Lake House Diaries 6

     The Lake house was situated in a small bay where the properties were looking out toward each other, if only with a sideways glance. Enough time had elapsed, since Greg and Ethel built, to establish friendships with the neighbors. They all knew each other and in fact many of them were in some way related through blood or by marriage. Only a few of the residents were at the lake that weekend, but word spread rapidly that there had been a flood and help was needed. 

     Soon, there was a crew, with rubber boots and sleeves rolled up. It was determined that water damage should be kept to a minimum so an attempt was made to sop up and scrape together as much water as possible and remove it from the house. Because there was carpet throughout, much of the overflow had soaked into those carpets. They were mostly throw rugs, not wall to wall installations, and each room had more than one piece of carpet to cover the bare plywood subfloor. It was backbreaking and dirty work to lift all those carpets, heavily laden with gallons of water, but soon the house was cleared of wet flooring and there was a big pile of sodden smelly carpet lying at the side of the parking area. Only one or two fans were available but they were set up in the house to begin the almost impossible task of drying the house. 

     Anything wet but salvageable was hung up to dry on the deck rails or wherever there was room. By now it was close to midnight and there was discussion about staying at a motel for the night. The neighbors would not hear of it and soon everyone had a place at a neighbor's, on the floor or in a spare room. Exhaustion was deep but sleep did not come easily, not only because of the strange sleeping arrangements, but the trauma and anxiety of what to do next weighed heavily on everyone.  

     Very little sleep was had that night, and at early light, everyone was up to see the damage in the light of day. It was not a pretty sight. The basement ceiling was on the verge of collapse and the strong odor of  wet plywood and drywall permeated the whole house. The insurance company was called and they promised that somebody (a crew) would be there by late morning. They had to come from a long way off but would stay until the job was done. That is, the job of drying out the house, which was the first priority. An assessor/project manger would also arrive on scene to determine what the insurance company could and would do. 

    There was nothing more for Em and Tod, Kris and Hillary to do so they left midmorning for home. Greg and Ethel would stay in the cabin and be there to look after anything that was required of the owners, over and above what the insurance company would do. They were heartbroken and discouraged. All they could see was a ruined home and questions about their future there. All their plans for the spring were on hold. The garden could be planted and cared for but with their house off limits, and working out of their cramped cabin, it would be back to pioneer days, something they thought they had left behind them for good. 

Lake House Diaries 5

        The early Spring opening was always done by Greg and Ethel. There was a routine. The first thing was to call ahead to the town office and have the domestic and irrigation water turned on at the street. The valve at the top of the property would then be turned on as Greg and Ethel were about to open the house for the first time. The water was off all winter, part of 'winterizing'. Then the taps were slowly opened to pressurize the pipes and vigilance was taken to make sure there were no leaks. But on this day, procedure and protocol were overridden when a helpful neighbour, who knew they were arriving, did them a favor and turned on the water at the top of the property. 

     Part of winterizing was to open all the taps and drain the plumbing so there would be no freezing pockets of water. The laundry tub taps had been opened and after the water drained, they were accidently left open. This would not have been a problem except for the fact that a plastic bag had been left, or had fallen into the sink, plugging the drain at the bottom of the tub. 

     It was several hours from the time the water was turned on until Greg and Ethel arrived, all the while, water pouring into the laundry tub with no way to get past the plastic bag into the drain. It was the only tap that had inadvertently been left on. But it was enough.

    Eldest daughter Em, and her husband Tod, had arranged to arrive at the same time to help open the house and to take a few days off work. Em's sister, Hillary, and her husband Kris, were also due to arrive at the same time. The instant the back door to the house opened, the sense of disaster was evident. There was the ominous sound of running water, gushing water, and a splashing and dripping that would haunt them for a long time. The humidity in the house was overwhelming, and the first few footsteps into the house were met with a sloshing, squishing sound. 

    The laundry room was just around the corner and it was evident that the problems were originating there and the tap on the laundry tub was immediately turned to the off position. A quick assessment was done and it became immediately apparent that the whole upstairs was flooded and many gallons of water had run down the stairs or leaked through the ceilings into the suite on the lower floor. Ankle deep in places, it was obvious that nobody was going to be staying in the house that night or any other night for a long time. 

     The "helpful" neighbor came to welcome us home but got the shock of his life when he saw what he had done. There was no time for remorse or apologies, but immediate action had to be taken. The word spread through the neighborhood like wildfire and soon there was a large crew, ready to roll up their sleaves and do whatever they could to ease the trauma for Greg and Ethel. 

     Greg was not in a good way as he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer only recently, and the female hormones he was taking were causing an adverse and uncharacteristic reaction to this man of action who could take the bull by the horns and solve any problem. His family became very concerned, and indeed, he was never the same after this traumatic incident. As it turned out, this would be a turning point in the dynamics of the Lake house. 

Lake House Diaries 4

      There were two locations where Greg and Ethel could be found in the next few years. If it was winter, they were in their cozy home in the city, entertaining friends and family, and planning for the next season at the Lake. Early Spring to late Fall found them at the lake. They were very predictable in those years. Their children were all married and independent, but always came to visit. It was known in the immediate family exactly where they would be and when they would be there. 

    On the trips home, their vehicle would be laden with canning and harvested vegetables from the garden. The trips back to the lake saw the van packed with items to add to the decor, more tools with which to tinker, and any other amenity that they might need for the summer. Having a workshop in both locations, Greg was never at a loss for something to tinker with, invent, repair, or create. 

     Fruit was a readily available commodity in the desert country so there was ample opportunity to can or preserve a lot of it. Greg invented and built a fruit drier that served them well for many years. At Christmas, the family would be treated to dried apples, apricots, plums and pears. The Walnut trees were beginning to bear and blanching and roasting them became an art and were a family favourite. The nuts were only available because of Greg's sharp shooting ability with the pellet gun, in his constant battle with the squirrels. 

   Their children and their spouses, and the up and coming bevy of grandchildren, began to book cabin time for the summer months. It was rare that more than one family at a time were there. There was plenty of room, with a basement suite and the original cabin on the terrace above the house, but each family wanted some privacy and also did not want to overwhelm Greg and Ethel with noise and busyness. They were getting older and needed their downtime, at least for a quick afternoon nap. 

     It was a great opportunity for Greg and Ethel's grandchildren to get to now them and to do a bit of bonding. Years later the majority of the memories of "Oma and Opa" would revolve around the times spent at the Lake House. Summertime at the lake became a great memory builder, memories both good and bad. Whether water sports or lounging in the shade with a good book, it was a time of no work, no school, no distractions, early morning walks, and mostly leisurely days of sunshine and good food. Of course, there were always chores to be done, but in those years, Greg and Ethel were young enough and strong enough to take care of most of the maintenance work. 

   But, then one early spring day, the first day of the season, opening day, it all came crashing down, and it would never be the same.  

Lake House Diaries 3

     Frugality was a driving force in the lives of Greg and Ethel. Having spent their teen years surviving the ravages of WW11 in the European theater, they had little to nothing in the way of possessions or even food, in their teen years. Finding something of value, making something out of almost nothing, and just making do with so very little, shapes one's approach to material goods and possessions. Being resourceful was a strong trait that Greg had developed throughout his young life and that ability to innovate, invent and create, found a home in the construction of their dream vacation cottage on the lake. 

    Greg's livelihood was in the construction business and he had many friends who were contractors who would buy older "tear down" homes, salvage what was still useful, and then haul away the rubble and build new. The salvage piles were treasure to Greg. Light fixtures, turn of the century glass door knobs, patio railing, furniture, and scraps of old but good quality carpet were but a few of the items that found their way to the Lake House construction site. Apart from the main frame and concrete work on the house, almost everything was a hodge-podge, a potpourri of mismatched odds and ends. It was always interesting to see what new treasure was incorporated into the house as it slowly became a home. 

    It became apparent early on that it would be a place where roughing it was going to be the norm. It was much better than a tent, but it was by no means luxurious or even all that comfortable. But that was OK because when at the lake in the summer, indoors was only for sleeping at night. During the day there was gardening, pruning, cutting, raking, planting, weeding, harvesting, and maybe if all the work was done, a little bit of beach time, or a boat ride. Everything was happening outdoors, so who needed a nice house. 

    The walls and ceiling had little insulation, in fact the house had to be "winterized" each Fall before abandoning it for the winter months. There was an electric furnace and an airtight wood stove in the basement, but these were only adequate enough to make the house comfortably warm in the shoulder seasons. In a very cold winter, the water pipes would probably freeze as well as anyone trying to sleep in the cold bedrooms. 

     In 1982, the final concrete pour took place. Initials were carved in the wet cement, and a little brass plaque was imbedded in the last stretch of sidewalk to be troweled smooth. The initial push was completed. Now it would be a home for up to 8 months of the year, and the finishing touches could be done leisurely. The dream was taking shape, and the new life adventure was becoming a reality.       

Lakehouse Diaries 2

     Greg and Ethel were hard workers. Having both come from a youth of deprivation, they learned early in life that for them there was no free lunch. If they wanted something, or wanted to accomplish a goal, they had to roll up their sleeves and do it. Procrastination was not in their vocabulary. No sooner had the plans for the property come to finalization, earth movers, bulldozers, and backhoes were on the property. The gentle slope of the property had to be terraced, making a series of benches for garden areas, a place for their first, but temporary dwelling, and a level building site for what would eventually be the permanent house.  

    If their plans were shared with their family, it was unbeknownst to Em and Tod. For them, each visit was a new revelation and a surprise at how quickly things were coming together. Friends as well as their oldest sons were recruited to help. There was a lot of heavy work and Ethel was right there beside Greg, shoveling rocks and dirt, pouring cement, all while preparing the garden for the first planting. As if that did not keep her busy, and tire her out, she was responsible for feeding the crews and catering to Greg's restrictive diabetic diet.

    Friends from Vancouver would come, being promised a free camping spot right on the lake, and then would be recruited for some kind of construction work. Mealtimes were a big party with plenty of watermelon, BBQ, and homemade baking. If Greg was the brains and the brawn of the project, Ethel was the heart and soul. She never wavered once under the workload. 

     The "cabin" was completed early in the process and soon they lived in it instead of in the camper van. It was only a place to sleep or perhaps take shelter in adverse weather conditions. All activities were outdoors, as the land began to take on a civilized shape. Fruit trees and shade trees planted, many coming from the eastern shore of the lake which was undeveloped. Those trees would, in the years to come, be such an incredible blessing when the hot July and August sun would beat down from the south. A long cedar hedge was planted along the southern perimeter of the building site, both as a wind break, a source of needed shade, and a privacy shield from future neighbors. 

    By the second year, the constant watering and the installation of irrigation was paying off. The property was turning green but there was no lawn in the first year or two. The garden and the few fruit trees were being watered and were thriving. It no longer looked like the barren wasteland of desert that it had been. Em and Tod were beginning to see the vision that their parents had, although it was still looking rough and a bit primitive. 

Next came the collecting of the odds and ends from demolition sites in Vancouver, house parts that were still usable, but dated and worn. These would become a hallmark of the vacation home. 

Lakehouse Diaries

      The following ramblings are about a real life adventure. I thought it was time to immortalize the story in printed format before a) I get too old to remember b) life goes on for everybody and history is forgotten. This is a true story with some details and names changed to avoid offending anyone. Only those who are intimate with the story will know who the characters are and I do not doubt that perhaps some might be offended. Let it be known that this is the story according to my own personal memories and recollections. Included is "my take on things", realizing that many events are open to interpretation and seen through different eyes, experiences, biases, and general views on life. 

     Let's start at the beginning when Greg and Ethel were approaching possible early retirement after starting and growing a successful business. They heard about some property in the interior of British Columbia, that was on a lake, had a warm dry climate, and was just south of the US/Canada border. Some friends had already purchased in the area and were very encouraging. 

     The idea appealed to Greg and Ethel because in their early married life, they were pioneers in a South American Country and if they bought this piece of barren desert it would be like reliving those early years, except this time they would have the resources to do it properly. It was 1979, the Canadian $$ was just above par, and it was very easy to cross the border in either direction. The children were more or less all grown up and could not only fend for themselves when alone, but could even help with the ambitious project taking place in Greg and Ethel's minds. 

     The realtors were approached, a price ($40,000.00)was agreed upon, and they were soon the proud owners of 3/4 of an acre, right on the lake, but with a whole lot of nothing else, unless sage brush, cactus, and rattle snakes count for something. 

     Their eldest daughter was married with two small children and they were one of the first to visit the 'new property'. Greg and Ethel were staying in a camper van while scouting out the property, drawing lines, measuring, and planning where the house would be, etc. Ethel seemed to only care about where the garden would be, but played an active roll in all plans. The daughter Em and her husband Tod, were a bit shocked at first. They did not have the vision or desire for anything like what they were seeing and were skeptical to say the least. Tod particularly, saw nothing but back-breaking work in the heat and dust, not having a creative bent, but more appreciating that which had already been built or developed. But then, he and his father-in-law were so very different in so many ways. Soon the work would begin in earnest and Tod was content to know that he had his own business to run back home and this would be a project that he would observe from a distance. That was true, to a point. 

Day 29

      I pulled the plug today. Last night we had my grandson and his wife over for dinner and although what I ate was carnivore, I had a rich and creamy chocolate desert with whipped cream. I think that officially ends it. Except for February on a leap year, there are no months with 29 days, but that is close enough to a month.  

    The evaluation: It was more difficult that I thought it would be. 

                              No question, the weight loss happened and I am better for it. 

                              My appetite was definitely decreasing as the days went by, but then that might be why I always felt like I was running on an empty tank. Perhaps not enough fat. 

                             The metabolic highs and lows (glucose levels) were most certainly leveled out. No strong desire for that afternoon nap.

                             Strength felt diminished somewhat. Often a bit shaky in the legs. 

                             Definitely a fiber shortage and the accompanying problems with little fiber in the diet,. 

                            The lack of variety is a big problem, however I will never tire of one of those amazing steaks that I learned to perfect. I am done with greasy bacon and eggs for some time to come. 

                            The diverticulosis is completely gone. We will see how long it takes to return, if indeed it will. 

                           General aches and pains decreased to a very tolerable level. 

                           Itch on upper body and arms is getting worse by the day. Don't know if it is related, but will find out as I ease back into a 'normal' diet. 

                           The Viking's disease that I thought was in remission was feeling better for a few days but I attribute that now to a change in the weather. It is a type of arthritis and as such is susceptible to changes in atmospheric pressure.  

                          My biggest worry, the gout and kidney stones, was never an issue other than that little scare one day when I woke to what I thought was a pain in my right kidney. It left and never came back. 

      Would I do it again? Yes, if my body required it. Going forward, I will attempt to cut back on the carbs and for sure the sugar. This morning I had toast and coffee for breakfast, but for lunch the same old chicken broth with meat in it, and two boiled eggs. I am looking forward to those Cosmic Crisp apples once again. 

      Would I recommend it? I suppose it depends a lot on what sort of health issues one might have, but, yes, it is worth a try for anyone. Stick to it or you will never really know what it can do for you. 

     Thanks for joining me on this little adventure. 

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