The Lake, The Memories

Before I was born my family purchased property at Lake Mayfield. The work by my aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins and parents early on built the magical sanctuary that is affectionately known as "The Lake." In the early days it was legitimate camping. Tent or truck campers was what were slept in. As time went on those sleeping vessels turned into pull trailers and fifth wheels to now park model "mini homes" with modern amenities, covered by roofs and large decks.
There is also a community gathering place we call the "bull shed." It's a roughly 15'x15' concrete floor with a fire pit in the middle. It has six ten foot posts that hold up the roof that is also equipped with four roll down sides. Back in the early days the bull shed was quiet during daylight hours. The sides remained rolled up, the fire pit waiting to start it's shift. Come sunset though the bull shed became a hot spot. Community dinners were held there, where every family would bring a dish to share with everyone else. After dinner the dishes were done and a fire was lit. The tables would fill up with those wanting to play cards and games like 21 or flying aces. While those not wanting to play would sit around the fire and "shoot the bull" (hence the name). Things would quiet down around midnight and us kids would bring out our cots and sleeping bags and would snuggle down to sleep, making sure that whoever gets up first in the night has to add more wood to the fire. My grandpa was known for waking us in the early morning hours by rolling up the sides and saying "get up, it's time to move out".
Mornings were spent lazily waking up; getting our swim suits on and our food for the day packed up and loaded for a day spent down on the water. We would go down to the family docks in truck loads. Coolers packed with beverages and snacks to last us all day. We would laze on the lake, swimming, boating, skiing, tubing. It was an all day affair.
There is not one summer of my youth that I don't have wonderful memories at the lake. I lived for summer weekends when after my mom would get off work on Friday we would drive there to spend the weekend in our little happy place with our big extended family. The docks have quieted down now. Still frequented by a few of my cousins but the days of all day lake sessions by the whole family is a thing of the past. There are a few of my little cousins who still sleep out in the bull shed but the days of it being packed in with cots sleeping right next to each other have passed as well. Life at the lake tends to be a lot quieter than it used to be, except on Memorial Day weekend, Fourth of July weekend and Labor Day weekend. Those weekends can still be known for late nights, endless card games and fires that go on all weekend.
Over the last three years of us being here my husband has come to enjoy the quiet sanctuary of the lake. It provides him a place to get away from his busy schedule in this hectic city. His last vacation of fellowship was last week and his one request was to get out of the city and go to the lake. His version of vacation wasn't without his computer or work. The days mostly spent studying for his boards in June and writing his paper that will be presented at an annual conference, also in June. But there was time for him to do some fishing by himself and with our son. And also sleeping out in the tent with our son too. I opted for the warmth of a nice sized queen bed in the park model with our daughter. I mean, can you blame me?

Since we will be moving soon our little kiddos will not have the memories at the lake that I had growing up. Though they love to go there now and run all day long, their memories will be selective. Our daughter's most likely non existent. I hope the pictures we have taken over the years will tell them stories of making s'mores with Nana, going on bike rides with G.G., and paling around with their cousins. Our son catching his first fish. Our daughter going for walks with Pappy. Time spent with their Grammy and Bunka, Uncle Justin and Aunt Megan. The weekends when Papa and Grandma Heidi drove up for a visit. Our son's first boat ride with Uncle Mark and Aunt Lisa.
When we return for our vacation visits I hope that we can make it back up there sometimes to make new memories with them. But until then we will look through our pictures and relive these stories.