Friends and family

Cabin visits from family... and friends (that seem like family to us)

Judy is our long time friend! She and John used to own a cabin just a few up from us. 

In fact her mom used to own our cabin when it was a resort (Hawkeye Haven)

John is with Jesus now but Judy comes back in the summer as I know John would have wanted her to.

 She comes during the brutal hot Arizona summer, and relaxes at a friend home on Long lake, not far from us. We get to see her from time to tome as she has lots of friends that want to be with her.

My sisters family always comes up the 1st week of August, we love having them! 

We are missing my nephew Sam who made it up last year for a few...hours, ha ha

My sis Jodi, and niece Jensen! 

An obligatory selfie during our trip to town.

Rock painting

The brothers often visit

My niece Megan came with her son Eli, it was their 1st cabin visit.

Puzzles

Boat ride

So glad you came MJ

Our dear friends

Ruth & Kerry come every year, the guys golf, Ruth and I talk....Ha ha

We had chilly weather this year while they were up, but we still made it on the lake once.

Love our boat rides

A forever friendship

Ruth and I visited across the lake at our friend Melinda's cabin. 

We have gone to church together for years.

Another visit with Judy and her sis-in-law Janice. 

 I love these ladies.

Sometimes we just visit from the boat.

Rick and Brad (brothers)

 

You will be missed my friend....

A few words about my good friend John. 

(He unexpectedly passed away this week after a short illness).

John and his wife Judy had a cabin on the lake, just a few places up from ours. 

They are the ones who encouraged us to buy the cabin we have now, 

(along with Ricks Uncle Wayne and Aunt Jo anne who happen to be John and Judy's best friends).

Our friendship goes back about 6 years, but feels like a lifetime....

John was the first to sign my cast after I had foot surgery, and Judy brought us a meal,

Such a beautiful couple.

Little did we know last August when we said good bye at the lake it would be the last time. 

Everything was BIG about John... His heart, personality, smile, laugh and 

his booming voice when he sang... and oh, he could sing.

 Every November 23rd, on my birthday John would call me and sing "Happy Birthday". 

I know he did this for many other's as well. 

Last year He sang me a voice mail, when I didnt get to my phone in time. I saved that message and will replay it every year on my birthday to remember my friend John.

John was the definition of "Neighbor and friend", 

He had a servants heart and would often mosey down to our cabin to see what we were up to.

 Many times he would help Rick with something that took some extra man power. In the photo above, John (by the car) was helping Rick and Scott ( another wonderful neighbor) pull out the boat lift. John helped us alot when we were new cabin owners, so many things to know, 

we were always thankful for his helpful tips.

Everyone on Chippewa Loop knew the guy with he backpack blower. 

(Looks like John is blowing all our needles into the neighbors yard in the photo above, Sorry Scott :)

We often would come up in the spring and find that John had already blown our needles into piles, so that all we had to do was load them up in the trailer for the compost center. 

Thankful and blessed

John with Rick's uncle Wayne, showing off their "catch"

John would often pick me up in his little fishing boat and we would try to catch some fish, 

most of the time we didnt, but we had fun trying. 

You were a man of faith with a big love for God, family and friends. 

I will miss the joking around, that twinkle in your eye, and your phone calls.

Pretty sure Heaven has just got a whole lot more fun. 

Until we meet again...

 

It's been awhile......

It's crazy how fast the summer is going, I can feel fall sneaking up on us...

 there's a smell in the air especially up north! You know, that dewy morning smell.

Rick and I have had a lot of time at the cabin this summer. 

I have been granted a lot of vacation and Rick can pretty much take off when he wants. 

We have still spent time with our families between cabin stays

 with visits, birthday parties and the 4th of July, and lets not forget video chats  :)

 The 2nd cousins and a 3rd in the back <3 p="">

(4th of July at mom & dad's)

Lewin running on the slip n slide.

Not necessarily in order, our visitors...

 Bill & Nancy, friends from church

 Ruth & Kerry, 

Rick and Kerry are golf buddies, they are good friends from church. 

 My sister's family...and friend (bottom right)

 Fun to have a couple of teenagers with us this year.

 Rick's brother Brad and wife Julie...always fun to catch up with these two.

 My friend Sharalyn spent the night along with her son-in-law and 2 of the grands

Out to dinner with some of our friends (and neighbors) up north

Scarletts 5th B-day

presents

 playing in the newly built sand box my son made.

 Big tree swing (Scarlett)

Rick has been working on refinishing the deck this summer.

 it's a big project, but it's coming along

I would pay someone to do this....he enjoys it  :)

Taking off several layers of paint down to the bare wood.

There is also fun to be had at the cabin....

Our neighbor Scott insisted we take his machines out for a drive, so fun.

 My slalom skiing man 

On a recent visit, this one insisted on taking a selfie  <3 p="">

I asked him to smile for the picture and this is what I got.... he is so goofy!

We got to hang out with these two on Saturday while Mom & Dad had a date.

They wanted a silly picture of them eating subs.... goofs.

 Sunday was spent with dear friends from church.

 I love these ladies so much, they are wise, fun and prayer warriors!

I have learned a lot from them in the "women's class" at church.

I work three days this week and it's back up to the cabin for 10 days, 

we will have 4 friends join us for part of the time, we really looking forward to it  :)

Rick and I feel blessed to be able to balance our life here in Rochester and 4 1/2 hours away at our cabin. We feel our life is richer because of the friends and family we get to share a little piece of heaven with at "Hemmer's Haven" 

It sometimes takes a village...

As part of being a seasonal cabin owner we use the term

 "open", as in we are going up for a few days to "open" the cabin.

Last fall we let a company in town "close" the cabin...

they were in charge of turning the water and electricity off, 

and then this spring turning it back on before our arrival.

With that being done, we only have the yard and dock/boatlift left to manage.

This year it did not work out for our boys to come the same weekend as us. 

We figured we would probably hold off on the dock/boat lift until they could come 

but we were wrong.... 

*insert amazing neighbors here* 

Our neighbors are amazing, always volunteering to help in anyway needed.

10 minutes after Rick mentioned that our boys couldn't come up this time, 

our next door neighbor Scott said "lets do it".

No hesitation, just "Lets get er done".

We are so blessed!

 Now for the leveling.... Rick worked on that while I made sure he did it right.

The next day I get a text from this guy.... John (another amazing neighbor/friend)

 "I'll come down this afternoon and blow your yard"

John has an industrial leaf blower, he carries it around like a back-pack, it runs on gas.

It took him 1 1/2 hours to blow our yard.... pine cone, leaves and twigs.

John is a selfless Godly man who works hard, giving his time for others and doesn't complain.

No pics of me but I worked on some raking and loading the leaves with my guy. 

I have blisters on my hands to prove it.

On to the boat lift.... Wednesday

Our neighbors Scott and John arrived about 9:45 am today to help

Get the boat lift into place, 

It's on wheels and we have ramps to guide it down the 2 foot embankment into the water. 

 We were able to get the boat into the water and on the boat lift, but not before we had
 a little ride to the end of the lake.... all 8 miles of it  :)

We are grateful for such amazing neighbors who are always eager to lend a hand.
Our boys have not been replaced...they just got this spring off.
There will always be "closing"