Just A Little Moment

Just want to stretch this little moment out forever.

Weekend Adventures With Merwin

It was a great weekend up at Round Pond welcoming our first guests of the season! Pete and his crew tackled some projects around the house, fixing an electrical issue, securing a bench and table, rigging up new lighting in the bunkhouse, floating the raft out, and repairing the base of the canoe. We repeated a short hike we did last year and Merwin tore around the trail and surrounding forest, challenging any notion that he is on his last legs. It was such a pleasure to see him dashing around like a banshee, happy as can be in his element. He also took a swim in neighboring Great East Lake, though oddly continues to refuse a dip in Round Pond. He wasn't pumped to be part of our Monday afternoon flotilla but I can guarantee he would prefer riding in the canoe than remaining alone on shore. He's living the life, no matter how much he has left.

Just A Little Moment

Nature is crazy I tell you. We've seen hundreds of sunsets descending over the pond since purchasing our little place nearly 5 years ago. Sunsets must be like snowflakes because I swear I've never seen two that are the same. I guess, duh, but the show that goes on some nights is just amazing, especially one like this so early in the season. Spectacular!

Roller Coaster

I want off this stupid ride. A few weeks ago, it seemed that we had a bit of a reprieve with Merwin's cancer struggle. Testing indicated a slower moving form of lymphoma that, when treated with less aggressive chemo drugs from home, could result in remission. Instead of weeks or months, we were looking at years. But we went to the vet Friday and like all the drugs before it, this one made no dent in his cancer. His lymph nodes have swelled again and for some reason, his cancer cells are super resistant to everything we throw at them. It seems this little odd-ball is also a weirdo when it comes to defying the statistics and doing it his way. 

We tried one last drug on Friday, but given his track record, it seems unlikely it will help the situation. Up until today he has seemed like his normal self, but this morning he didn't finish his breakfast and wasn't that interested in a walk, both hallmarks of Merwin being Merwin. 

Looking back on it, I realize that the last two weeks under the context of that now distant good news shifted my perspective. It was back to normal with the dog and our comfortable companionship free of my maudlin, dreary, "this is the end" thoughts. It's hard not to feel that way now which makes me grateful we had that time together when I wasn't envisioning the worst, when I felt he was going to fill our lives with his wacky presence for a bit longer. When we could just be.

But alas, here we are. This is where we have to be now. I don't think I can do it, but somehow, I will. 

Spring Cleaning

I've never been one for yard work, just ask my mom and dad. Perhaps I've changed my ways because we spent the last few weekends knee deep in dirt and leaves, tidying up the Round Pond property for summer guests. I loved it! 

The first spring we owned the place I distinctly remember Simon working hard to convince me we needed to rake all the leaves around the house. I was afraid it wouldn't look natural if we did that (also, see note about not enjoying yard work). Needless to say, he won the argument and the annual rake has been our first activity every opening weekend. We added some mulch around our little forsythia trees and under the rhododendron, constructed a stone border for the periwinkle imported from the Vineyard, axed out an old stump in preparation for a new Cypress tree, trimmed up the prickers and weeds along the lakefront, and raked the entire driveway. Some deck furniture got dusted off and placed on the deck and we are ready for YOU!