Now that the holiday is over, we are settling into real lake life. Most of the tourists and boats have left (at least for the week) and while there are still boats on the lake, it is quieter. Slow mornings, lovely afternoons, evenings with Scrabble or a movie after the sun goes down. We've had some rain and the temperature is cooling for a few days.
...and cottage maintenance.
For me, a bit of painting (I'll share later), reading, swimming and walking. I saw my first Monarch of the season, which is always an occasion for a big smile!
The annual boat parade was a bit of a dud this year. Only about four or five boats decorated this year, and most didn't go as "all out" as last year. Ah, well.
I think I am all over the fireworks. We have a ringside seat, as they shoot them off from the park directly across the lake. They were fine, and years ago I would have thought they were very good. And I do love the reflections on the lake, highlighting the boats that gather in front of the park to watch them.
But this year the only word I could come up with to describe them was "redundant." I told Rick it was like reading "The Goldfinch" -- It could have used about 300 pages (or 30 minutes) of editing. (And after they were over we didn't see Lizzie for a full day or so, as she maintained her shelter in the linen closet or under the bed till dinner!)
As for me, my favorite light show is the one we see most evenings when the sun goes down.
There has been one big wrinkle in the holiday fun. We spent yesterday at first the Urgent Care, then the ER with Rick who mastered the fetal position in pain and nausea. After six hours or so, it turns out to be a massive kidney stone. A urology appointment is scheduled today with surgery likely. We may head home early or possibly have it done here. No photos. That felt a little too cruel, insult to injury. It wasn't a good day.
But I leave you with a happy memory from the Party Animal's third birthday party. Molly sent this to me after my earlier post.
Now, that's something to smile about!
Sharing with: Pink Saturday / Tuesday Turn About / Let's Keep In Touch
49 comments:
My heart goes out to Rick!! They say the 3 worst pains in the world are kidney stones, childbirth, and corneal abrasions; I've only had the latter, but I can sympathize!
Hugs to you both ~
Ouch!
Two years in a row of no official fireworks, but that doesn't stop people from setting them off regardless.
Oh dear, kidney stones , I have been told, are the absolute worst!!! Good to have heavy duty pain meds just to get through it. I am so sorry, I hope all is well now and they shattered the bastard. Lemon is good to prevent them , so says Stella who has had a bout and spent hours in ER.
The lake looks lovely , glad you are there.
Love the first pic and the fireworks, wow. Poor Lizzie, though.
Scary with your Rick, hope all went well!
Happy last pic :-)
I do so like your lantern.
My empathy to Rick, been there, done that, and it's excruciating. Hope they remove it soonest.
Glad you are settling in and enjoying life! Hugs, Vaerie
Good to hear that Rick is doing well after that dreadful attack. When I think of the remote places of the world where, had it happened to me I might have been in serious trouble, I shudder. As for fireworks, if they were permanently abandoned it would be fine with me!
I don't like fireworks, I do like sunsets.
Good Luck to Rick with the stone to be taken out! I don't think they do it with surgery nowadays, but by some external crushing method.
Hello,
I am sorry to hear about Rick, I hope he recovers quickly.
The fire works do look pretty reflecting on the lake.
I love the sunset too. Cute shot of you, Rick and the kiddies.
Take care, have a happy day and a great weekend!
I feel like you about fireworks, Jeanie. Good news, bad news is we live in and close proximity to ours as you do at the lake. You did capture a few really nice photos though. I do hope Rick is scheduled sooner rather than later for his surgery. Mr. P is also dealing with one, for over a month now. His pain goes in intense waves periodically, and he is trying to wait this one out (he's had SO many I lost count), seeing if it will pass before his annual checkup and xray next month. Hope your weekend is peaceful.
A firework show is a firework show is a firework show!
I don’t get all the hype . . . and the money spent to go with it.
BUT I try to get excited to see them once each year . . .
Watching the sun set over the water gives me more of a thrill . . .
Maybe it is an “older thing” . . . quiet and peaceful.
It makes me HURT to think of Rick!
Reliving that pain for me is like no other.
Hoping a surgical removal of the stone happens soon.
Hugs and a hand hold from me . . .
I love how you compared those dribbling style fireworks to the Goldfinch. Yes so true. I like fireworks but they are definitely better when they aren't spaced apart. And poor Lizzie. My last dog had such a hard time at the 4th. Poor guy. But lake life looks good, and I am with you about a lake sunset. Enjoy your summer days. hugs-Erika
Oh they are painful!Take care!!!!
Sending prayers for Rick!
I agree with you on the fireworks, I like your favorite light show much better. I'm so sorry to hear about Rick having a kidney stone, I know they can be extremely painful. I hope it's taken care of quickly and easily!
Oh, those fireworks are just gorgeous over the lake! I didn't see any in person this year (well, except the Macy's fireworks in NYC on TV - just not the same!). Sorry to hear about Rick - hope all goes well, and he recovers quickly.
Oh heavens, a kidney stone is no fun at all. I hope Rick is better soon!! We had a nice fourth, enjoyed our downtown music concert and fireworks.
Oh dear. Kidney stones sound like no fun at all. So, the Fourth wasn't as exciting as other years? Maybe people are just plain tired and are used to not going out and doing things?? Have a good week, Jeanie. -Jenn
Good luck to Rick with the horrible health emergency! I hope he can have the not-so-invasive treatment.
best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com
LOL, still recovering from a long 4th here. Your time at the lake sounds lovely and it was a great way to enjoy the long holiday weekend. I have to say July 4th is one of my favorite holidays. We have a small fireworks show in our neighborhood on top of the hill behind us we enjoy every year. I love the 4th came on a weekend and family could come for several days. A ton of special recipes and of course homemade ice creme. Hope all goes well for Rick, I'm sure that episode scared everyone!
The fireworks look so pretty reflecting on the water. I agree about rather seeing a short intense show than a drawn out one with redundant fireworks. Poor, traumatized Lizzie! I hope Rick will be ok. Luckily kidney stones are something routine for hospitals.
I enjoyed the Fourth because my family gathered. I didn't even bother to wath the fireworks. I hope Rick has had his surgery, recovered, and is feeling better.
Glad to hear that Rick enjoyed a bike ride before ending up in the hospital -- but, wow, yesterday sounds like a terrible day. Sure hope his dr's appointment goes well and that he's feeling better very soon. xox
My gosh.From what I've heard about kidney stones, I suspect Rick might have felt as though fireworks were going off in his innards. I've also heard there's a technique that can be used at times that dissolves them (with lasers? or something?) so that invasive surgery isn't needed. I sure hope that's the case. Give him my best!
So sorry to hear about Rick’s kidney stones. I have heard the pain from them is akin to labor! Poor guy.
I am not a bit fan of the 4th either. It’s when my dad’s side gets together. There are something like 40+ people. It’s not my scene as I am such an introvert. There are people I would like to see but some I don’t care to see… And it’s tough to be up there with young kids as our schedule isn’t flexible with the baby’s frequents naps and early starts to the day. I much prefer quieter times. We will be up again in august around my mom’s bday and my sister will be there too so I get to meet her baby who is 2.5 months younger than will. So that will be a fun week!
I hope the kidney surgery goes well. Poor Rick! I love your last photo. So nice of Molly to send it to you.
What a beautiful view across your lake! The sky colors show up well in your photo.
I've had kidney stones and can feel his pain. Mind-numbing pain. I'd give a lot if there was anything preventative, and I ask the doctor every year, but sadly "drink lots of water" is all I'm ever told :( I will be thinking about him, though, as he goes through this.
I'm so sorry about the kidney stone. I have heard it is painful.
I am so over fireworks, I have anxiety, and startle easily. The poor critters. It echoes over the lake so much, too.
We had to leave our little lake. Just too many citiots using the lake as a Nascar track.
Hope Rick is doing better today.
The 4th is not a favorite holiday of mine either, especially since now we worry about forest fires here. I usually just go to bed and hear a few explosions as I drift off to sleep. Seeing them over the lake might encourage me to stay awake and watch. They do look pretty.
I’m sorry about Rick’s kidney stone. I hope some relief in sight. I hope you will have a weekend full of joy, hope and love. Hugs my friend.
Always love your lake postcard posts. I listened to The Goldfinch and loved that book but agree it could have been shorter. The accents the reader used, though, made it okay to be a tad too long.
Oh, Jeanie. I hope Rick's feeling better and it gets taken care of sooner than later. I don't know if you follow Kris from JunkChicCottage. She has been dealing with the same thing and says it is very painful. I'm with you, I have always said that if they would just send up the fireworks in one fell swope like they do at the end, that would be spectacular and enough. They changed ours again this year to a different location so, they say, most people could see them from their homes. Not us, too many big trees in the way. Just caught a glimpse. That was enough. It is so hot here, just a dead heat outside..Summer is good, but not this good!..Happy Days..xxoJudy
I am so sorry about Ricks kidney stone, sending healing wishes to him.
My two favourite photographs are the sunset and that last picture of you all, it's lovely ... made me smile :)
All the best Jan
What a fun picture from the birthday party! We haven't seen fireworks for many years so we tried this year but it didn't work out. We'll try again next year, but I get what you're saying. They can be boring, especially when it's just one or two at a time. That sunset picture is beautiful! And you're right, much better than the fireworks!
Enjoy your quiet time at the lake now. I know how you feel. Weekends here on our river are always a busy one. Your fireworks show looked like fun, just like ours was.Janice
Sounds like a mostly good holiday weekend. Sorry about Rick's issue with kidney stones though... Hope he's doing better by now. Also sorry you didn't feel the same enthusiasm you usually do for fireworks. I actually agree that it would be better if we just had the big short display and then it was over with too.
Sending prayers for Rick. That is not fun.
Hopefully the beautiful sunset will bring him peace. That was a gorgeous picture.
Lovely family fun picture too!
Good morning, Jeanie. I am not a big fan of the Fourth and the fireworks. Here, they started about mid-June and went on until just a couple of days ago.
So sorry to hear about Rick, hope this will be over for him soon.
How wonderful to be back by the lake. It is so beautiful there, so I understand that you love it so much. Enjoy your summer and relax. See you in Paris.
Prayers for Rick
OMG Poor Rick!!! I hope he's doing better now! That is a painful situation. I'm with you on the fireworks Jeanie. In fact, I'll be happy never to see them again, but that's mainly because I live in a dairy farm area and they scare the cows. Nature makes much nicer light shows! :)
I hope Rick is on the mend already.
Wonderful photos... We don't tend to see fireworks here until Guy Fawkes Night (5th November) and New Year's Eve. I love watching them, but wish they were a little quieter!
That is very horrible and intense pain. I am so sorry Rick is experience that. Good luck with the appointment. I am over fireworks. People let them off all over the neighborhood, even as early or late as 4 am. Really? I understand a few at dusk, but for hours and hours and for days, it isn't fair for people who want to sleep and most certainly for animals. By the way I hated The Goldfinch, I think it was about 400 pages too long, and I finished it purely because it was a challenge, but I felt I wasted a good part of my life reading it.
I went to your Facebook page to see how Rick is doing and I'm glad that they could do an emergecny surgery and destroy that kidney stone. Hopefully he doesn't have any pain anymore and recovers quickly. That must have been quite a scare.
I prefer sunsets and sunrises to fireworks any time. Fireworks are not allowed here because of the fire danger, but that doesn't stop people from shooting them off illegaly. It was awful, to say the least.
I was saddened to learn Rick had a kidney stone. My grandmother had one and it was Large. I was just a child, but got to see it when they brought it home in a jar of fluid.
I skipped the fireworks this year because they are the same every week now the baseball diamond is back on schedule. Every time we have a home game, they shoot off fireworks afterward. I know what you mean about three at most shot off at a time. Otherwise, it sounds like you are enjoying yourself there.
Jeanie, I know that Rick is recovering from the surgery. I have heard that pain is excruciating. Wishing you a better week ahead!
Your photos are always so lovely. We saw fireworks from a few cities that we can watch from our front or back yard. It was nice. Enjoy the new week.
I already know that the emergency surgery has got rid of the kidney stone, and I'm really glad. I know what you mean about fireworks. They do look wonderful over a lake but not when they're just going on and on and on. We didn't hear any 4th July fireworks here - which I guess either means that all the Americans have moved out - there were a few - or else they're not having parties so were celebrating quietly at home.
Japanese festivals are big on fireworks, but festivals and fireworks (hanabi) have been cancelled since the start of the pandemic. Fireworks over the lake are pretty.
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