new sofa!!

We finally splurged and got the long-awaited sectional for the cottage. I am in lurv!

I think I need to reposition the lake sign, tho. Bugger.

We rented a U-Haul trailer and brought a LOT of big stuff up to the cottage. The sofa, patio table and chairs, outdoor sitting area table and chairs, wheelbarrow, workbench table, and glass panels for the porch railing. It took three trips across the lake to transport it all; the boys are certifiably pooped. I supervised.

Tomorrow they retrieve the runabout from winter storage.

When the boy-who-lifts is available, we have to take advantage.

Addendum

Glass panels installed in the porch railing:

Sundry heavy things relocated from the basement (sailboat, pedal boat, kayaks and canoes).

Lake sign repositioned:

Happy mother's day to all who have /are one that isn't an abject asshole! Hugs to those without or with the bad kind.

Addendum 2

Unrelated but worth preserving: pics of the aurora borealis from my bathroom window at home, Friday May 10: (I still dont.know why the rotation is wonky. I can't fix it. At least not from my phone. Le shrug.)

and some random shots of the lovely living room area.

wheeeee!!!!!

Boat's in, dock is down, cottage is opened up. Except for the water. That will happen next time. Cottage season 2024 is officially underway! Wahoo!

no freaking filter. *Thud*

Yes I know my pictures are sideways. I'm too tired to fix 'em. Just lean your head that away ➡️. K thanks bye.

Rice Lake sea monster

waiting for the run off

We're waiting for the spring run off to happen (historical high water mark on the lake) so we can get the boats and dock back into the water and open up the cottage for the season.

Given how little snow we've had this winter, I wonder whether we'll even see a spike in the water level this year?

https://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/waterlevels/donnees-data?Id=132&lang=en&siteId=100419

ice is out!

The ice is out near the island. Locals are debating whether it's the earliest ice out date ever. Woo!

Now we wait for the high water date to pass and we're back at it. 

On the short term list: master bed mattress, sofa, curtains/blinds, bunky kitchenette.

Longer term: some deck furniture.

Pictures at the marina unabashedly stolen from the Shores of Rice Lake Facebook group, posted by Susan Hofsheier.

that's it! we've closed up

The cottage 2.0 is now closed up for the season. The dock is up, the water is off.

There was a last flurry of activity this last week by the builder to finalize the stairs and lower dock, the hose faucet is installed, missing siding repaired, range hood is in, shower is installed, storeroom emptied of junk, deck is 90% complete (were just waiting on the replacement glass to come in).

Come spring, the cottage is well and truly open for business! Lord, it's been a long slog.

We have a bunch of things to acquire over the winter (patio furniture, sofa, master mattress, curtains, bunky kitchenette, screened porch), but none of it will impede our use of the cottage. 

Praise Jeebus!

Some final photos, provided by the contractor:

Semipenultimate 2023 post

The cottage closeout didn't happen last weekend due to inclement weather, so we're trying again this weekend.

There have been a few updates in the intervening weeks:

The railings went in today, and they look pretty darned good! I was seriously waffling about the colour, but I'm happy with my choice 

The bunky now has a flushing toilet. LUXURY. This was unheard of 2 years ago, when even the cottage didn't have a flushing toilet.

The lower dock and stairs have been built this week. Originally I had expected no lower dock at all (just dock to stairs, the end), but we needed to build a platform for the boat lifts to sit on during the winter months. It will be nice not to fear for my safety every time I pass from boat to cottage