Memorial Day 2017

Mitchell's birthday

Memorial weekend photos.

A few months ago, Mitchell Hennessey asked his Uncle Chris how he wanted to celebrate their birthdays, which fall a day apart around Memorial Day weekend. They decided it would be fun to re-establish the old Hennessey tradition of a family getaway.

Chris found two cabins that would work for the members of our extended family who wanted to participate in the weekend trip, both on Bone Lake, Wisconsin. The first offered a luxury lakehome, and the second invited guests to vacation in style. There were sixteen of us, including two teenagers and  four kids aged five through eight, so we wanted to have enough beds and age appropriate activities for everyone, and both cabins delivered on their online promises. Chris divided us up between the cabins, keeping all the little kids together with him and his fiancee Melissa, and Melissa's mom and stepdad Kristin and Greg. The rest of us were together in the very large "luxury lakehome".

On the DeClers' pontoon

Cory and Peter, friends of Mitchell's dad, John, provided us with a pontoon to use over the weekend. We enjoyed a pizza dinner at Wilkins on Friday evening, the only bar/restaurant on the lake. It was a crowded, fun spot where people of all ages were just having a good time.

We returned to our cabin after dinner and celebrated Mitch's fourteenth birthday. He had a "donut cake" -- looked like a birthday cake but tasted like a doughnut. Unusual but good. The space was great for entertaining: we had at least 25 people in the large downstairs living space, where there was seating for everyone and plenty of counter and table space.

We spent much of the next day on and around the lake. Cory and Peter invited everyone for potluck on Saturday, where my favorite dish was deviled eggs made by Peter's mom, Connie. On Sunday, Bob and I went to Mass at St. Dominic's in Frederic, followed by a lake breakfast at the Northwoods Bakery. The food was great but service was slow, and by the time we ate it was time for lunch.

Sonia and Jim came up from the Cities on Sunday, an iffy day weather-wise but once again we enjoyed Cory and Peter's hospitality and shelter from occasional thunderstorms. We left for home on Monday morning. Memorial Day itself was a little chilly -- more typical for this time of year.

A perfect holiday weekend.