Stars, Docks & Sauna

I spent the weekend at the lake with family & friends. There were some moments really worth savoring - moments I didn't want to end.

I took a sauna in Gary's old Finnish sauna. This sauna was built by Jeannie's Grandfather Matti & Great-Uncle Laurie. Both were natives of Finland who came to the U.S. and worked in the iron mines of northern Minnesota. The sauna was originally a log smoke sauna, built with pegs. Over the years it's been reconfigured into a wood burning sauna with knotty pine inside. I have always admired the building and appreciated the repairs Gary has made to it, but I had never bathed in it. On Saturday it had been plenty hot all day. I made a stellar supper on Saturday night and cleaned up the dishes. Bret & I paddled the mile or so that separates Russ' place from Gary's & Jeannie met us by boat. The sauna was still plenty hot when we got there. While Jeannie changed, Bret & I entered. I threw a bucket of water on the rocks; it didn't seem hot enough so I hit it again. Then the steam billowed out hotter than hell - I nearly had to leave. It didn't take long to work up a good sweat that night. Each time Bret and Jeannie would leave for their run to jump off the dock I would hit the rocks with another blast waiting for the steam to hit in a rush. Ambling out in the cool night air easing out in the water for a quick dip I felt like the luckiest person around -- it felt good to be alive.

That night after a game or two I headed over to the other cabin for bed -- Jeannie was still busy making plans or something. I walked down to the dock, sat down at the end and stared at the stars. When you live in the city and you are always hopping from one pointless task to another you forget exactly how dim the night sky in the big city can get. The smog and the competition from the city lights keep you from seeing the stars. Sitting there on the dock, watching the satelites, the rising moon & the stars I saw the magic again -- the magic of sitting in the quiet with the far off sound of laughter over water and the beauty of light from far away places.