The simple white cabin, with 70's wall paneling and outhouse facilities has been our sanctuary these past days... Waking to birds singing, warming water on the stove to wash our faces- yes, we have electricity!  Nothing like bringing life back to the basics to strip away the cares of the everyday world and just relax.
Poking at the dying embers of a fire and adding dry twigs and bark to bring it back to a blaze is sometimes the only goal we have at the moment.  Do I want another cup of coffee?  Biggest decision of the morning.  Love it!
Driving to Fort Qu'appelle or Indian Head for a few grocery items, some 2 X 6's (pressure treated) for a small project and to refill our water containers is the only contact with "civilization" while we are out at Katepwa Lake.  We might go an hour without talking to each other.  Taking time to think of nothing much and soaking in nature and a good book is just what we have needed.
Our son, Daniel, joined us for the Canada Day parade in the Fort.  We met up and watched the cheerful participants in the parade: town dignitaries in old cars, a couple marching bands, a float of red & white by the Lions Club and some folks on horseback.  Local business owner  in their trucks or vans tossed candy out to the crowd!  It was an impressive event and we only had to walk two blocks back to our parking spot.  We wandered to the Farmer's Market square and bought a $5 smokey on a bun for lunch.  Then we drove along Mission Lake, through Lebret to our cabin along Katepwa Lake. We puttered around and enjoyed hanging out with our son.  He set up a little pup tent in the shade of the trees for his sleeping arrangements.  At five o'clock, we drove down to the beach where live bands were performing for Canada Day.  We enjoyed the band called  "Old School", the drummer being brother to our back alley neighbour at the cabin.  Even our 25 year old son sang along with the oldies Rock 'N' Roll tunes!  By almost 7 pm, the crowd had thinned because the home opener of the Saskatchewan Roughriders at the new Mosaic Stadium in Regina was kicking off!  We drove back with the radio on to CKRM where the announcers were enthusiastic about everything in the first quarter.
I prepared veggies in foil and Walter stoked up the coals in the firepit.  We BBQ'd pork chops.  An old radio was hooked up outside while we cooked our supper and then ate it outdoors.  By 10 pm, the fireworks back at the beach were to start, but those Roughriders played overtime against the Winnipeg Bluebombers!  So we jumped in the car and started to drive to the beach, but instead, pulled over onto a roadside turnout where the view of the fireworks was clear.  We sat in the car, with the lights off and stared out the window while the double overtime game ended in a loss for our home team!  But the fireworks were a delightful end to a terrific birthday for our beloved country.
I am writing this at home in Regina, while laundry is being done and Walter is doing some errands. We plan to return to the cabin for a few more days before preparing to spend the following week in Prince Albert at the NCEM headquarters.
Having a real shower and changing out clean clothes for the campfire smoke-scented ones will give us a fresh start for the coming week.
Hope you are all enjoying the start of July!