.  We sell minnows by the dozen and then they head out to meet their death in the lake.  Interesting fact:  you can't take live bait across the border so the minnows have to be dead before they get to Canada. I won't say how that death occurs as we don't need a bunch of picketing going on outside our store by people protesting the death of minnows.  I will tell you it involves a carbonated beverage that I drank while pregnant to calm my morning sickness.

This end of the store looks out over the lake.  It is serene and especially nice to look at in the evening.

So I have a couple of old photo albums in my possession that belong to Pat and Big Rick.  Here is Pat, some years back talking on the phone in the store.  You can see some stuff has changed, mainly her hair-do.  It looks different in every picture ever taken and I'm not always sure if it is her in the picture.  So unpredictable, this woman.

Here she is fraternizing with some guests.  I believe that is Brian beside her.  Chatting is 80% of the work in the store.  People come down just to shoot the poo and see who else is in there.  Again, Pat has different hair.

I'm guessing this photo is from the late 70's or 80's maybe?  I love the expression of each of their faces because I've seen it a few times since living here.  You know the face, the one you give your spouse when you know they are not understanding what you are saying.  Or when they were supposed to do something and didn't.  I think I'll have this blown up and framed for Big Rick, help keep him in line.  When he has the urge to misbehave, he can look at the picture and be set straight.

The Big Garden

Pat and I have spent quite a few days working on the big garden. This garden is up by her house and we all take what we want from it.  She put a lot of work into weeding and tilling, making sure the dirt was just right.  This is her meditation time after she has spent the morning watching all of our kids and trying to maintain her sanity.

We have two long above-ground boxes that we planted in.  Everything you can think of-tomatoes, squash, lettuce, spinach, onions, green beans, pot, carrots, radishes,  peas...............on and on.

Andie and Tyson doing their own thing while we worked.  You can see Big Rick and Pat's house in the background.  According to Tyson that is "Grandma's house".  It does not belong to Big Rick at all.

Ava got some time in the dirt as well.

Here is my mother-in-law sitting down on the job, drinking her beer and yelling at me, "GO FASTER!  WORK HARDER!  THIS AIN'T NO FREE RIDE SISTER!"  You can see Tyson is astonished to see this side of her.

Cousins!  This is everyone except Bridger.  The McKeever clan that will take over the little one-room school house some day. Lane attends school in another town, but will be part of the clan on holidays and summers still!

The garden has a nice big fence around it to keep the deer out.  The gate is shut tight every night with a hoof-proof latch.  Those deer can be tricky!

Tyson admiring the finished product.

Some fancy trellis work done by my husband and his brother.

PS-I was kidding about Pat's yelling and hoof-proof latches.  That's just silly.

Boat Ride

Rick's grandfather, Charles, gave us his boat. Huge generous gift! He and Grandma Hazel still come to the lake for the summer, but don't get around like they used to. They owned a resort out on an island called Flag Island and raised their family there. So they have lived this life for quite some time. They no longer own the resort, but their cabin is still there. Grandpa Charles appears to be the gruff and quiet type at first glance. But in reality he is a sentimental family man. Practically everything he says in entertaining and funny, always containing at least one curse word. Good stuff. Grandma Hazel is a sweet and chatty little lady with many stories to tell. She grew up in a city and moved to Flag Island later and had to get used to the seclusion. So she and I have that in common. All McKeever family gatherings are held at Charles and Hazel's house and it is always filled to the gills with people, whether they are related or friend of a friend. It's always fun and always LOUD!

Tuesday we went on a boat tour with them. Charles wanted to show Rick some places on the lake, where to go, where to avoid. It's been a lot of years since Rick drove a boat around here so a tour was just what he needed. We made a couple stops at homes of people they know and then had dinner. This was Andie's first time on the water and she loved it. She likes to go fast and have the wind in her face.  And not one complaint about the life jacket.

For Tyson,  it was just another day of doing fun stuff he loves and giving all the fun credits to his dad.  Everyday is the same.  Me:  Tyson, what was your favorite part of today?  Tyson:  Dad.  Me:  Sigh.

I think anyone who reads this blog knows how I feel about birds.  This picture is of a bunch of Pelicans resting on a rock.  This animal is really larger than any bird should ever be.  I haven't been close up to one but it appears to rival a German Sheppard in size. ( To me anyway.  I may exaggerate a little.  It's a gift.)  Any bird larger than a hummingbird has outgrown my comfort level.  I think the Pelican has a wingspan the size of a Volkswagen Jetta I once had.

Grandpa Charles took the wheel for awhile, pointing out land and whatnot.  I love pictures like this.  Sweet memories.

Daddy's girl.  He swears she has a special smile just for him.  We all know what her first word will be-Daddy.  I won't kid myself that it would be Momma!

Tyson Jayce enjoying the water splashing.

After while, Andie got bored and needed to kick and be free.  So she laid on the floor of the boat and was content.  That dragonfly on her life jacket is true to real life size.  For reals.

I  love these old docks.  Some of the resorts we stopped at have them and they even have attendants that come out and assist you out of the boat.  I've never seen that before.

And finally some dinner at Sportman's.  Where it's still appropriate to leave your baby on the floor, and for Tyson to wear his life jacket through the whole meal.  

The View

My view at work this time last year.

My view now.

I owe the lake a few words. I was walking by it one morning and realized I hadn't even looked at it that day.  We have lived here only 7 months and I'm already taking this beautiful place for granted.  Shame on me. We have a hand-painted sign hanging in our bedroom that says "We are so blessed" and I think of it when I look at the blue water with the sun shining brightly above. (I purposely hung this sign on Rick's side of the bed. You know, a little reminder on days he wants to trade me in.) For all those years that I worked a desk job and could see life happening outside and longing to be out basking in the sun or even just up and moving around. Now I have that. The freedom to be outdoors and spend time with my family, while still earning a living. Doing jobs that I enjoy and would do at my own home anyway. Life is good. I've always thought that. But throwing a lake in the mix makes it better.