Note to self: is there any such thing as an 'immediate future' or is it an oxymoron?
The lake house is now open and has been action central for a few months now. The ice went out early this year and I think that some of us cottagers - certainly I - were/was taken off guard. As a result, what should have been a 'head start' year turned into a rather more drawn out opening. Marg was hard at the sewing machine in Ottawa preparing for #1's wedding, leaving it to me to open, and get the place clean enough to satisfy you know who. It is unlikely that I have achieved the mission entirely, but I feel that I have close enough to pass muster.
For the un-initiated,our #1 is now married and everyone in the Meldrum household is in full decompression mode following an action packed couple of weeks on the east coast.
We were on the east coast, first in Mahone Bay, just outside Halifax. We rented a house - which has turned out to be a magnificent old home - totally redone - with three decks, an enormous great-room, and only across the road to the ocean! The place also has a barn and a guest house on a property which is at least 2 to 3 acres in size. It was fantastic.
We (that is to say Marg and I, Diane E, Tom, Tara and the two little ones) then travelled to Halifax proper where we got ready for our big BBQ the evening before the big day at the second house we managed to find. Also a great 5 bedroom home complete with grand piano and gourmet kitchen. It is here that we welcomed my sister and our #2 into our own private whirling madhouse. All went well in the end and from the feedback we received, a good time was had by all.
I rented fancy Nikon lens for the wedding day, but I did so only the day before. Not nearly enough time to master the nuances of the thing. Fast glass is fun, but you most definitely need to practice, practice, practice if you hope to achieve great results. Though I did not give myself the time, I still had good deal of fun.
We also had a blast watching the kids and Winston fly around exploring. The jury is still out, but if I was a betting man, I would say that our poor dog would have won the prize for being the most exhausted at the end of each and every day we were there.
I've been feeling pretty calm these past couple of days, but I confess that I do not trust my emotions, and still have a certain uneasy feeling about seeing Leigh and Aaron move so far away so soon. Far be it for me to stand between Leigh and her medical aspirations. Looks like I might have to find cheap air to Grenada!
The newly weds have now arrived at Crannog, and so we will get a few precious days with them before they begin their adventure and head south.
The cruise business that I've launched is proceeding apace, but I must confess I hope I'm able to attract a few more prospects in the coming months. I have done a great deal of work to understand the industry players, and i have found that there are some truly awesome itineraries on any number of equally awesome ships.
A gentle reminder for those of you who would like to do something completely fantastic, track me down at: bmeldrum@cruiseshipcenters.com, I'd be delighted to help you plan the vacation of your dreams.
Finally, you may have noticed an Amazon.ca banner on this site. I am now able to offer any readers of this site access to the very best deals that Amazon has to offer. So, have fun. Click through and see what there is to find. You'll never know unless you try. Also, check back early and often, 'cause the deals are presented in real time, and they change all the time.
Finally, I hope you enjoy this post's photographic offerings. I am proud of at least 50% of the selections. I'll leave it to you to decide which is which. And, don't be shy about leaving comments!
See y'all next time.
