It didn’t take long for the secret to get out. Tal and his mother were the first friend visitors of ours to visit Awanabatch but word spread fast. Thurston and his family own an amazing, one-of-a-kind property on Lake Superior in Canada.
Hints became commonplace at get-togethers—some subtle and some not so subtle. Adding one more thing for me to stress over: keeping peace among the ranks.
It’s not just about managing the growing list of people who would love to come up; it’s also about working around the family’s shared calendar. You can’t simply call your friends and ask, “What week works for you?”
With nine owners, we drew numbers to determine who got first choice of dates. As luck would have it, we drew number seven, meaning six others chose their weeks before us. By the time our turn comes around, most of the peak weather weeks are gone.
You get what you get and hope for the best. Two things you can’t depend on are the fish and the weather. The guys hope the fish are biting, while the ladies hope for some sun. I prefer it to be hot enough to get in the water. Even in August, we can’t guarantee a week of fun in the sun; it might be summer in Michigan and early fall in Batchawana.
If you invite X, then you must invite Y and Z. You don’t want to invite two alphas at the same time, nor do you want too many planners in the same group. I find myself thinking through the dynamics and second-guessing who will get along with whom. You know—the self-appointed activity director in me kicking in.
While many people think they want to come, I know some of them wouldn’t really enjoy the slow pace, the critters or the lack of modern conveniences like Wi-Fi, television and stores within minutes. This isn’t an all-inclusive resort. On the flip side, some haven’t been invited because we’re afraid; they might like it so much they wouldn’t want to leave!
Several people have been invited, but the timing didn’t work out. You can hear the fear in their voices when they decline, worried that they’ll never be given another opportunity.
Some friends have gone to extraordinary lengths to earn an invitation, including donating an entire kitchen and then coming to Awanabatch to help install it. Sadly, they are so busy that they haven’t been able to return. Some have already earned return invitations, while others are still waiting for their first visit. Who would have thought that being blessed with so many good friends could be a curse?
Back in the day, Thurston and all his cousins would pile into one room and sleep on any surface available – chaise lounges, couches or the floor. Now we expect everyone to have their own bed, preferably nothing smaller than a queen-size bed.
Recently, we invited a carefully selected group of friends, and I realized that at least one of the couples would need to stay in the upstairs bedroom of the old cabin. Having not grown up sleeping there, I don’t have fond memories of staying up all night catching up with my cousins. I find it just plain creepy.
Not to mention that the last time we assigned someone to the upstairs bedroom, they came to us the next morning wondering if there was anywhere else they could sleep for the rest of the weekend. It seems the bed had developed such a deep sag in the middle that it was impossible for two people not to roll together. Add a small dog to the mix, and you have a recipe for disaster.
To avoid a repeat of that, our last-minute solution was to hook up the camper and bring it with us. It solved our sleeping problem – while creating an entirely different problem before we ever reached Awanabatch. But that’s a story of its own.
Provided you make it onto the list and through the border crossing, we have very few rules—other than enjoying yourself. You will, however, be expected to contribute something to the bar: a fifth of liquor or a case of your preferred beverage, whether you drink or not. Alcohol is not readily available up there, and it comes at a high price. (Even higher when there’s seizure and penalties involved!)
I create a spreadsheet outlining the meal plan, and everyone brings their assigned food—along with enough extra to feed us for another week if we get stranded. Everyone is overly generous with their contributions of food and drink, sometimes to a fault, since taking most of it back across the border is a no-no.
While Thurston and I enjoy inviting people back, there’s something special about first timers. We love watching their reactions to the property, introducing them to our traditions and listening as Thurston shares the history of Awanabatch. Our goal is always to leave them wanting to return—even though the waiting list for a second visit is long.
As much as we enjoy sharing Awanabatch, we’ve discovered that we like it best when it’s just the two of us. I’m happy to wear my hostess hat for most of the week, but I need at least a couple of days simply to be there.
So, who will make next year’s invitation list? I’m thinking I may need another spreadsheet – perhaps with separate columns for Invited, Invited Back and Still Waiting.
