Hopes and Dreams

I've had my share of hopes and potential dreams being dashed. I'm certainly no stranger to disappointment.

However, I was absolutely CRUSHED when Dave, Alli, Kathleen, and Kathleen's mom Linda went with me to Schwyzer Lodge and we saw up close and personal what it was like.

The outside is well kept and charming in a rustic way - just what we wanted. The grounds themselves, not so much.

Rotted logs that had once been used as camp 'chairs' for the visitors sat on the side of the house, while more rotted picnic tables were available for use a bit further down the side. No room for a tent. And the mosquitoes. Have I told you how they loved us?

From the first opening of the door, the musty, damp smell assailed me and made me want to vomit for a second. Then I took a deep breath and thought of candles. Lots and lots of scented candles and opening all the windows to let them air out for a very VERY long time. I was giving myself a pep talk in my head, "I can do this! WE can do this!" as I would glance furtively over at Dave every so often to try and catch his expression.

The downstairs was fine - just smelly. Nice large living room and dining room, and three season porch. We could have worked with that. The kitchen was clean, but small, the bathroom generally clean and a nice big shower with a fold down corner seat. I was all OVER that.

Then we toured upstairs.

No lights in the main entry. The three showers upstairs are DISGUSTING. There was some serious orange shite on the bottom of the stall showers. Rust? Residue of some kind? Who knows. I do remember seeing a sign that went on talking about how the water was fine to wash with, bathe in, but please don't drink... oh yeah, and don't mind the smell.

Smell? Smell?! Water isn't supposed to have a smell!

The bunk beds were another joke on me. Dave and Kathleen barely touched one set of them and they WIGGLED so bad I thought they were going to dismantle right then and there! Cobwebs were abundant in the dark rooms of the dorms. A singular fan sat by it's lonesome on a 60's table. A mattress was missing from the top of one of the bunk beds.

It's the creature comforts I can't give up, ya know? Like a MATTRESS.

So, so, SO disappointing. So disappointing I haven't posted pics. It's just too depressing.

The one bright spot in the tour is the lady who showed us the Lodge, Sandy, let us know that while she wasn't trying to dissuade us, if we wanted something a bit newer, we could always check out the Country Garden Retreat just down the road a few miles.

We all looked at one another, thanked Sandy, and off to Hinckley we jaunted.

Country Garden Retreat is a hundred times BETTER than Schwyzer - even if you're just looking at the pictures on the website alone. It's amazing! Dave and I recalculated. It would be $600 more than Schwyzer, sleep more people, and is a much newer building with manicured lawns and enormous space. Dude, we were sold.

I've been in contact with the proprietors Sue and Steve and will be meeting them on Sunday at 11:30 to view the site. Cross your fingers and toes for us. I don't think I could handle getting let down again after falling in love with a location.