Tax Evader: The Cottage Country Edition

With only four months left until I become an Ontarian, I've been compiling a list of things I need to do to embrace everything that is Ontario. Number one on the list? Going to Ottawa, the nation's capital, for Canada Day. (After all, you can't get much more Canadian than that. I was planning to wear a flag, drink Canadian beer, start saying "eh?" instead of "hey?" and getting a small maple leaf tattoo on the small of my back.)

Unfortunately, this year's long weekend is a non-long weekend long weekend. In otherwords, I have to work on Monday.

So when Brie invited me to come to Krista's cottage at Port Stanley, I jumped at the opportunity. Because after four years of living in Ontario (and yes, what I'm about to say is somewhat shameful), I've never been to a cottage.

Okay, okay. Before you get your panties in a knot, let me clarify. Have I been to a cabin? Sure. A house in the woods near a lake? Absolutely! Does my family own a house on the lake? Of course, we even had a cabin on the lake at one point! The difference is that in Alberta nobody owns "cottages." And when you grow up in Cold Lake, which Ontarian's would consider "cottage country," the idea of going to the cottage is somewhat lost on me.

. . .Or at least it was four years ago, when I arrived in the city, stunned by the skyscrapers, and naively loving the sound of emergency vehicles and streetcars at night.

Now that I live here, have graduated from university, work for a non-profit and am working my way nicely into a yuppie lifestyle (jokes people! jokes!) I suddenly understand the sheer and utter neccessity for cottages.

Our beach time was limited because of the rain, but the weekend at the cottage was pleasant. I went for a walk by myself down by the lake, developed an irrational fear of vampires and didn't get very much sleep. It was good times.

But more importantly, the weekend had me making a new list, a solid list: things I want in an earth-sheltered home. Top of the list? Close to a body of water--specifically a body of water that you can swim in. (Also on the list: a loft, a library, a wood stove and recycled tires for insulation.)

Bottom line? While I may become an Ontarian in November, I'm not too sure how long it will last for. Because while I'm sold on cottage country, I'm developing a serious hate-on for the Great (Unswimmable) Lakes.