Sheila and Angie came for Labor Day weekend and it was so much fun. Those two have the most positive outlook on everything and experiencing the lake with them brought me a new level of appreciation for the life I have here.

We spent long hours in our PJs reading books and pottering around the kitchen; took a rainy boat ride with Captain Karen; joined a trivial pursuit party, made delicious meals preceded by yummy cocktails; skinny-dipped under the stars; kayaked; and went on many gorgeous swims.

It’s actually been a summer of visitors with an uncanny number of my closest friends visiting from California.

A few weeks ago, Laura and Helen came. The weather was warm and we spent a lovely few days soaking in the lake, the view, the conversation. These days it seems like we only ever see each other for a couple of hours at a time over a meal and it was so nice to stretch it out, to relax in the abundance of time.

They missed Eliza by only a day. It’s not quite right to call Eliza a visitor, since this is her place, too, and it still feels like something is missing when she and Hazel aren’t here. But, sadly a visit was all she could manage this summer. Short but very sweet.

And Eliza overlapped with a visit from Maggie and Frederick! We were so busy talking we took nearly no pictures. I promise we did more than just lounge.