.....And we're back!

I realize I have been remiss in posting. For once I have a legitimate reason instead of convenient justifications.

For the past two weeks we have been enjoying my Eden. Each year we rent the simplest of cottages on a small lake in the Northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan.

The cottages are extremely basic - cinder block walls, cement or linoleum floors, flea market furniture. And don't even get me started on the mattresses. Sounds awful, right?

Well, the lack of luxury means I don't have to run after my kids and clean constantly. A simple sweep daily, a few dishes and I'm done.

But that's not even what makes it heavenly to me. To step out our door is to step directly onto the beach. The beach borders waters that have exactly the right amount of "swimmable" lake for my kids. No tricky extended sand bars for me to have to fret over how deep the kids are. Gradual slope and then 20 foot drop off clearly marked with midnight blue water.

For 14 glorious days I recline in festively painted Adirondack chairs, moving the sand between my toes, reading voraciously, pausing to forage through the shameful amount of food we bring or drag an icy beer from the keg my husband set up in our fridge (brilliant!).

My kids are finally of the age where they can (mostly) fend for themselves - there is plenty for them to do, they are good swimmers, they are old enough to get their own food and drinks. That doesn't mean I ignore them - but our interactions are, for the most part, by choice and full of fun.

Paradise gets old for John and Owen quickly but my girls take after me in maximizing every beach moment possible. When the boys get fidgety, we raise our heads lazily off our raft/chair/beach blanket and wish them the best on their daily adventure.

But we're back now. Back to messy house and meal planning. Back to calendars and schedules. Back to work and traffic.

I definitely have more to say about Bear Lake and our two weeks. Beyond being delightful they were also inspirational and have given me some writing ideas. For now, however, it is a small miracle that I am still awake and I need to head to bed so I can spend the next 6 1/2 hours confused about whether I am home or still at the cottage when I wake briefly from time to time.