Monday, August 28, 2017

94 Years Remembered in 94 Days-Post 52 (The Cabin)








When I was in elementary school, we would often go on a picnic to the Chirichuas after church on Sunday.   Often we went with the Hubers and the Bradys.    Sometime during these events, the three families decided to try to find a cabin.   

On Christmas Eve, 1960, George Brady was looking at the Douglas newspaper and saw an ad for a cabin in South Fork that was on the market.    I don't remember how things played out or how long it took, but we got the cabin.    I was in sixth grade that year and I was the oldest of all of kids.   I remember how often we would go to Mass and then head up to the cabin.  It was about an hour away.   

All of the kids had whistles and we were told to only use them if there was an emergency.    We also had an old air horn when it was time to have lunch or dinner.  As soon as we got to the cabin, all of the kids would take off in different directions to their favorite cave, part of the creek or whatever.   Those were the best of times!!!

Through the years, we have enjoyed the cabin so much.    My mom would go with us, but she wasn't particularly fond of spending the night there.    When my kids were little and we spent time in Douglas in the summers, we often went up for a few days.   Teresa always went with us.   She absolutely loved the cabin.

When I went back to live in Douglas in 2010, she no longer wanted to spend the night there.  I think it was too difficult for her to navigate the outhouse in the night.   However, every chance she got, she would go up for the day when I was up there with friends.   There were even times that she and I would just go up for the day.   We would take the pugs, some sandwiches and a couple of beers.     She loved to be there.

In about 2007 or 2008, she said that trying to do the bills, etc., for the cabin was getting to be too much for her.   So we met in Tucson with John Brady and Chris Huber Elzy.   Chris said that their family didn't really want to be a part of the cabin anymore because they never used it.   And she said that they didn't want anything out of it.   So Teresa sold it to John and I for $1.00.   I don't think that I ever paid her!!

I have so many incredible memories of being at the cabin from the time I was in sixth grade until the last time I was there.  I am hoping to get up there over Labor Day weekend as that has been our time to celebrate Kerri's and Cameron's birthdays.

The cabin and the Chirichuas are my "safe" place on this earth and I love the remoteness and the beauty.   I am so grateful that our families bought this cabin and I am so thankful that John and I can continue to use it.     Our parents left us something truly meaningful.

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