Tom and I have reached our limits with running the Lake Chelan Boarding House for wayward teens. I don’t really like to cook and preparing meals for 15 plus people is my idea of purgatory. Our solution to this kitchen drudgery is genius—each of our three kids has their turn at a meal. How fun for them! Sort of like a new funny game. This of course includes, planning the meal, shopping, setting the table and of course, dish duty—no paper plates allowed and cold cereal does not make a meal. The first meal was rather tasty, teriyaki tri-tip, salad, and a fondue disguised as fettuccini.

For some people, Memorial Day is synonymous with the dreaded opening of a dust-filled cabin. For the last ten years Tom and I have made the trek to Chelan from Seattle in great anticipation of consistent sun—you know that bright shiny globe that sometimes peeks out from behind mostly cloudy Seattle skies. Insect corpses have fallen victim to some deadly musty cabin virus and line the windowsills. The shrubs reach skyward ignoring the not so funny five-foot bush height rule. Once the cabin is put in order by our willing offspring, we are ready to relax.

This week Tom and I are vacationing in the Bahama’s—a rough life if you can imagine. Our college-age sons are expected home soon and I need the endurance abilities of an Iditarod sled dog and the patience of Job to get through the summer with three teenagers. So a week-long respite is just the ticket.