Whirlwind of Life

Life really has seemed like a whirlwind. Here it is the middle of July and I haven’t had the chance to enjoy summer that much. There have been little things here and there, but it hasn’t been the usual. The Honey and I usually take advantage of the summer months spending as much time as we can outside going for walks, biking along the river, hiking in the Gatineaus, and spending time on many patios – ours and those in the neighbourhood. But this year, we’ve been really busy with work. As I’ve mentioned before, my private student and gearing up for the summer program have been keeping me really busy and to top it off, my mom was staying with us again while she was working in the area (Yes, The Honey is a saint!). The Honey has been working most weekends getting projects, readings, and speeches written. Sometimes the highlight of our day was looking out our bedroom window when we opened the curtains in the morning and seeing out colourful garden. Our lilies were in full bloom and showing off like we’ve never seen.

But now, finally, we have some time to ourselves.

Last weekend we took a drive to Hudson, QC at the suggestion of a colleague. She told The Honey of a market there and a great restaurant on the lake. The weather was going to be gorgeous and we had the whole day with nothing to do so off we went. It is super easy to get to (take the highway to Montreal and get off at the Rigaud/Hudson exit) and take about an hour or so from Ottawa. The market is in a field behind some bushes and if you don’t keep your eyes open you may just drive by it. There are food goodies to buy and some tchotchkes, some furniture and dishes, and anything else you may like – a cement leaf birdbath perhaps? We bought some great cheese curds while wandering around, but they didn’t keep our hunger at bay for very long. Off we went to find the restaurant on the lake.

The roads are winding and narrow and there isn’t much room for error, especially when you encounter a cyclist. We would catch a glimpse of a beautiful home, big or small, and awe at its design or landscaping. There are many large homes in this area, but many that are smaller, quaint really, that make me think how wonderful it would be living in something so cottage-esque.

We easily found Willow Place Inn and smiled when we saw the stacked patios overlooking the lake. What a great place to have lunch. Although we had to wait a bit for a table, we were welcomed to get a drink at the bar and take it down to the grass. We didn’t have to think about it and quickly made out way with a drink in hand. While I’m sure many would have liked to have a quick seating, we were enjoying ourselves in the comfy chairs and were slightly disappointed we couldn’t stay there a bit longer. It was just as well as we were hungry and we could always return after lunch.

We had a nice view from the second story patio and just enjoyed the shade under our umbrella. As the day advanced so did the heat. Oddly enough, nothing impressed us about the restaurant. They didn’t have a wide variety of beverages (I ended up getting a Smirnoff Ice because I knew it was safe), the menu seemed nice until the food arrived and it was only ho-hum (a spinach, strawberry and brie salad fell flat) and the service could have been much better (our young waiter really needed some training if he was going to make any tips by the end of the summer), but we still enjoyed ourselves. We had the whole day to relax for a change and we were in no hurry. We enjoyed each other’s company, the weather and the scenery.