It has been a long time since Kathy and I have danced with bare feet on soft green grass outside a large tent while live music played inside - this probably hasn't happened since our Winnipeg Folk festival days!
On Saturday, July 16, Uncle Bruce and Aunt Brenda with truck and toyhauler, and Kathy, our grandson, Cohen, and I in our Sante Fe, headed to the shores of Lake Diefenbaker, north of Central Butte. Carl and Hollyce, parents of our daughter-in-law, Allison, had invited us to their cabin warming! They had invited family and friends to celebrate this occasion, and we were really pleased that they had invited us - we just had to go!
When stopping at Elbow for ice cream cones, Kathy got instructions on her Blackberry from John on how to navigate the grid roads cross country to get to the cabin. Although I did not say anything, it kind of reminded me of lapping main street in Nipawin as a teenager on a Friday night, getting instructions on where the bush party was going to be, except for the Blackberry of course!
Having successfully navigated the grids, we met John at the top of the ravine where the road led down to the cabin. We parked the trailer on the top of the hill beside a clover field on one side and a beautiful view of Lake Diefenbaker on the other side. Once we were set up, we walked down to the yard where the new log cabin stood overlooking the lake. The yard was full of tents, trailers, and a large tent in front of the cabin. Many people had already gathered, and Carl was busy cooking a pig on the spit while Hollyce was getting everything organized in the cabin. We met many people that we had not seen since John and Allison's wedding and many more as well.
Since it was such as warm sunny day, Cohen took Grandpa down to the lake. He played with some new friends and with Allison while I mainly basked on the dock in the sun like a beached walrus. On a warm sunny day by the lake, it does not take much to keep Grandpa entertained! When it was time to go, I practically had to carry Cohen off the beach because as soon as he got clean in the water, he would roll in the sand looking like a cinnamin-coated gingerbread man!! Walking up the trail from the beach to the yard, we came across an outdoor shower where we washed our feet. While doing this, I thought we need one of these at our lake when the crew is coming up from the lake or before going into the hot tub. Another lake project was born!!!!
When walking up the path with Cohen, I had heard music coming from the large canvas tent. Mark Penner and his friend, Dave Cyca, were playing guitars and singing. They were good - very good! Two others, originally from Nipawin, Ed Doyle and Marguarite (nee Hickie) got out her violin and her guitar and he his banjo and joined in! They just started jamming - folk music, blues, old time music - and that is when it happened. Kathy and I were dancing on the grass, in bare feet, outside the tent, just like old times!!!
The afternoon passed happily - meeting people, listening to the music, dancing, and having a few brewski!!! Then the pig was ready. It was taken from the spit, an apple placed in its mouth, and the carvers began carving. Cohen wasn't going to have any of that pig meat! The supper was delicious and Cohen finally did have some pork. I told him that having roasted pig is great because you have four drumsticks. Grandpa grossed him out greatly when eating one of the pig's feet. I graciously offered to share it with him but he let me eat the whole thing all by myself! Supper was fantastic - pork, salads, homemade buns, desserts!!!!!
After supper a truck and trailer pulled into the yard, the band from Swift Currant and the Hat had arrived. They set up and started playing - they were great! Rock, blues, good old 60's music. As Carl said, 60's music for the 60 year olds! You could tell that Carl and Hollyce were really having a great time! When it was dark, the fireworks started, splaying vivid colors across the night sky. We danced until 3 o'clock in the morning and then stumbled up the hill (can you stumble "up" a hill) to the trailer for a sound night's sleep!
After sleeping in, we walked down the hill to the cabin which had been well warmed by this time. John and Cohen had already been riding the Kodiac and fishing. I have not told you about their cabin. A large log, green-roofed cabin with verandas on three sides is nestled in a ravine beside the lake. The main floor is spacious with kitchen, livingroom, washroom, bedrooms and entrance. The loft upstairs has a sitting area, bathroom, and bedrooms. Prairie antiques and remembrances from Mexico decorate each room. The cabin is gorgeous and has a lot of character - something that Carl and Hollyce can be really proud of. Some cottage magazine should do a feature story about the cabin on the prairie by the shores of Lake Diefenbaker because it really is a special, warm, unique place - a great place to enjoy the company of friends and family.
After a leisurely, relaxing breakfast, Uncle Bruce, Aunt Brenda, Cohen, Kathy, and I said our goodbyes. We enjoyed meeting everyone, the great hospitality, and all the fun. The cabin had been warmed!!!!!
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