Like a bad day with Dr. Seuss...

Remember the fun and games experienced a few months back when an 'island' lodged itself to our shoreline? Yes, that's when I fell into the lake...

Anyway, about a week ago, I returned from the gym one Saturday morning. "Look out the window, near Bev and Roger's place", said TLATO. "There's a big surprise for you!"

There it was. In all it's bullrush glory. The same island that I had managed to move months beforehand.

How it made the return journey, I do not know. Was it given a hand by some neighbour? Again, the facts are cloudy here, too. Regardless it was back.

At first I laughed and almost ignored it. “Not our problem anymore,” I thought to myself – “We sold the place and that's that!”

Apparently, it was not going to be that easy. Saturday I was cutting our grass on the old John Deere and I kept seeing this 'beast'. By the time I had finished, I knew that the island had to go. Somehow.

So, Monday morning, when good friends Bob and Nancy came over to launch their canoe and go for an exploration trip on the lake, I asked if they would mind assisting once they had their few hours of relaxation.

Later, upon their return, I slipped on an old t-shirt, bathing suit and water shoes. I grabbed my boat pole and waded into the surprisingly warm water. This time, I did NOT extend the pole.

Shoving and heaving, I managed to move the beast. I was afraid that it may have started to root to the bottom of the lake near our shoreline, but fortunately that was not the case.

Bob and Nancy positioned the bow of their canoe in the centre of this mobile land mass and started to paddle. Vigourously. Naturally, this floating eco-system would not co-operate and until our intrepid paddlers got the hang of this uncooperative mass, were experiencing a world of frustration.

Meanwhile, one of our neighbours watched the whole affair from the comfort of a padded chair on his power boat. Smiling and occasionally waving, no offer was made to assist...

Eventually, Bob and Nancy were able to maneuver the mass into the current and it slowly started to move. Downstream. I must admit that we were hoping it would take a detour and self-navigate to our neighbour's dock.

This was not to be.

Lesson learned? Immediate neighbours, for whatever reason, may not be your best resource. Leave that honour to the Braleys.

We'll miss them terribly when we move.