Infectious Vacation

Open concept cottage, lots of natural light with large windows to take in the stunning view of the water, enjoy the deck with a BBQ or soak in the hot tub, book for a weekend or a week maybe you'll rent it all summer, this could be the summer of your dreams book your visit today. "Look at this ad Howard, look at these photos, let's call and find out more" "As you wish dear" Howard didn't really care were there went, just wanted some thing simple, for there vacation and anniversary combined. "If you're interested call, if you're excited then so am I" Howard added at seeing his wife look disappointed, he wasn't one to gdt his hopes up, to many plans over the years fell apart. "Thank you Howard, I think this would be lovely, I'm going call" Kathy went into the other room to use the house phone, she really wasn't the cell phone type, she had one but only for emergencies. The cottage listed in the paper was located in the heart of cottage country in Ontario, Muskoka. It showed the cottage inside and out, it was a full page ad, and Kathy took the page and placed it on the fridge with a couple of magnets. Before she calls to find out availability, there is breakfast clean up to do, counter needs to be wiped down and dishes to wash, and a load of laundry to put in so it can was while she is on the phone. Howard still getting use to retirement just keeps reading the paper and taking his time enjoying his coffee, black with two sugars. Like a king seating in his throne, in this case a recliner with his feet up, taking in the silence of his kingdom in the morning. Howard takes a deep breath, let's out a sigh, first day of retirement and he is bored, he missed rushing out the door to his job, sure the steel mill isn't the healthiest job but fir many years it provided for his family, needs had always been meet and his pension is good and his benefits still intact, so the only complaint is the fact he isn't sure what to do, he finished the news paper and his coffee, maybe he should help his wife with the laundry. Howard folded the paper up, lowered the recliner and slipped his feet into the new pair of slippers his oldest son gifted him for retirement, heading towards the basement to help with laundry, walked into the kitchen dishes already done, as he noticed that the kitchen was already done Kathy came upstairs, " Shall we call that place together?, laundry is in" she smiled, poor Howard looked a little lost, he has always been a hard working man, sure most of there plans had gone wrong but their needs were always met. "Would you like another coffee dear?" Kathy then asked as poor old Howard just had that look, that I suck it up look, that she knows he does and he feels she doesn't but both thinking isn't how every couple is, Howard finally answered his wife's question on the coffee, " another cup would be nice thank you, honey". Kathy reached for the pot of coffee refilling both there cups, and prepared each one, she placed his cup in front of him as he said at the kitchen island on the stool, he really didn't know what to do with himself, she took a sip of coffee and called the number for the rental of the cottage. Kathy politely asks a few questions about pricing and availability and when it would have to be booked to reserve the booking, getting all the details and making notes, figuring out the financials and asking if it could be penciled in with her calling back to confirm for sure later on this afternoon and finishing with Thank you have a pleasant day speak again with you soon. Howard looks over her notes and nods. "Not bad, you sure this is really what you want for our anniversary?" "Yes, it has nice space so we stay awhile then have the kids around on the day of our anniversary and all go home the next day after a lovely brunch" "That does seem nice, and we can afford it, but our vacation plans have never really worked out that well, I just worry this won't either" Howard taking a sip.of his coffee and thinking about all the failures, a planned road trip when their oldest son was two years old and Kathy was pregnant with their oldest daughter, didn't make it very far when car troubles hit, they made it a adventure for Mark but they didn't know if they would have a car to get home. It was a charming town at least, the town had about two motels mainly for truckers on long hauls, it wasn't really a tourist destination, the owner of the garage they had been towed to was nice, he took them over to the closest motel to his garage, helped carry their luggage to the room and made sure the were settled in, gave them a business card and suggested calling after they had some lunch he would go back and look at their vehicle right away. The found a info package like most motels and hotels with local information, recommendations for take out and stuff like that, decided on pizza, it wasn't what the had dreamed or the places they had planned to visit but it was a charming town that made them feel welcomed and supported, in the end it turned out to be a manufacturing issue and had been part of a recall, the full vehicle price had been fully refunded to their account and a new vehicle, this time a van had been purchased from the local dealership and they had still manged to make it back home in time to go to work as scheduled.