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Closing the Cottage Means Summer is Over

October 15, 2008 - SEBAGO -- Now more than 100 years old, our simple cottage is still charming, but now graced with such conveniences as a dishwasher and clothes washer and dryer.

Home to the fourth generation of our family to enjoy this quiet spot, with its view of Sebago Lake and the western mountains of Maine, we all look forward to gathering together for all those summer birthdays, swimming, fishing, hiking, picking blueberries, dining on lobster and just hanging out and relaxing.

With a hundred-year-old house, there is always something to fix.

Caulking the windows was a big job for my husband this past year, but there is always something that has broken or deteriorated over the winter. He always trims the weeds that have grown along the stone wall along the back of the property. People often ask him what he does with his time. He always says that he is not sure, but it takes all day.

Most of our guests were family members. Children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends "from away" all found a way to our door. It is a wonderful opportunity to really visit with all of them. For them, it was a chance to get away from jobs, school and the myriad things that keep them busy. Here they can take a nap, go to the beach or whatever they feel like without their cell phones, computers or the thought that they have to be someplace at a particular time.

For some, just reading a book on the back deck is enough. For others, seeing and doing something new or repeating some favorite adventure is the preferred activity. We got to go along on many of these jaunts. I can count on a trip to L.L. Bean's in Freeport, a lobster roll at Two Lights State Park and a walk around Portland Head Light each year.

Sometimes we head to Mount Washington, my husband's favorite trip. He has climbed it and run into some dreadful weather, driven up it and has the bumper sticker "This car climbed Mt. Washington" to prove it and taken the cog railroad, still one of the best ways to enjoy the view. We love it all.

Closing up the cottage is work, with no joy involved. It means, of course, the end of another summer. We will miss the camaraderie of family and friends who have come to visit. It also means an end to the peace and quiet of our daily life in Maine.

With no airplanes flying overhead, the phone seldom ringing, there is very little traffic on the local roads and life is indeed very good there.

Taking one room at a time, we slowly close up the cottage.

Taking down curtains, washing the bedding, covering the beds, it seems forlorn when each room is finished. But we persevere, taking time off for a final lunch at our favorite restaurant, a last ride around Casco Bay and a day at the Fryeburg Fair.

The final day sees the cleaning out of the refrigerator, the last load oflaundry, bringing in the porch furniture, and turning off the water.

We share a final dinner with a good friend and neighbor, linger over a bottle of wine and toast the wonderful summer we have all shared.

Now, we all wait for next year.

ANNA MARY LANG October 12, 2008
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Anna Mary Lang (e-mail: eben1@verizon.net) is a summer resident of Sebago.


Lakes: Sebago Lake
Regions: Sebago


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