Moose Lake and the Killer Raccoons
 

Hi Gang! I am back from a wonderful few days visiting Mooselips (who sends hugs to everyone) at her island on Codie Lake. This is year 4 for me, and every year I find it even more beautiful than I remember, each year I laugh harder than ever before, and each year we stay up later and later gabbing about life in general and solving the problems of the world.

It's one of the best gifts of recovery, to get to meet in person people with names like Mooselips (and last year CatsPajamas and Hangin' In) and finding them even more beautiful and wonderful in person than I ever imagined.

Mr. Moose is a saint, and a wonderful cook and the host with the most, and I was lucky that Mama Moose was there this year and baked me one of her (now world famous) applie pies. She is 85 years old and I can't keep up with her, and she giggled when I told her that thanks to SR, her pies are now world famous.

We kayaked on mirror calm water for over 2 hours, stopping at uninhabited islands along the way to explore (and give this codie's arms a rest, ha ha), and we fought off the killer raccoons who had got into Mr. Moose's work shop the night before and had a feast on garbage and corn kept to feed the ducks...and then were miffed when he locked the door and there was nothing the next night for them and all their friends they brought with them. Let me tell you that there is nothing cute about a gang of killer raccoons plotting to seek revenge on the "Earth People" and who we thought had left when I headed for the guest cottage to sleep...and who were just waiting to startle two codies who could jump 20 feet high and scream 4 octaves higher than a dog can hear.

We had fun, we shared our lives and our spirits and our dreams, and our recovery and it all passed too fast once again this year, but will be another treasure in my memory chest that I will bring out and smile each time I think of it.

Here is one of many lovely sunsets on Moose Beach. The moon was late rising so we didn't see it each night, but the sunsets more than made up for it....

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First day was cool, but sunny and bright, and a perfect day to sit on the beach and ponder...that's Mooselips on the left and yours truly happy beside her

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Mr. Moose kayaking by...I think he found the water quieter than the shore...

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This is one of the reflective pools that we saw so often in little bays where we would kayak in to explore (and take a rock break for old gals like me)

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2 Codies enjoying another sunset...

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Mama Moose is 85 and bless her big heart, she still baked me a wonderful apple pie. I told her that Mama Moose's Apple Pie is now world famous because we have people from all over the world here at SR...she giggled a lot at that.

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wonderful pics, Ann...how divine and what a beautiful pair of ladies, you two are!!

Oh Ann the pixs are beautiful. So glad you got to get away again this year. You two look teriffic, glad I got to see what you both look like.
Thanks so much for sharing,
Love,
Diane
PS I mailed that letter yesterday.

(((Ann)))

Glad you're back and had a great time. LOVE the pictures!

So, is Toby glad to see ya?:)

Hugs and prayers!

Amy

((Ann)) All I can say is WOW.

Ann~I'm so glad you shared your pictures and that you all had a great time. It's a wonder to have an 85 year young mom with you both......to ponder over life and all its beauty. Glad your safely back and had a great time....Hugs, Bonnie

OMG... it is so wonderful to see that you are both "normal" and beautiful people. Just like the rest of us!!!! Glad you had a good time. You deserve it.

OH, THIS MAKES ME WANT TO GO NORTH, NOW!!!!

You and Moose look great, Ann. And Codie Island looks just as I remember it .... the beautiful sunsets, the sitting by the water where we talked and talked, the kayaking, the reminder of Mr. Moose's hospitality and good cooking (he's a saint for letting us converge on them), and then getting to see Mooselip's mama. (I'm wondering if Moose sounds just like her.)

Now the part about the raccoons, well, I can do without that. I saw a huge one in our backyard not too long ago. He was going after a birdfeeder that was hanging on a low limb. I saw enough of him to know I didn't want to be anywhere near a raccoon!

So glad you got to go visit Moose and you brought back hugs and beautiful pictures to share. This all reminds me of some of the things recovery has brought to me ... wonderful, supportive, loving and fun friends for whom I am SO GRATEFUL! :ghug And I must say, your bullet proof lipstick looks faaaaabulus! :wink:

Can't wait to hear more about the trip.

Love ya,
Hangin' In

It looks so peaceful there I loved the pics. And that apple pie had my mouth watering just looking at it.

Ann, Thanks for sharing your getaway. You & Moose are beautiful, & you can see how much you enjoy each other. I can get lost in the picture of the reflecting pool, I can't imagine being there. I thought there would be a pic of Mr Moose wearing a raccon tail hat, lol. Glad you all had a wonderful time.

It's so nice to be able to share all this here and I just wish we all could be there together.

The beauty of nature, the loons out on the lake, the smell of the evergreens and the summer breeze that cools even the hottest day...it's just a wonderful experience to sit on the beach and imagine that there is a world out there that is busy going about normal days.

The sunsets are just breathtaking, and they begin a golden glow and then become flame red before they fade into the night sky.

Here's one more of the golden glow before the sky turns red, and then I'll put it away for another year. :D

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OH Ann,

Just seeing the pictures makes it almost like being there. I've always felt very close to my HP when I'm near water....I know how much it nurtures my soul.

I'm glad that you and Moose and Mama Moose had such a good time. I'm sure the raccoons are all talking about the crazy humans who screamed bloody murder!

Big hugs to you. Glad you're back and safe.

Cats

Ann, Do you frame any of your pictures? Cuz they so belong on a wall. I am alittle confused though, when you talk about the "loons on the lake" is that you & Moose or the birds?

Yes. :lmao

I have a few I have framed. I play with photography and love most my pictures of nature and birds and critters.

I'm not sure who is loonier...the birds or us, but I was refering to the lovely loon ducks whose call travels far over the lake and is often the first heard in the morning and the last heard at night.

I am lucky to live on the water at home too. There is just something about water that stills my soul and connects me with my Higher Power. I cannot imagine sitting at a sunrise or sunset and feeling stress. It is times like that when I know we are not one big cosmic accident. Nothing that beautiful happens by accident.

Hugs

This picture is from last year. If you click on my name, it will take you to my profile and there is an album there of pictures of last year's retreat with CatsPajamas, Hangin' In, Mooselips and me. What a wonderful time that was.

This picture is the back waterway into the island and takes you to her dock. It's a green paradise and never fails to take my breath away.

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I'm at the office this afternoon, trying to catch up on some work. But decided I needed a break, so I came to SR and, lo and behold, you allowed me to take a walk down memory lane. Oh, those pictures just make me so grateful for recovery friends.

Thanks for making my "break time" a good one.

Back to the ole grind..... UGH!

Love ya,
Hangin' In

Ann!

There are the requested pics! Thanks so much..so beautiful....

Amen to that.

Loved the posts and the Pics!
I love seeing us parents and spouses, taking time to enjoy life! Taking time away from the worries of all this and remembering to enjoy my own life is my big goal lately.
Glad you had fun.:bday8

Wow!!!

Thanks for the pictures. Just reading about the caring and sharing has made me cry.

Must have been great to be able to bond face to face with each other.