Shutting it Down 2012

Well, it had to happen a little earlier than I would have liked due to Teresa's birthday party, an early Thanksgiving and Cara's allergies.  This is the first time I can recall not being out at the cottage for a single day in October due to the early long weekend, but in a way I feel fortunate that I did not wait until this weekend to shut the cottage down as we are presently having a mini-blizzard here in Winnipeg.

Shutting the cottage down is my least favourite day of the year and likely is Cara's too, albeit for substantially different reasons.  This year though Cara didn't want to come up as the cottage has been setting her allergies off horribly and with so many other things were going on during the September weekends I only got to go out for a day but I got to bring out the two older girls and Rowdy.  Everything went off without a hitch, and I even did a bit of plumbing without too much swearing!  The four hours I got to spend on the front beach with the girls and Rowdy was wonderful, but as always a certain melancholy remained...

Regardless, here are some of the highlights of the day...

Frances is channelling her inner Auntie Pearl me think...

Teresa drawing a wonderful picture of a lady made of shapes...

Teresa had to suddenly go to the washroom, and the closest one was already shut down for the season. Thusly, we meandered to the new washroom all the while Frances insisted on butt scootching her way down the "sand hills" of the boardwalk.

Teresa discovered a bone from the Lake Winnipeg Monster!!!

Cara and I listened to the girls when they insisted that they would not swim.  Ooops.

And Frances follows suit

Playing on an island.  Rowdy had a heck of a day, as he got swim and chase a ball for over four hours.

One last sunset.  No bugs for this one!

A last view of the cottage with the moon overhead.  This is likely the last time I will need to poly the front door come fall...  Sigh...