Home again....

The title of this post could mean two things....

We are home again, after taking our Thanksgiving cabin retreat trip.

Or, after being forced out of the trip last year by a clerical error at the front desk, returning to our rented cabin this year, and getting our favorite cabin after many years of not being able to reserve it, was like going home again.

It truly was.... even though the couch was broken, so that sitting on it to watch the fire was a challenge, with pillows and blankets piled onto the broken end.

Even though the counter top is now badly damaged, with a big piece of tape across the formica. 

Even though some of the wood blinds in the windows have been trashed by other guests.  

Even though the table on the screened in porch is no longer usable.  Even though the chairs on the screened in porch were gone.....

I set up my candles, and hung fabric over the tv and the windows, and used a table cloth on the counter...so it was easy to hide some of the unpleasantness. 

It's a sad state of affairs that the cabins have been allowed to fall into some disrepair... HOWEVER, it appears that they are renovating and upgrading bit by bit.

We had a new stove, but still the same noisy fridge that was there the last time we had that cabin several years ago.  We complained about it then, and it has not been changed or fixed.  Thankfully, it still works.

It does seem that the cabins are under new management, though.

There were decorative autumn displays here and there, with hay bales, pumpkins, and mums.  There were winter holiday decorations here and there, as well.  There's never been anything like that before.

The little shop at the marina is now apparently open year round (instead of closed up tight for the winter by the time we usually go).  I'm thinking it is privately operated, not part of the state park.

One can get firewood, and snacks, etc.  We didn't go check it out, but there was a sign in the cabin about it.

There were lots of souvenirs for sale in the office, too....  so it was much different in that way.

Down the way, one of the cabins was being renovated inside, so that gives us hope that, by next year, #13 will have been fixed up a bit.   

....IF we are able to reserve it.  

They've changed the rules... you can no longer reserve a cabin as you check out.  You have to wait a month, and can only reserve 11 months in advance.  

SO, on Christmas Eve, which is exactly 11 months before our next desired check in, we will go on line and try to book it.

Anyway.... we got to peek inside of #14, which we have never stayed in.  It was in MUCH better shape inside.... no damaged blinds, the couch wasn't broken.  It also has a "real" fireplace...not an insert.

Rather than a breakfast bar/counter that sticks out into the main room, it has a table off to the side, to the main room seems bigger, and is definitely more open. 

It has a new stove, a newer fridge, and a newer shower stall, and a blow dryer.  

It's like #13, in that it has a screened in porch, with a slightly different view of the lake, but we don't like that it is located at the coming together of two roads.  

One of the chairs that used to be on the porch of #13 is now on the porch of #14, but only one.  The other one probably rotted, and had to be thrown out.

Another touch was the brand new little lights (solar maybe?  They were VERY bright, though) along the steps up to the porch, which would help a lot after going out star gazing.

#13 is "our" cabin.... but we discussed that we might switch to #14 in coming years, as we get older.  The parking spot for #14 is right near the door, making loading in and out MUCH easier than it is in #13, where the parking spot is up a bit of an incline, around BEHIND the cabin.  

We did a little snooping on Thanksgiving, too, peeking into unoccupied cabins.  

One of them, with a forest view, has brand new resin rocking chairs on its porch.... definitely a better idea than the cheap wood and particle board furniture we had that is not at all weather proof.

The usual family groups weren't there this year.  I am thinking that is because of COVID.  

There are usually at least two big groups who rent multiple cabins and celebrate Thanksgiving together, carrying hot food back and forth between cabins, and having big bonfires at night where everyone has a camp chair in a big circle.

I missed seeing that activity, but I am also glad they weren't there, endangering each other. 

Several of the cabins were empty, but there were still lots of people there, so we did most of our hiking "off trail," following deer paths.

The campground had a lot more campers than usual, including some tent campers, which we have never seen before. 

I got up each morning around sunrise, and went out onto the porch, or out for a walk, while the coffee brewed.  

The first morning, there were 7 female white tail deer right down the way from our cabin.  They didn't seem to mind me.  One of them was very small, clearly born this year.

The next morning, there were 5, right outside of our porch, and  yesterday, a young (4 point) buck.

Sighting the deer, and hiking along their hidden paths, was highly significant for me. It did my spirit a lot of good.

For some reason, the birds were not as numerous as usual.  Only saw one sapsucker, and a few juncos, chickadees, and titmice.

There is usually a LOT more "little" bird watching to be done.

We took 5 bundles of firewood with us, and enjoyed our fireplace each night.  Dave even learned how to lay and tend a fire on our last night!  He's never done that before, and had not built a fire since he was in boy scouts.

We rented a mid-size SUV for this trip, because we had planned to take the telescope, two guitars, and had to take all of our dishes, pots, and pans due to COVID.

It ended up not being big enough, so the telescope, and one of the guitars, stayed at home.

Next year, if we just don't plan to take those large items, AND if we don't have to take a bin with all of our own utensils, we might not have to rent a vehicle.  We'll see.  My car has a pretty big cargo area if you fold the back seats down.

Another thought is maybe we can wait, and buy our firewood once we get there.  There seemed to be a lot more availability here and there near the park.  NOT having to find space for that in the car would help tremendously with the loading of the car!

SO, we are already unpacked, and the laundry is already done. Today will be about getting groceries ordered for the week, and preparing ourselves, mentally, for a return to the doldrums.

I am going to make a batch of chicken broth, and make something warming for dinner.  It's chilly and damp here, with a cold weather week ahead.

I have a meeting with my class at 11 am.

My next week is busy with appointments... Monday is back to the injury doc, Tuesday is my injection, and port flush, at the oncology clinic, and Wednesday is my first injury physical therapy appointment.  Hoping it will help my neck and upper back discomfort at long last.

I hope that my numerous and gentle readers had a lovely holiday, and that you enjoy your week.