This morning was both close and still. High humidity and no wind created a dense fog overnight. One that obscured Canada and one of the few fogs this summer. Today, Jay and Carl are leading a charge south to Metro. Ashlan, Allen and Ellijah were flying home to NYC, but that was all still hours away. Still, the day’s hubbub had begun. There was a feeding frenzy in the kitchen, so I jumped at Anne’s offer to walk the beach, ducking out the sleeping porch via my new steps.

We started walking the short end but went on to do the long. It was on this end that we eventually saw the Gott, after having listened to it toot its way down from Whitefish Bay. In the fog, it had been able to sneak behind the island, but when it popped out again, we spied it and I got the above fuzzy picture of it. We chased it all the way to Cedar Point. On the way back we saw some waterfowl that we initially dismissed as Mergansers. It was a much smaller flock than yesterday’s horde, but there was something funny about them. It turned out that they were White pelicans, returning from the arctic, working their way south to Saint Louis and the Mississippi.

For lunch we fled the cabin abetted by Anne and Bill. Pickles! Whitefish Ruebens, flies, a Belted kingfisher, possibly a grebe, but definitely flies. And Laila as barmaid for us barflies!

We are our running out of summertime up here. Not that today’s weather would indicate that. The morning’s fog has turned sunny, and the mercury has shot up above eighty. This is nothing to the Hot Town, Summer in the City that would greet us if we returned home. Anyway, we are planning on staying up here through Labor Day, the traditional end of summer. On Labor Day there is a bridge closure for the annual walk. So, can’t leave then. The next day the roads south may be too crowded after the closure. Stay tuned, but don’t worry, winter is coming.

Six adults adulting, with one child to rule them all. Unlike the previous four child residents of the cabin, who all brought their brother with them, Elijah has the cabin all to himself, with six adults to serve him and only him. We exist to serve you! WETSU!! Last night at bedtime, Allen appeared out of the natal bedroom with the evening’s story time pronouncement. A command performance had been issued; Grandma and Auntie Pooh had been tapped as the evening’s story time tag team. Further, for tomorrow night, Grandpa was placed on deck. I thankfully was not mentioned. I am a terrible reader. For me reading aloud is akin to public speaking. Except without all the nervousness that that activity always brought. Still, I labor through these books. Intoning them with a certain flatness and halting manner that it inevitably elicits a cry of, “You’re not doing it right.” Maybe next time…

We made it to the cabin (again). At the bridge, the weather was not storming, yet. The front was still north of it. This is rather a rendering of what our crossing might have looked like had we dawdled. Not to worry though, there was still plenty of action on the bridge. In short, we were so busy Instagram-like documenting our crossing that we almost had an accident.

We safely arrived at the cabin less than an hour later. Once here, Anne exchanged proofs-of-life with Harry, returning him to Jane Control, at least in my mind. No loss of life on our watch! The cabin was pretty much like I left it, except all the windows were open and a small craft warning was blowing in off of the lake. Jay and Carl are moments away. Then we’ll all enjoy the fine-looking pesto that Jane left us for dinner.

It was a pleasure minding Harry for the past week. His care requirements are way easier than that of a three-year-old. Our stay with him was bookended with its two highpoints. On the first night, I arrived in time to attend his 99th birthday celebration. He gave a short speech, basically telling everyone a joke that was well received with much laughter. Yesterday, Anne and I took Harry for a ride in the country. He really enjoyed the drive. This morning he found a surprise left him in his refrigerator by the food Faries. Anne could not finish her brunch yesterday and boxed it up, then left it in Harry’s fridge. He was quite pleased with the peach French toast this morning.