Rendlaw's Rest

Today I am thankful for my family's cabin.  I had the chance to drive to the cabin yesterday with my Dad to help winterize the pipe that brings water to our cabin from a spring on top of the mountain. It was a great opportunity to reminisce about all the fun I have had at the cabin during the past 35 years.

My parents bought their cabin in 1976 and, much to my chagrin, made my brother, sister and I go every single weekend from Memorial Day to Labor Day -- all summer long.  We had no TV, the DS had not been invented (in fact, it was even pre-walkman), the only sanctioned radio station played Frank Sinatra, and, worst of all, there was "nothing to do"!  

Well, unless you considered the cool creek that we played in, 

the awesome games of kick the can, hiking to the fire tower on top of the mountain, 

playing card games with the "grown-ups" late into the night,

dinner cooked on the charcoal hibachi followed by sticky roasted marshmallows,

 cuddling under Bammy's handmade quilts to read the new Danielle Steele novel, 

the weekends when our cousins came and all the kids slept on the front porch giggling into the early morning hours,

capturing creepy creatures,

or building sand castles and splashing in the ice-cold water at nearby RB Winter State Park.

As I grew older, the cabin became a great place to bring friends.  

Circa 1977

In college I was (finally) allowed to take friends without parental supervision!  My parents read my blog, so I can't say much more than the creek sure did make a great spot to chill beer, um, I mean soda ...

1983

Now, as a parent myself, I love to take my kids to the cabin as often as possible.  Olivia had her first visit to the cabin for our annual 4th of July gathering when she was only 5 days old. 

With Great Gram on July 4, 2004

I am thrilled for my kids to have "nothing to do".  I love that they look forward to the weekends when their cousins come, 

to playing board games on the front porch,

to family dinners with Grandma's  cooking and her "famous" iced spiced coffee, 

and to falling asleep amidst the chirping of crickets.  

The cabin has been many things to me over the years:  a place of great laughter, a refuge, a romantic escape,  a place of extraordinary beauty that is filled with warmth and comfort and memories.   I remember making my sister laugh so hard she peed the bed, I remember sleeping in the car with my brother because we saw a mouse run down the wall, I remember shaving my legs for the very first time (with my Dad's razor) in the cabin's clawfoot tub, I remember playing truth or dare with my cousins, I remember the heat of the coal stove in the chilly fall, and the smell of Aunt Mill's dutch cakes baking in the oven, I remember falling asleep feeling completely safe, so happy to be with the people I loved most on the earth.   During the time that I have been going to our cabin I have graduated from college, I have lost 3 grandparents, I have fallen in love, I have traveled to 5 continents, I have given birth to 4 children ... I have grown up.  I am thankful that my children will be able to experience some of the same things I did as they too grow up in the mountains of PA.

2002

2003

2007 (yes, we were there in 2004, 2005 & 2006, but I can't seem to find my pictures to prove it!)

2008

2009

2010

2011 ... I can't wait for 2012