Monday, April 21, 2025 - Day 251

Monday, April 21, 2025

Good morning, all. ☀️

Our holiday weekend wraps up today—along with everyone else’s, sadly. I don’t want to leave. I’m going to miss the last of the ice leave the lake this week.

The world always feels different up here in the Northwoods. Slower. Calmer. Saner. It’s like stepping out of the rush of regular life and into a more grounded version of living.

When I think back to the beginning of our relationship with Minocqua, not much has changed. It truly feels untouched, it’s beauty same as it’s ever been.The biggest shift in nearly 50 years? Technology. We’ve gone from party-line phones to dial-up internet to high-speed Wi-Fi. The resistance to that evolution has been strong—but even the Northwoods has to accept some modern conveniences, kicking and screaming all the way…another victim of Covid and the need to work from home.

Other than that, the surface of this place stays comfortingly the same. The TV rarely turns on. Time slows. Reading a book in broad daylight isn’t considered lazy—it’s expected. Politics don’t follow us here; they bounce off some invisible forcefield. Instead, meaningful conversations unfold without judgment, hate stays far away, and our souls get filled to the brim with family (yes, the extended ones too) and friends.

I’m so grateful the Ratajacks bought this place back in 1978, and that the Bissells picked up the torch when it was time. What started as a cozy cottage has grown into a full-blown compound where everyone’s welcome—and most even get a bed… up to a point.

This weekend, I was doted on like royalty. No cooking. No cleaning. No responsibilities, other than staying within eyesight so nobody worries about me. I nailed that. Even when I fell on the boathouse stairs, I made sure to do it right in front of Lis—safety first, always. While I do enjoy doing nothing, I can only handle a few hours of it before I get the itch to contribute. But everyone else strongly prefers I stay vertical and off the floor, so it’s a compromise.

Lis and Maria teamed up for four days of incredible meals, complete with table settings that looked straight out of a Martha Stewart magazine—or whatever the current HGTV equivalent is. Honestly, I have no idea which show or issue inspired the decor, but it doesn’t matter. The tablescapes were stunning. Easter colors always brighten things up and feel like a gentle nudge toward spring and all the fresh starts it brings.

Yes, it’s hard to leave this morning, returning to a world of medical appointments and managing ALS. But it’s never “goodbye”—it’s just “see you next time.” And there will be a next time.

Thank you, Lis and Maria, for your hospitality and care. The belly is full, the heart is fuller, and the memories—especially the Look family stories—are still cracking me up. Thanks for sharing those, Anne. Next time, I’ll try not to have a beverage in hand when the punchlines hit. Snorting liquid into my airway is not the relaxing end to a joke one hopes for.

Hope to you y’all soon. It was a fun weekend. Now it’s time to go…there is snow on the way.

Love you guys! ❤️