A Slice of Heaven

The weather this trip has been nothing short of a slice of heaven. It's the only way for me to describe days in the mid and upper 70s and nights in the 40s where the cottage cools off without the use of an air conditioner. We haven't even had to use it this trip.

For the first time in a while, I've had a chance to really relax. I've spent hours just reading on the deck with Rascal stretched out beside me and the DH either on the lake fishing or not far from us inside the cottage napping on his easy chair.

When the weather is perfect, you don't need too much more on vacation. I take that back. I am also enjoying my trips to Lake of the Torches Casino each day. Saturday night I played this Jaws game with sharks which was so much fun - lots of bonus rounds and different screens coming out of nowhere. I lost on that machine, but I didn't mind because it kept me entertained.

Oh, I didn't mention the food. Saturday for breakfast was the Magnificent Seven at Perkins, Sunday the Tremendous Twelve. I'm guilty of eating all of the first, but half of the second. Then there's the broasted chicken dinner at Fibber's in St. Germain Sunday night, followed by white chocoate raspberry truffle ice cream at Susie's. We just made it for the ice cream, since they're closing for the season on Labor Day.

Monday is the St. Germain Flea Market, where I'm going as a customer. My friend, Jeanne, and I will be on the lookout for one of the vendors whom we call the sock lady so we can fill up on socks for the winter. Who knows what else we'll find. We won't know until we get there.

How will you be spending your Labor Day?

Not Missing Anything at Home

The DH just talked to his aunt today. It's been raining constantly since we left. Fortunately for us, we're enjoying peaceful weather here. It's cool for June, but that beats the heat we've often experienced in prior years. I remember a few when we suffered through 90 degree temperatures. When you don't have air conditioning and it doesn't cool off at night, it's the pits.

The DH caught a nice walleye this morning, so he's happy about that, but of course he'll be wanting to go for more as soon as he gets some rest. He's been getting up at ungodly hours, like 3 or 4 in the morning, since that's when the fish seem to want to bite.

Rascal and I enjoyed a nice long walk this morning, but not as early as the DH got up. Later I'll try Bingo and see how I do. At least at Bingo I don't have the peril of losing as much money as at the casino.

Tornadoes and Dairy Queen

The weather service says we're in for some dicey weather here in Illinois, including a chance of a tornado. Tornadoes always reminds me of Dairy Queen.

Before you think I've flipped, I'll explain. Many years ago, when I was on vacation in Wisconsin with my good friends Jeanne and Debbie, we decided to go to Dairy Queen. While we were waiting in line, the sirens went off. In that area, sirens are not unusual since the fire department was and still is manned by volunteers.

So, we didn't think anything of it. We waited to get our ice cream and got into the car. After a few minutes we noticed the sky was this weird greenish black color, it was raining ferociously and the wind had turned gale force. That's when it hit us. The sirens were not about a fire, but about a tornado.

By the time we realized what was happening, pebbles and other debris had already started flying at the windows and sides of the car. We had to get to safety, so we headed to the Lakeland Motel, not far away.

As I rushed from the car to the motel, I locked the door with one hand and held onto my uneaten Dairy Queen sundae with the other. We made it inside and down the stairs to the basement, where we were reunited with our husbands who had gone fishing on the bridge next to the motel.

Everyone was surprised I'd managed to lock the door and carry my sundae without blemish through the storm and down the stairs. In case you're wondering, the tornado passed us without harm.

So now you know why tornadoes remind me of Dairy Queen.

Do you have any such adventure stories? Or, maybe you just like Dairy Queen. Please share.

RAIN By Morgan Mandel

We're nowhere near Texas, where Ike was, yet Illinois still received way too much backlash rain. I believe our neighborhood got close to 7 inches. DesPlaines, not that far away, is way flooded and the river hasn't even crested.

As much as scientists talk about controlling the weather, I don't think it can be done. Not counting lives lost, it's sad to see so many people's memories and homes that they've worked hard for all their lives just washed away.

We were lucky. We got off with large pools of water in the yard, a foot or so of water in the basement, and some window well dripping. Not everyone can say the same.

Sometimes life intrusions interfere with writing. When that happens, after everything is back to some kind of normalcy, remember what you can about the experience and write about it.

Morgan Mandel
www.morganmandel.com
http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com
http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com