Donia's Story

When I think about the cabin, there are so many memories that I don't know where to start. The cabin is as old as I am...22 years, and I have 22 years of memories to share.

The ride to the cabin alone was a blast. My favorite road to take is the bumpy road, until they flattened it out. I would usually get a little car sick. (Mom's note: a LITTLE? Any amount of throwing up is not a little carsick!) I loved stopping at the Big Apple when it was open. We would get some fresh apple cider and apple crisp! MMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

I remember always wanting to go up there, and almost every winter we would go for a few days and play in the snow. Grandpa and Grandma bought a bunch of sleds and we would go pick any driveway to sled down, or our Dads would sometimes help us dig a snow run. I loved the taste and smell of snow. I would never want to leave.

The cabin has some kind of peace to it. I don't know if its because it is so far away and in the trees, or if it was because it was a get away, or what, but the cabin is so peaceful. I love going up when the whole family goes up. We would never want to fall asleep and we always wanted to be the first ones up. We never were though. Grandpa always got up at like, 4am and went to the coffee shop. I remember sleeping on the couch and Grandpa would tip toe around trying not to wake us up, but he always did! It seems he always wore a flannel shirt and his blue vest.

Grams would be up next and would be getting

coffee started and walking around in her moo-moo. The kids would wake up one by one, and go up stairs and have some hot cocoa and color and kick the cupboards. (Mom's note: They'd just swing their feet while sitting on the bar stools, so the cupboards below got kicked...something we forever were saying not to do!) We would wait for everyone else to "rise and shine" and then the day would start!

The kids would go have snowball fights and build forts and play hide 'n seek. We would stand on the steps and yell for Mimi and wait for her to come running. (Mimi was the dog that lived across the street)If she didn't come running, we would walk up to her door, knock and ask if she could come out and play....and she always did. She followed us everywhere and even snuck into our cabin a few times. She was so much fun. I remember when Grams called and told us she died...it was like we lost our own pet.

Thanksgiving is my favorite time of year I think. I love it when we all go to the cabin for Thanksgiving. Grandpa would take so much pride in his turkey and stuffing.

Grams and everyone would make our pies, mashed potatoes (my personal favorite) and green bean casserole, yams....and that cranberry clump. Some one would offer the blessing and we would PIG OUT! I remember one time Harry (Aunt Jenny's Dad) was up there and he had some stories. I remember him telling me that when there is a full moon, Indians and wolves come out.
He scared me so badly...especially when I looked out the window and saw a full moon! Now whenever I see one, I remember that day.

I have seen a few deer there and there was one time (no one remembers or believes me) but there was a deer in the driveway and I was out by myself and I was eating a apple and I fed the deer an apple!! Its true I did!

Chase had me scared to death about sleeping down stairs. I tried to sleep down there once and he told me the boogie man and his wife were there and were gonna get me as soon as I fell asleep.

Then he would tell me racoons could get in and hurt me, so I literally didn't sleep downstairs for years! He also made me believe that BigFoot was there and would come out at night and that scared me enough to go inside when it started getting dark.

Thanks Chase! =-)

Nights were always fun too. We would all play games like Trivial Pursuit and Spades and Hearts. Every once in a while we would be able to get the "grown ups" to play go fish. There was the airhockey table and we had bumper pool for a while. I have so many memories of the cabin. I remember the talks I had with Aunt Holly and Aunt Jenny.

I remember the men sittin' on the porch with their coffee just enjoying the morning. Mom, Robin and Grandma would always want to go to the OUTHOUSE and SHOP.

The cabin is part of our family and I hope it always will be. Some of the best times of my life were at the cabin. I hope that when I have kids, it will be as special to them as it is for me.

~ Click Mimi to go back to Cabin Heartstrings ~
DONIA"S CABIN STORY