Spring into Summer

Although technically this is still spring, it feels more like summer.  The last few days have been truly hot, in the mid-80s -- and Lake Erie has been warm enough to wade in, if not to swim.  The cottage is almost ready to use, but there is still some work to be done outside down on the beach.  The flowers have been planted, most of the lawn furniture has been cleaned and taken outside, the grass has been mowed several times, and the patio cleared of all of winter's debris.  However, the cottage windows need washing and the curtains put back up, the floors need to be washed, the porch needs cleaning, the steps need to be scrubbed with clorox,and the picnic table needs sanding and a coat of paint.  Every spring there seems like a lot to do, but every year it somehow gets done.  It helps that as we get older, so do the grandchildren and they help with the chores.

I'm not sure why we still need to do this every year, as we don't really stay at the cottage.  Our house is right on the lake, on the bluff above the cottage.  But every year we need this spring ritual.  When we walk down the steps to the beach, we seem to go from the hurly burly of every day living to another world.  Time stands still; there are no freeways, no malls, no traffic jams, no crowded stores; just us, the trees and the lake.  Of course, each year there are more and bigger boats going by, and more jet skis pretending they are mosquitos; but there are also ducks and geese that swim by daily, kingfishers that dive in front of us, blue heron seemingly floating by on air, myriad seagulls, and every once in a while a bald eagle or two.

This is truly a place to forget your troubles; they will most certainly work themselves out while you sit on the beach with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine and just dream.

Voting in an "Off" Election

Den and I voted today.  We went to our polling place right at 3:00 PM, which was a mistake.  Our polling place is in an elementary school, which evidently lets out right after three o'clock in the afternoon.  At first we thought we would have to stand in line to vote, and I was surprised that so many people had turned out for a primary election.  Then I realized that all these people were here to pick their kids up from school.  This realization was both a relief and a disappointment.  A relief that we wouldn't have to stand in line; a disappointment that a lot of these people didn't care enough to vote.

While we were signing in, a poll worker from across the room asked one of "our" poll workers how many people had voted on that side of the room.  According to the answer, we were numbers 49 and 50.  This after 8½ hours of being open!  Granted, there were no high profile races being contested, but there were enough campaign phone calls and newspaper coverage that most people should have been aware that today was the day to vote.  And there were a few important issues to vote on, though why we need a constitutional amendment to move a gambling casino from one location in Columbus to another is a mystery to me.

Anyway, what I am trying to say, is how disappointed I am that more people don't take the time to vote, even in the primary elections.  I once had a political science professor who adamantly believed that a person could influence how this country was governed more by paying attention to the local issues and voting in local elections than sticking strictly to the "big" elections.  Today, we were choosing the Democrats and Republicans who would line up to fight for our votes in November.  If you didn't vote, how can you criticize who actually goes to Columbus and Washington?  Even if you chose to be a independent, there were still some taxing issues on the ballot that deserved your consideration.