The Glass Lake

This morning, the lake is like glass, it is so still.  So peaceful to see it.

This view from our living room.

We Arrive at Telemark: On the Lake

We checked in today, Monday, a day late so we could spend extra time with Aunt Velva on the way up.  You all know we love it here.  Of course, then we have to move all the furniture around and "redecorate" how we like it.
    We needed another table for our extra lamp (that we carry with us) and the printer fits on it too.  We got it at a thrift shop for just $6, so we can take it back to the thrift shop.  It's like "renting" a piece of furniture for a month.

New table

 Ron took the boat out for a short ride.

Seeing Ron from our balcony

Seeing Aunt Velva

  Some of you will remember Ron’s Aunt Velva who lives in Rochester, MN.  She is 104 years old and we stopped by to see her, staying two nights in the Comfort Inn.  We were actually late getting in the first night since we had stayed to help Myrna with a problem she had had with her car that morning.  We were concerned that we couldn’t arrive in the dark since the running lights on the boat trailer went out. (We had the blinkers and brake lights.)  Ron had repaired them at Myrna’s but then they went out as we left.  Hoping not to have to drive in the dark, but we were too late….but  we stopped to look at the light problem as it turned dark and suddenly, they were on!

The GPS Lady on Joan’s iPhone Knew!

But how did “she” know we had an i-Pass?  She told us to go to the left lanes –those are the through I-Pass lane -- as we came toward the toll booths.

    It’s a mystery.

Uhhhhh...The Tarp Doesn't Fit...Quite

We picked up the boat from Keenan’s house and took it over to the storage unit to put the fishing tackle and poles in it.  We wanted to put the silver tarp Myrna had given us last year to go under the new cover we had purchased last year, but Keenan had loaned it to a friend, so he gave us a tarp to use that he had.

     Oops, it’s not going to work.

Two AIRBNB’s in Springfield

      The first one was an upstairs apartment in an older house on 4^th street, right downtown.  Advertised as “Victorian era Apt. steps from DT!” the inside had been updated but not the outside (we know all about peeling paint on Victorian era porches – our Ohio house.).  But it was relaxing to sit on the porch in the morning and eat breakfast there.

     Here’s Joan’s review of it:  “Spacious and convenient to downtown. Completely remodeled inside. Exactly as described in the posting. Window air conditioners, antenna TV. No wifi but might have later. Karen met us at the door and showed us all around and gave us two complete sets of keys. New coffee pot and microwave. Morning coffee on the front porch was a great way to begin the day. The train was not a problem at all. Once asleep, we did not even hear it. Back yard was difficult to access with rickety stairs so we didn't use it, and the front porch was so nice to use, we actually ate breakfast out there a few times.” We didn’t mention the lack of enough dishes and flatware in the kitchen, and would have been very difficult to cook a meal there, other than breakfast, but we ate at Keenan’s everyday.  Joan and Emily took turns fixing dinner.  We actually loved hearing the train during the day, and, yes, the tracks were right behind the house. 

Then we moved to a DREAM HOUSE:  Joseph’s house:  “Private Room in "Historic West Side" Home.”  This great young man has completely gutted and restored the elegance of a by-gone time…and he is continuing to add more and more things.  Our room was huge with a compete dining table in it, which we used as a computer table as we  could eat downstairs, and had complete access to the house and large, well-equipped kitchen.   Here’s Joan’s review:  “Anything anyone said previously about Joseph’s place is true and much more: an excellent excellent stay and we are going to stay again! Joseph is so helpful and friendly, and…has made his home soooo beautiful. So easy to stay there and feels like home, and he makes us feel that way too! Many thanks.” 

And we did stay again, on our way back:  Here is that review: “We loved staying at Joseph’s place again. He is such a great host, so friendly and helpful, and allowing us access to the kitchen and refrigerator, stove, etc. and also sharing things about the house, how he remodeled it and how he is continuing to update. He communicates immediately. Room is large and also had a fridge. Fast internet. Plenty of parking. We will be returning to Springfield next year and will hope to stay here again. Always enjoy getting together with Joseph when we return "home" to his house. He has things set up so well .. and the home is GORGEOUS!”  He would actually text us if he didn’t see us during the day and ask if we were all right.

Dining set in our room

Plus vanity and chest of drawers, and windows all around

Keenan's Project for Joan

Meanwhile, the Project for Joan was in the garden:  clear the berm and plant the native plant seedlings.  

This photo is so beautiful, showing the sundial behind a tall native plant on the berm; it is Keenan's FB cover photo.

The bern was filled with plants and trees seedlings that were very large.  Joan had already started clearing it when she remembered to take a "before" photo.

Before

Cleared

Planted - yes, it looks bare, but there were sure a lot of little plants to plant:  all natives.

Adding mulch

Oh, we're planting a newspaper garden!

Finished

 Then we received the hardscape items and had fun unpacking them.  Keenan had it all planned where they would go.

The Plan

This birdbath was too lightweight so Keenan sent it back, and got a cement one locally.

For the arch, we got the solr "fairy lights"and they work fine.

Keenan's Project for Ron

We drove to Springfield, IL today to stay a week (in an Airbnb) for Ron to help Keenan build a deck.  But when we got there, we discovered there was another more pressing Project – at least for Emily:  to finish the downstairs bathroom by their bedroom (she’s been waiting for two years…hmmmmmm.)  So the Deck Project was postponed, and Ron and Keenan worked hard to enclose the shower, put up paneling, and install the sink.

    Here's what they did:

Shower was in but needed to be sealed

Fancy saw set-up

Smile for the camera but still be careful sawing

A Sudden Rainstorm – Much-Needed Rain – but… Not Enough for Atlanta

Our friends said they had had so many days of no rainfall here in the Atlanta – that sometimes there were showers, but never where they lived.  As we left Fairfield Plantation (Villa Rica, GA) , suddenly there was a terrific storm, but we went about 5 miles and then sun.  They, 8 miles east, had gotten…. NONE!

 the back gate of FF Plantation is all woodsy

highway = clear

And then just a piece of a rainbow