A new year and a new home! Bill and I moved to the east coast of Florida, after living on the west coast for over fifty years. It felt like a sudden decision, but in actuality, we have been living in limbo for the last six years since we sold our big house and the two golf courses. We loved living in our “guest house/Air B&B” for those years, close to BIll’s Mom, but her death at the end of September helped with our decision.

We are now living a half an hour from our youngest of four children, knowing as we age we should have family nearby. Tyler and Stephanie are parents to three of our eight grandchildren, and we are delighted to watch them grow close by, instead of the three hour trek across the state. It is not easy to pick up and move, knowing we still have two young grands in California, one big grand and two greats in the same area, one grand in Tampa, and the big grand in the area we just left. But, a plane flight away, a car ride away, and of course FaceTime!

We bought a delightfully cheerful villa in a 55 and older community in Delray Beach, four miles from the Atlantic and the charming downtown. We are looking forward to meeting new people with all the activities planned in this community, finding our place with golf for Bill, and pool aerobics for me. The upside is the ease at which we can lock the door and leave with no worries about the property. (I do not think Bill will miss the five acres of maintenance he left behind!)

It has been fun decorating, hauling all my sentimentals, books, furniture and whatever was in storage for so long. I have kept Bill busy repainting the entire place, correcting the crooked light switches and outlets on the wall, and keeping Amazon busy at my door. My resolution for 2026 is to complete the history of Camp Maqua, book two, as soon as my interviews are complete. Thankfully, the developer is sharp as a tack with his memories, and forwarded great photos and history. The residents have also been great with their memories and photos of how they found Camp Maqua, so onward and upward! Happy New Year to you all!

This is the earliest we have arrived at Camp Maqua, which is determined by how hot it is in Florida before we make our journey north. Thankfully, when the lodge was renovated in the 80’s, baseboard heat was installed in the kitchen, bedrooms, and bathrooms. We added a door at the end of the loft which closes off the back rooms, and it is cozy on these chilly Spring days!

My flowers are in, and this has been a week of rain, so maybe weeding will be easier. I dread the weeding, but it has to be done. This week our boat, the “Pont-A-Loon-A” is in the water, but it was only warm enough the day it was launched. We spotted the Mama Loon on her nest, and await the baby or babies. Maqua Trail has been graded, the trees leafed out before our eyes in one week, the rotten boards on the lodge have been replaced and painted ,and now we pray for sun and warm weather.

I still plan to write about the acquisition of the Camp Maqua property by the Robert Sukenik family.. He sent me history, photos, and invitations from his famous beachfront parties. My interviews will consist of his family, the current and past residents, and anyone who knew the Sukenik family. It will bridge the gap between the time it was sold and developed by him. If you have information, please contact me.

Cheers to a good summer for all!

When the tree by the boathouse starts to show the leaves turning, it means the summer is over and it is time to pack up and head south. The boat is in the water for one more week, so we will be able to see more color around the lake, as well as new summer homes under construction on the old Camp Mahn-go-tah-see property. We had a great summer with our Camp Maqua Centennial, great weather, lots of family and friends visiting, and some attention from local media and the Iosco County Historical Museum.

I had a wonderful email from 91-year-old Robert Sukenik, who sold us the lodge and developed the property. I sent him a poster, the article in the paper, and photos of the Centennial. He was thrilled and said he even got a bit weepy. Still sharp as a tack, he ordered tees for the friends who helped him when he developed the camp.

Cabin one was used all summer by friends and family, as was the cabin on the Clancy property, which now has a mini bathroom, (The cabin that stood next to the perimeter fence by the lake,) We are fortunate to have a nice tight-knit community that takes the overflow of our summer visitors when beds get tight:) The craft hut is going to get some love and attention, as time and weather have taken their toll on the exterior window frames. We had a new lock installed with the door adjusted, so it will be secure this winter. The money raised from our big event will help defray the cost of some of the repairs to the craft hut and Camp Brownie, which is still in use.

Thank you to all the girls who made the trip back to camp this summer. The merchandise site may still be open for a short time longer. Have a happy winter!