Family, Pronto Pups, and Memories

Ron and I just had a wonderful weekend at Shafer Lake.  We went there to celebrate my Aunt Jay’s 90^th birthday. 

Celebrating her birthday here made perfect sense. 

'Shafer Lake' and 'family' are synonymous, so I can understand why Aunt Jay picked this place for our families to get together again.  She wanted to have everyone feel the love of family that they felt growing up and share all the good times we had here.  While being there last weekend, we remembered all our relatives who are no longer here with us, but whose memories are still held closely to our hearts.

Growing up mom and dad took our family there one week each summer.  We were always joined by several of our cousins’ families.

Shafer Lake to me meant family, barbecues, rides, pinball machines, Skee Ball, Fascination, water toboggans, Sno-cones, Pronto pups, water shows, concerts, cabins, and fun from morning to night. 

We were all pleased to be celebrating my Aunt Jay’s birthday as she has been an inspiration to our families.  At ninety years old, she cooks more than any two of us and keeps busy from morning till night doing so with a smile on her face.   

Ron and I had an extra special time because Mom and Dad Lentz joined us for the weekend.  We are so blessed for the time we spend together.  Ron and I know we are lucky that we have them. They are both full of life.

We were also grateful that Carme and John were able to schedule their trip here to include Aunt Jay’s birthday and visiting mom.  We love spending some quality time with them.

I could not wait to walk the Boardwalk with Ron.  He had never been there before, but he had heard so many stories.  I was anxious to see what stayed the same and what had changed.  My favorite food there has always been the Pronto Pups which are corn dogs.  My Pronto Pup was as delicious this weekend as I remembered.  Shafer Lake is known to have the best hot dogs in the world or so they say (I have to agree with them.)

  

As with anywhere you have been as a child, when you go back and see places or houses they appear so much smaller than you remember. In this case, the Ideal Beach was so small, I had to believe that all my relatives would have taken up over most of the beach when we used to go there.

As for Shafer Lake, although we have fabulous memories in the past and this weekend, we will not be visiting any time again soon.  Although we loved Shafer Lake as children; some of us would probably agree that we have outgrown this place. What we want to remember is our beautiful ‘childhood memories’ of growing up at Shafer lake. 

While I was enjoying the party and seeing all our relatives, sadness was present.  I could not help, but feel something was missing.  It wasn’t a something, actually it was a ‘someone’ . . . mom.   Like everyone else, mom loved Shafer Lake. 

She was invited, but there is no way she could have attended.  Nor would she have been able to enjoy her time once she got there.  Mom becomes overwhelmed on short visits with any family outside of her immediate family. She would have been paranoid and frightened.  She definitely would not have been happy.

Mom is in another world now . . . a world of dementia.  Her world is at The Community*.  No one who loves mom would even mention my aunt’s party to her because no one would want to hurt her.  Mom would be sad that she was not there and sad that we were there without her.  I know that she could never have made the trip or enjoyed any part of the day.

I believe mom was there with me and in my heart; she was wishing my aunt a long and healthy life. Deep down my mom believes in the love of family; she used to say that “Family was everything.”   

On Monday, I will visit mom; give her an extra hug and kiss; and try to make mom’s world the best it can be.