Cabin Culture

So, yesterday's post was about rainy summer weekends, and today's continues the summer theme by talking about cabins.

I've never been "up to the cabin," as people around here are likely to go once the weather starts warming up. Many people I've told this to react with shock and bewilderment, as if they understand those words individually, but the way in which I put them together made no sense. But it's true; I've never participated in this very Minnesotan of activities.

The main reason, of course, is that no one in my immediate family owns one. And I don't think anyone in my extended family does either, though I might be wrong on that. So I admit to not really knowing what people do at cabins. It seems like the same type of things one does when camping (which I have done a lot of, between annual family camping trips growing up and my years spent in Scouts), only with the ability to sleep indoors at night.

It seems like I always hear about the work involved with them, though. The first weekend of the year is spent getting them ready, and the last is spent closing them up. Sometimes, people spend three our four weekends a year working on their homes away from home. Presumably, they actually get the chance to enjoy them at some point.

I'm not trying to rip on cabins, particularly since I don't know what of I speak. And if someone invited me to theirs, I'd gratefully take them up on it (not that that's a hint or anything). That said, I like going to new places when I travel, so the idea of having a cabin, vacation condo, etc. that I always go to doesn't necessarily appeal to me all that much. I like being places I haven't been to before.

Rain Days

This weekend was rainy, occasionally chilly, and overcast around here, which made it a good time to stay inside. Now, a lot of Minnesotans don't like this kind of weather in June. I like rain and cool temperatures, but I sympathize with them -- nice days are so scarce here that people want to make the most of them when they're around. June in particular is usually a good time to be outside in this state, as it tends to be milder than what we can get in July and August.

I have nothing against spending time outdoors; I went for a hike at Lebanon Hills yesterday right before the rain hit and usually spend some time outside every weekend. On the other hand, it is nice to have a good excuse to spend time inside doing things like watching movies, napping, and getting housework done without people practically being offended that I'm not outside and wondering what the hell is wrong with me.

Memorial Day

It's Memorial Day in the US, which for a lot of people means being at the lake, grilling, traveling, and enjoying a day off of work (at least for people with office jobs).

But it's also important to remember why we have this day, so take a moment to do that too.