25I knew a rustic place perfect for a getaway. I resolved to take an extra long weekend. Given that it was May and early in the season, I gave the Valhalla Lodge nestled in the Haliburton Highlands, a call. Perhaps the name should have been the tip-off but I dreamed of well-ordered cabins, sitting on an elegant hillside, overlooking a sparkling lake. I thought of peace and tranquillity. I'd take my computer and spend the mornings writing. Vacancies awaited. The heavy season would begin on the Victoria Day weekend, a week later. Thus marked the official beginning of summer, the commencement of cottaging and generally hanging out. Breakfast and dinner came included and as I recalled thinking back before I was married, the meals seemed quite palatable then. The same fellow, Jurgen Traut, rema
