Sept. 28: A late vacation

 So here we are at a place called Pine Ridge Park, about half an hour away from where Kel lives in Pembroke. Somehow, we managed to snag reservations for something called the Laurentian cabin, which is a four-bedroom cottage on the shore of the Ottawa River. We got an off-season rate and, since there are six grownups here, we all chipped in and rented the place for a song.

I'm here, Ash is here, Kel is here, Tara is here, as is her son, Nick, and Kel's boyfriend, Curtis. And the B-Man is here and Curtis' two kids are here. It's a merry stay. The temperature hovers around 20, but it gets colder at night. Curtis and Nick made a fire outside. I sat by it and ate one marshmallow. When I was called inside, I was grateful.

We went swimming in the river. It was cold at first, as it always is, but got warmer. There were a whole lot of rocks on the way in and no one cared for that very much. I was the first one in - I went into the water in my blue bathing suit that I bought at Value Village and the ugly teal muscle shirt that I've owned since 1988.

This cabin is rustic. The chairs around the kitchen table look like they were made by an amateur carpenter, sturdy but not too posh. The kitchen is stocked with bowls, plates, and utensils that came from IKEA.

There is a flatscreen television set on the main wall in the family room. Ash wants us all to watch a family movie tomorrow night - she has her heart set on The Little Mermaid - and I am mildly anxious that we won't be able to make the screen mirroring work. Earlier today, I indulged myself and watched parts of the Saskatchewan Roughriders/Ottawa Redblacks game. I am pleased to report that the Riders won. They are on a two-game winning streak, which is much better than that massive winless streak that haunted them throughout the summer.

The TV is on now. Treehouse TV, an animated preteen girl is bouncing on a couch next to two animated talking cars. It's an educational show and I think they're talking about the primary colours, but I can't be too sure. Much of it is being drowned out by my son who is tuned into his iPAd right beside me. He's watching his favourite thing, vacuum cleaner videos. 

The cabin is either too hot or too cold, depending on who you are and where you are. Kel is upstairs along with Curtis and his kids. She says it's too hot. Ash is in her room and she says it's too cold. There's a thermostat on the main floor but no one is solving their problems by manipulating it. 

Curtis and Nick are on the couch opposite, both plugged into their laptops. Neither of them are writing note-a-day. Curtis is "migrating some data" and Nick is "figuring out to program this thing there... mostly just fooling around." Those are direct quotes. Kel is in Ash's room complaining about how hot it is upstairs and trying to get more pillows from here. I expect the negotiations to last at least half an hour.

Nick turns 21 on Monday. We bought him a chocolate cake earlier this morning and we're planning an informal celebration for him tomorrow, but I don't think Nick will be too overwhelmed. I have known Nick since he was six or so. If you look back far enough in my Facebook videos, you can see footage of him and Kel writing the tilt-a-whirl.

Kel has successfully acquired the fan from Ash's room and is now trying to enlist Curtis to help her bring the fan upstairs and set it up. The animated girl on the couch has given way to Paw Patrol. My son is complaining about a sore hand.

It's supposed to be slightly warmly tomorrow and Tara has said she will go into the river if the prediction holds. 

Kel has just pleaded with her mom to switch rooms with me, she wants me to sleep upstairs in the sweltering loft so she can nod off in the relatively cooler room that I was delegated earlier today. I am standing my ground; not gonna switch this late in the game.

Kel has brought a version of Monopoly called Cat-opoly, which is billed as Monopoly for cat lovers. She is hoping we will all play it tomorrow but I don't think it will happen. We're also supposed to barbecue hamburgers, watch the mermaid movie, and try to have fun.

Ash loves this place. She wants to come back. The resort owners have suggested that they would be willing to trade a magic show for future accommodations, so that might just happen.