This weeked brought the first of May and 80 degree temperatures. We celebrated by heading North. My mother-in-law has a camp in the Lakes Region. She very generously makes it available for family to use. The Lake as we refer to it is by far, one of my favorite places on earth. There is a TV, but we rarely turn it on. There is Internet access, but that just means my husband can really vacation there because if a client desperately needs him, he can help without having to leave.

There’s a lake for enjoying, and activities for partaking, or . . . not. There are playgrounds for the kids and other kids for the kids. There is a well posted and community enforced speed limit of 10 miles an hour. There is excellent pizza and fabulous ice cream within reasonable driving distance.

By far, my favorite feature is this.

A firepit, encircled with comfortable chairs. There is usually cooler with cold beverages close by. After the kids go to bed, we sit and swap stories, or we don’t talk at all. We just sit and watch the flames dance. It is my definition of relaxation.

Yes, there are meals to be prepared, and cleaning to be done. but less of both. The space is smaller, the pace slower, life, simpler.

This weekend we made the first of what will be many trips in the summer of 2010 and it was a much needed break for all of us.

Ahhhhhhh