So long to our spot on Lake Cavanaugh

Uncle Sam skis by at noon every July 4 at Lake Cavanaugh.

The Saul-Triesch family spent another Fourth of July weekend at the cabin we have shared with the Kelly family for the past 30 years. It was special this year because the weather was the best we have ever had for the July 4th weekend (the longtime joke in the Pacific Northwest has always been that summer started on July 5 as you were driving home from your rainy holiday outing).

And it was our last July 4 weekend as part owners in the cabin. We sold our share back to the Kellys, whose children said they would divorce their parents if they sold the cabin. So the Kelly family is saved -- and growing as they are all in London for the marriage of the oldest son. Best wishes to Charlie and Becks, and to Tom and Jodi, who are now offering the cabin as a vacation rental if you are interested in some fine swimming, boating and just lazing around.

The Saul family hopes to clear debts and settle into some vacation rentals in other parts of the world.

Jake with the next generation.

But it was nice to have one last perfect weekend at the place, which we bought into when our son Jake was a year old. I wanted to replicate for my child the experience I had at my Uncle Leil and Ethel's cottage at Devil's Lake in Michigan. And I think for the most part, I succeeded.

Only a few pangs of regret as I played in the water with my niece's son, watched some amazing sunsets and ate way too much food. It's a given that anyone with a drop of Triesch or Reynolds blood has to bring enough food to a family gathering to feed everyone there, which means our food excess is equal to all everyone can eat multiplied by the number of people attending.

But I won't miss wrestling with the water system, forever weed whacking and taking in the docks each year. From now on I want to stay in places where someone else takes care of all that.