The title is obviously a play on the book/movie from decades past regarding the trials of staying up in a sometimes down world. In other words, it was one of 'those' weekends. Lots of good mixed in with plenty bad.
THE BAD
The weekend started with a bang. Literally. We intended to wake up early Saturday morning, as we each had a long run to do, despite staying up too late and drinking too much Friday night. It was somewhere between 6 and 6:30 am when we got a text that Jane's nephew had taken his life.The next hour was filled with phone calls, texts, tears, and "what-in-the-hell-is-going-on"'s.
It turns out, one of the nephews in Colorado had shot himself late Friday night. He, of course, had been the one taking care of Jane's brother who's been having serious health problems of his own. Fortunately the brother was temporarily at an extended care facility, but beyond that it is quite a messy situation. Left behind are two, maybe three, kids - one of which is going into his senior year of high school and who I don't believe has any contact with his mother - and a whole lot of uncertainty everywhere else. A sad situation all the way around.
THE RUN
We finally did decide to go for a run. We'd intended to head out early because of the weekend heatwave warranting air quality warnings for both Saturday and Sunday. We finally started our 6 and 12-mile runs a little before 8 am (and a little too late).
Jane struggled through some hip/leg pain to complete her 6 mile run (Lower Huntington to Bluffton Rd, through Foster and back down to the other end of LH). I was supposed to do 12 miles so I kept going. It got hotter, and muggier, and after an initial spurt of energy, I was soon sloshing sweat in my shoes and ended up having to walk around mile 10. At one point I made a judgment call to go a little off route to get a drink of water, and somehow it resulted in a run of 12.9 miles! Ugh. It was too hot and my morning toast and coffee insufficient fuel for such.
I did make it home just fine - in 2 1/2 hours - but I was spent. I soaked in a cool tub, drank and drank and drank from the sink, and then started packing for the weekend getaway.
THE GOOD (LAKE)
The high point of the weekend was a night away with our friends at their house on Lake Wawasee in Northern Indiana. It is the largest lake within Indiana's borders and is surrounded by swanky homes and sports your typical (I guess) "lake" lifestyle. This is where people with money go to get away from the daily grind, play with their fancy water toys, and kick back in style.
Somehow we've become friends with this swell down-to-earth couple who started a business that turned surprisingly lucrative and allows them to now be semi-retired. They recently acquired a million dollar home on the lake (they'd already had other homes and condo's there), and now spend most of their time there instead of their home near the Fort. We have an open invitation to visit whenever and we always have a fun yet relaxing time when we're together.
We usually try to get in an overnight visit at least once a summer, and this was our first trip to this home. It was not gaudy, but nonetheless luxurious and quite comfortable. The 5-bedroom 4-bath house is gated at the end of a street and every room has a view of the lake. There is also a deck running the length of the house looking out onto their private pier with boat, wave-runner, swimming area, trampoline and various other water toys. This is a world we cannot relate to but occasionally get to visit.
So, we spent from early afternoon Saturday to early afternoon Sunday processing the early part of Saturday in the company of good friends and the serenity of nature's gentle wave. I think it was good for us, in spite of it all.
We really didn't do much... Hung around the house Saturday afternoon before going to a little dive bar for supper. We then finished off a couple bottles of wine as we took a pontoon ride around the lake and talked late into the evening. We slept in Sunday and eased into our coffee's on the deck. They have a boaters church service so we listened to that. Eventually we made our way into the water and lazed around on rafts. After cooking some burgers we headed back to reality.
It was an extremely relaxing time. That's one thing we like about these friends: we never feel like we have to be "on." Conversation is not forced, there is no pretense, and we can all be perfectly content to simply sit in one another's company. We all did a lot of just staring out onto the water. It was nice.
The only negative to the weekend - at the lake anyway - was while cruising in the boat. You see a lot of other boats, partiers, and the lavish landscapes of incredible homes around the lake, and while it's all very nice, Jane and I both shared with each other that we couldn't help feeling guilty. I suppose there's nothing wrong with having a lot of money, and even enjoying it, but it seemed so... excessive. I don't know. I don't ever want that to be my goal in life - making a lot of money so I can acquire a lot of stuff. I have too much stuff as it is, and the thought of having more kind of just makes my stomach turn a little.
Anyway, we had a nice time and feel fortunate to have been there - especially on this weekend. Jane was obviously preoccupied much of the time talking with relatives and making plans. She will head to Colorado this week, because she is not only a good sister and aunt, but a good person. I remember thinking at one point this weekend, if there is ever anybody I am glad is on my side, it's my wife. I know of no one more self-less and caring than her. I am a lucky man.
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