an ode to any family readers (steve/therese/tom/et al)

it's summer. just got back from vaca. week long stay w/ the extended family. all in one 6-bedroom lodge house for the week. kind of like one of those survivor/reality shows. can we vote tom off the island? the perfect vacation spot for families w/ kids. every week has a theme. ours this year was halloween. did trick or treat one day. had movie nites (outside and in their converted garage 'theatre'). bingo nite. creepy dessert day (no, not from my family... resort owners did it). dance nite w/ contests, prizes, etc, like an outdoor wedding reception. rubber chicken toss. minnow races. penny find. 'train' rides (an old chevy car w/ welded plates on it ala that 'animal house' parade wrecker car. and the swimming? perfect for kids. shallow, clear water w/ sandy beach and volleyball courts. fishing? perfect for all... kids got unstunted sunnies, adults (well, let's just call them the older boys) got northerns, walleye, bass. a dive bar nearby w/in walking distance w/ cheap beer. right next to (on) the paul bunyan biking/snowmobile trail. did the paul bunyan park thing (of course). did the pirates cove mini golf (of course). did zorbas bar (of course). some folks golfed (not me... of course.... too much work). or did tennis (ditto). bonfires/smores. horseshoes. weak wifi. playground, volleyball court (no energy for that by anyone this year). had central air but nites were cool enough. kevyn and stev both brought their boats, so made use of them daily. so, except for the mosquitos, a perfect vaca. lit off some fully legal (no, really) fireworks. kids up past their bedtimes by 4 hours. divvied up the daily meals by family assignments. and very cheap, too. sold? then visit trainbellresort.com and tell 'em the jeff sent ya.... actually, mike and connie are the perfect, quintessential resort owners: over-the-top friendly, hard working, keep the place immaculate, and at very reasonable rates. but sat-sat was a long haul. nice getting the kids back on some type of sleeping schedule again. we've only been doing this 3 years now at the train bell, but i would hope we keep doing it for many years out. we have the 4th week in june locked up 'forever' in the grand lodge. dang, is it june again yet? i only took a few pictures. w/ the old camera. hopefully, the neophite family members can figure out how to post their own pix to the family blog, so i can scrape 'em. brave new world. if there isn't a picture of it... did it happen?