Irons (in the fire), Michigan...
Oh, what a joyous thing it is to get to visit family...who just bought a cabin...on a lake...OH YES, how exciting it was...
Loon Lake in Irons, Michigan is simply beautiful...especially with a fresh new coat of winter white:
AND YES, the view from Neil and Amanda's cabin was wonderful...and the first few days of our visit were as fun as expected, because truly there are always antics to partake in with the Swaffords around! But first, let's talk up the local bar/restaurant which, I might add, is within walking distance!
NAH TAH KAH Bar & Grill: COVID protocols in Michigan don't allow for indoor dining (like Indiana does), so I wasn't able to go inside...but let me just tell you that the food AND DRINK did not disappoint. I got the Canadian Walleye...haven't had walleye in years. A side note: Dad Blais used to take fishing trips to Michigan with some NY-GM friends back in the day, then they'd come home with enough fish to fill their freezers...and ours! I miss those days! Regardless, the food was SUPER delish...and I was SO happy that I didn't even mind that they got my side dish wrong! I give 'em four out of five stars for takeout bar food! And THEN add to that the fun beverages:
They serve them in these to-go sealed pouches! Order what you'd like and they mix it up just like you were sitting at the bar. Then they seal them in these cute bags and as a final touch, include straws. Well played, Nah Tah Kah, well played!
And then of course, as with any family gathering, after a few days of fun more provisions needed to be a gotten :) While Amanda worked (a VERY typical thing of her to do), Neil took Scott & I on a country shopping trip with a tour of their back roads...taking in even a street sign that new of Neil's former Navy days!! I couldn't believe how it all reminded me of Northern New York!
Dublin General Store is their provision gettin' place...and...it was just...perfect. Picture a superstore...but hometown country...THAT is what DGS is. Of course they had Neil's Bud Lite, but they also had all the makings for our many planned meals, fun Michigan wines, hardware, housewares and even some clothing and touristy items. But the jerky! You MUST try their jerky! I promise that you won't be disappointed!
If you visit their website: https://www.dublinstore.com/storeclosed, you'll see that the store has recently reopened, but they are currently not shipping. Instead they direct you to Dublin Jerky & BBQ's website: https://www.dublinjerky.com/. Same jerky, different place...and this girl plans on placing her order soon!
Back at the cabin, Scott made his well-known steak & mushroom risotto and later Neil built us a cozy fire. Sitting around and telling stories...crazy enough they were all TRUE stories, we attempted to play cards or dice, but instead settled into a nice quite night at home...until THIS HAPPENED...
Thank God Scott and Amanda stayed up late, and thank God Amanda noticed a red glow in the ceiling above the fireplace. Because of her and Scott's attempts at stalling the flames with water, they were able to call 911, wake up Neil and I, and also grab all three dogs before the living room succumbed to the fire flaming from above. We were alive...it's all that truly mattered...
And so, what do you do when you're on vacation with the Swaffords and survive a cabin fire? You don't just call it quits and return to Indiana, that's for sure! You tour the loss (which was thankfully contained to the living room) gather up your laptop (mine) that was most assuredly ruined, and curl up to sleep in a truck after the fire department leaves. The next day, you wake up and spend your day with extended families (the Mullers on Amanda's side...here's a huge shoutout to them) while Neil and Amanda begin the process of putting their cabin back together.
Almost seven hours later Neil and Amanda returned to collect us for another drive. She was able to secure another lake cabin for the four of us...a place for us all to celebrate New Year's eve. The cabin was one of several, all situated in a little cluster on Hamlin Lake (a 45 minute drive west). We were in a small cove, so our view was not nearly as beautiful...but again, we were alive...
Grace Landing Cottages were cute, but not worth the price. Check out their website: https://www.michigan.org/property/grace-landing-cottages. Our cabin had most definitely been newly renovated, but it was cold...as in really cold...and, in my opinion, lacked charm...unless of course Neil was inside! That laugh of his gets me every time!
While Neil and Amanda got us NEW provisions, Scott and I sat on the small couch in the small living room and watched Speed (oh, how young Reeves & Bullock were). Big 'ol Max found a bed of his own, as did wee BB and pretty soon Neil and Amanda were back, beverages were had and we finally had Neil's chicken cordon bleu...delicious!
And on a side note, I was in bed by ten and missed the ball drop...this is NOT a shocker for those who know me!
We finished the week with a drive back to Bloomington that included a sudden storm and SEVEN cars skidding off the road right in front of us, and let's just be honest, Highway 31/State Highway 196 is a TERRIBLE ROAD! If you can avoid it, I suggest that you do.
All in all we had a very eventful trip...one we will NEVER forget!! Family, food, fun, (I think I forgot to mention Scott's two broken ribs!) scary moment, recovery, fun and home...we plan on making many more trips to Amanda and Neil's Michigan home...but next time we'll skip the fire.
Oh, and this pedicure upon returning home was a well-deserved treat!
Until next time,
Natalie