I stretched my legs as I fell to my mini-van for the long journey from Phoenix to Minnesota. E 'was great to escape the heat built in Arizona for a summer vacation at the lake house of my father himself to his family 50 years ago.
Vivo activity every summer at the lake, as we have raised six children. Father received a small motor boat and every evening after work, he taught us, like water skiing. It would be fishing, learn a sport he loved, but spent his time to helpThe balance of heavy, bulky, which slopes in the fifties.
About eight years I have fought against the waves and trying to manage my bulky life jacket. Do not worry, I take the rope tow and shouting: "Hit it!" when he passed gas. Drag me as I struggled to rise, pushing the water is violence against me, until the rope flew out of my hand with a 'pop'. Patience, Dad tried to go around again and again, making the rope behind me. E 'state after the summerThis ritual performed as the six of us could ourselves. We never heard a word. A quiet man, Dad could not verbalize his feelings. Instead, he did something for us and we know that we loved much.
Which has not been heard the sound of his hammers filled the air. Using tables had painted, was placed on empty oil drums, built a raft for us, then dropped anchor. We spent all afternoon on the raft, sunbathing and diving in fresh water. Italso built a dock for my mother, so you can slowly cruise around the lake and see the beauty of the green hills of the sea
Each spring has a mole, and each fall, has brought in has excavated an area of reef in the cabin for the land sloped, so you can walk to the water. For endless hours, he was in shallow water to dig the rocks and pitching to give us a clear place to turn to go, he dug the weeds every summerwashed the windows, the lawn mowed and never complained. We have everything for granted, never say "Thank You".
His father died in 1993. None of us six children remained in the town where we grew up. But you can decide not to sell the cabin.
"Mom, look, we have another frog," Send to my young son, now, to my surprise, that, through the grass. See the fireflies, deer, snakes and fascinated by my small town has raised the child because they like the rural environment, they neverif they are not built for the cab dad over 50 years.
Today I lounge in a hammock, watching the sun shining on the water and swim dance, as my grandchildren. Geese glide around with his head from time to time immersion in water in search of fish. "Honk, honk, scream, she and the children scream with joy, as the birds by surprise, suddenly decides to take flight.
There is no dock again, there's no one to turn it off, and we must take in each year.There's cruise on a pontoon, not to make a diving raft. There are boats, water skiing, no, not a "Hit it, Papa!" Echo Lake.
There are only a retreat from city life. I have the memory for a safer, less hectic time, when all I had dreaded the time. I just heard the waves lap against the rocks below, I fall asleep and see the moon spread across the dark sea, as I look out the window. I just heard the windpoplars, birches and elms.
Obviously, everything that Dad did for us, not knowing what it was like his love. He gave us everything without saying a word to her calm. My father could not pronounce the words "I love you." Instead, he left a legacy of beauty and serenity of nature and his family. Well, as I sat down and my grandchildren splashing each other and to venture into deep water, my mind is full of memories. My heart with joy and I look inSky and muttered, "Thanks, Dad. I love you."
