Sunday, August 12, 2012

Lowrie Family Reunion - 2012

We all got together again.  It had been, I think, four years since we last did this, but everyone came out to celebrate US again.  There were a few sad subtractions to this celebration, but they were made less painful by the many new additions to the family.

I really missed my Mom #6 and her sister Colette, my Godmother #1, but we had a great time and seeing everyone was just a perfect thing after a perfect week up the cottage.

Here is us all trying to get into one small area.  There were quite a few of us there.  I think our numbers go up to #153 right now, but there were more than that with cousins and guests.

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Saturday, August 11, 2012

Conneaut Lake 2012

On Sunday, August, 5th, we loaded up the van and headed to PA for our annual week up Conneaut Lake.  Dad had paid for the week this year as a thank you for those of us who helped out with the costs of Mom's funeral.  We made his presence a condition of the deal, as he had not come up the last few years.

After about 6 hours of driving, we arrived to a nice day.  I was playing with my new phone and have some photos to share.  I take one photo over and over.  It seems like it is a little different each time I take it. 

Here is the first days sunset.

Each day, I was the first one up and it was always fun to walk around and enjoy the quiet.  Monday morning dawned still and calm.  This photo shows a very still lake.

I took the kayak out that morning and paddled to Wolf Island.  The wind had picked up by then and heading to the island was against the wind.  Coming back was much easier.  I explored the island once again.  Someone owns it now and has a dock and campfire area along with some storage.  I still like checking it out.  Mark Twain spend a Summer there one year early in the last century. 

Turk came up in the evening and we had some good party times. 

That night it cooled off some and the we had a misty morning.

Today, when I took the kayak out near the dock, Ginger acted like she wanted to come along.  I went into the shore and she jumped into the water to come to me.  I pulled her in and we paddled around the area.  She had second thoughts about it after she got in, but we went out together one more time the next day.  I stayed up until 1 am that night listening to my iPod and drinking Tom's home made wine.

Megan spent a couple days up with us before heading home to go somewhere with her BF Mike who then proposed to her.  Looks like two wedding are coming up.  (Kristan's and whenever Megan's will be).

On Wednesday, the weather changed somewhat.  We had fun watching the thunder storms approach from the West.  It got pretty intense and dumped quite a bit of rain on us.  We had fun trying to get a picture of lightning until Austin figured out you can just take a video and see it that way. 


We went to Crackle Barrel for dinner.

On Thursday we tried to make a meat sauce that was close to what my Mother used to make as a tribute to her and her wonderful cooking skills.  What we ended up with was pretty good. 

On Friday, more storms came through.  One late in the day left behind a spectacular rainbow.  I tried out my new panorama function on my phone to try and get the whole thing into the picture.


On Saturday I did my second annual walk around the lake.  It is about 10 miles and I just like doing it.  Ginger came with me this time and I think she liked it too.

On Sunday morning, we all packed up and headed to Pittsburgh for our Family Reunion.

All in all we had a good time.  My Dad mostly laid around most of the week, but at least he was there with us.  I love Conneaut and will always have the most fondest memories of that place that I have been going to ever since I was a fetus in my mother's womb. 







Saturday, August 4, 2012

Vacation Tomorrow

Today we get ready to travel to Conneaut lake.
Happy Coast Guard day.

Simple Woodcraft