We make our own fun

One day this summer, Handy Dad and I decided to make kites. I have no photos of this event because my hard-drive died and took all of my photos from 2011 to a watery grave (although it wasn't responsible, let's blame the lake, shall we).

They were made out of vapour barrier, tuck tape (left over from the shower install), bamboo tomato stakes, and kitchen twine. We're very resourceful. The looked like real kites. Dad's was diamond shaped, mine was a delta wing.

They flew like bricks.

We had a hoot trying to get them to fly, though. Handy Dad even attached his death-spiral kite to a fishing pole to help hold it aloft in the hopes of catching a breeze.

Fast forward a few weekends to last week. We brought real kites up to the cottage. Hurricane Irene was making her way north, and strong winds were promised.

The only spot on the lake where they could get a consistent breeze was out on the dock. Did dad use the fancy store-bought kite we brought with us? No. He used the tuck-tape kite.

It spiralled menacingly over the captain's head before diving into the lake, after which it performed beautifully causing maximum drag as Dad tried to reel it in.

We make our own fun at the Lodge.