the Cabin

Placid Lake. Uncle Ron and Aunt Merna's lake house has always been a meeting place for the extended Terry family. We can count on a least two great trips a year where darn near the whole family is there. The cabin is a great place to meet up with the family and we look forward to every trip. The cabin is a not-so quiet place of relaxation, great food, lots of play and family time.
You know you are close to the cabin when you cross the bridge and often you see the boat being put to good use or Riley and Easton fishing off the canoe or along the lake shore somewhere and finally the smiling log stump creatures greet your arrival. Pulling up to the lake you are first greeted by our Terry Family Dog Pack. Pack leader Raven will be the first to reach you, with Razzy at her heals not far behind; Bear is obediently watching the commotion from the porch; Jewel is staking her ground as the miniature house guard and Toby is curled up somewhere not far from Lena's reach. Mason, Kya and Pug-Pug fit in nicely and add a few more playmates to the pack. Walking into the door in the morning hours you are greeted by a plethora of sleepy cousins and smiling aunt and uncles! Uncle Ron is cooking a cast iron breakfast on the heating stove, Aunt Merna is reading on the recliner, Aunt Shelly is sipping coffee sitting on the couch next to Uncle Rick. Uncle Mike has started preparing a feast of pork ribs and Aunt Moni is helping with the effort. It truly takes a team effort to feed this family. When the menu consists of ribs, enter dinner time with caution, it will be a feeding frenzy! Uncle Roger sleepily utters a smart comment from across the room! Grandma Enie is sitting at the computer checking her emails and corresponding with her other long distance family. From the time Grandpa John wakes up he can be found on the bottom lakeside deck, playing cards and listening to his music. This simple tradition is a cabin icon.

This last weekend at the cabin it was cold and rainy. An unlikely weather condition for August. Playing on the lake was left to the younger, still crazy, cold-water loving cousins! On any other weekend however, playing on the water starts early, when the water is still flawless glass. Being the first to mess up that perfect glass water with the wave runner or cutting edges on the wake board is a great feeling. You feel free on the water. I mean that literally. When Uncle Rick is pulling you on the tube and you are set flying freely through the air with the water and the tube 20 or 30 feet below you!! Not a feeling in the world like it!

When the sun starts to set you can always count on Jake or Roger starting the bon fire. The word bon fire is used loosely here. Other people's ideas of a bon fire is a little different. You could jump over these people's fires if you wanted or needed to. A Terry bon fire is unexplainable. Huge. Monstrous. Like non-other. I am sure the space station can feel the heat from it! I am also sure at one point a lookout tower has reported a Terry Fire as the beginning of the next uncontrollable wild land fire! If he hears anyone say,"The fire is too hot?, or "Why does this fire have to be sooo big?", Uncle Roger will only stoke it again, making it "Bigger Baby!" Other than a big fire being an awesome sight, it has to be that big so we sit far enough away to make room for everyone. Twenty-six this year. Might be a new record! We were even missing the Luedtke clan which would have added 5 more.

We had the musically talented cousins taking turns playing their guitars and signing their favorite songs. Jake, Lena and Madi are so amazing to me. They each have their very own styles and they all sound so great.

Another great cabin weekend, listening to acoustic guitar and goofy conversation next to the fire, surrounded by family on the edge of the lake...feels so good to be HOME!