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Three Things: Cabin Weekend Essentials

Three Things is a new occasional series where I’m planning to write about – gasp! – things that aren’t actually books. It’s based on a blog I’m a big fan of right now, 27 Good Things, where interesting people share three things to read, watch and use. I’m hoping it’ll be another way of sharing the stuff that currently has my attention.

three things cabin

As I’ve mentioned (several times) already, this weekend the boyfriend and I are going with some friends to my parent’s lake cabin. We’ve owned the cabin since I was about five, and I spent a lot of summer weekends there growing up. I had a period in my teens when I hated going – how could I possibly live without the Internet for the weekend?? – but I’ve obviously come around. Since we don’t get there every weekend anymore, long weekends like this one feel more like an event than they did as a kid, and events warrant careful preparation. Here are three things (in addition to good company) I think are vital for a long weekend at the lake.

Good Booze

Clearly, this is a recommendation for the over 21 crowd. One of the gals coming to the lake with us made a stop at a discount liquor store in the Twin Cities last weekend and picked up quite a selection of wine and hard ciders (I’m not a beer girl, #sorrynotsorry). I’ll be adding one of my favorite summer drinks, Mike’s Hard Blood Orange, and a new-to-me selection, Cayman Jack Margaritas, to our liquor supply. My other favorite drink, a good old gin and tonic, is also quite refreshing in the summer. We’ll be well liquored, I’m sure.

Good Games

Most of the people in the group we’re traveling with love to play games – that’s part of how we all became friends. If the weather is nice, I’m sure we’ll be outside, but since there’s a chance of rain one afternoon we need some inside activities too. I’ve packed some easy standbys like Apples to Apples and Cards Against Humanity. If we’re feeling ambitious, I also grabbed some more current favorites The Resistance and Phase 10.

Good Books

This is, of course, my favorite and least favorite thing to pack. I always spend a lot of time thinking about which books to bring… and very little time actually reading them. At the time this post is being scheduled, my pile includes a couple of books from my summer reading list, Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen and This Is The Story Of A Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett, and one book from the library, In the Woods by Tana French. And if those aren’t enough, I also have my Nook and my tablet with different ebook options. I should be all set. I also reserve the right to change my mind before I get in the car.

So there you have it, three of the things I think are important for a long weekend at the lake. What are some of your cabin essentials?

P.S. The happiest of birthdays to my sister, Jenny, who is turning 27 today. I love you, little sister!

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  • Leah @ Books Speak Volumes June 11, 2015, 8:03 am

    Have a lovely time at the lake! My parents never got around to actually buying a lake cottage, but we’ve been going to our favorite lake for a week every summer for most of my life, and it’s always a fun time. Nothing beats reading in a hammock by the water with a good book and a gin & tonic!

    • Kim June 21, 2015, 1:11 pm

      The one thing we don’t have at the cabin that we definitely need is a hammock. We used to, but it got old and my parents haven’t replaced it.

  • bermudaonion (Kathy) June 11, 2015, 8:15 am

    Maybe you haven’t tried the right beer yet. Carl’s always loved IPAs – the hoppier, the better – and I would try his and think I didn’t like beer. Since he and Vance opened their store, I’ve discovered lots of other styles – saisons, hefeweizens, sours, etc – that I love.

    • Kim June 21, 2015, 1:12 pm

      That’s probably true — if I tried some different beers, I would probably find one that I like. I just haven’t made the effort yet!

  • Julie Merilatt June 11, 2015, 1:23 pm

    I love a good gin & tonic, and my goal this summer was to experiment with more gin cocktails: gin and basil gimlet, basil and cucumber g&t!

    Enjoy your vaca!

    • Kim June 21, 2015, 1:13 pm

      Oooo, yum! I hope you’ll post about some of your favorite gin cocktails. I’d love a few more to try.

  • Trisha June 11, 2015, 8:14 pm

    I had a Phase 10 addiction for awhile. Great game and great list! 🙂

    • Kim June 21, 2015, 1:13 pm

      We played one game of Phase 10 and it was awesome, even though it took forever!

  • Michelle June 12, 2015, 10:06 am

    Booze, games and books are an essential no matter where one goes for a long weekend, but they do have special priority for cabin time. Enjoy your vacation!

    • Kim June 21, 2015, 1:14 pm

      Thanks!

  • Bryan G. Robinson June 13, 2015, 9:07 am

    I’ll be honest that the booze and the books would do me if I was getting away to a cabin. However, if we were going with friends, maybe games. If games with just me and the wife, it probably would be card games, like 500 Rummy. I’m #sorrynotsorry too about not liking beer too. I like your non-beer choices.

    • Kim June 21, 2015, 1:14 pm

      Playing games depends who you go with — for this crowd, it was definitely needed.

  • Isi June 13, 2015, 10:40 am

    Ohh I was the same with the cottage in my village, I hated it as a teen but now I crave time there in order to rest.
    I don’t dring, but the other 2 essentials are great. We have games there because it feels like the right place to play and have fun. And I also love reading there on the porch, looking at the mountains…

    • Kim June 21, 2015, 1:15 pm

      Reading with a mountain view sounds wonderful too 🙂

  • Jenny @ Reading the End June 13, 2015, 12:43 pm

    I’d add a fourth, Good Food Not Cooked By Me, to the list, and then it’ll be pretty much perfect. My brother-in-law, uncle, and father are all brilliant and enthusiastic cooks, which means when we go on a family going to the cabin weekend, I can just lay around and read and play games, and people will bring me food and drink.

    • Kim June 21, 2015, 1:15 pm

      Also true! We split up cooking duty so I only had to make one meal — the rest was made for me and it was awesome 🙂

  • Serena June 14, 2015, 5:16 pm

    those are some great tips – try Mike’s Mango Punch next time.

    I love those games you picked! You’re going to have a great time.

    • Kim June 21, 2015, 1:16 pm

      Thanks for the suggestion!

  • susan June 24, 2015, 4:22 pm

    Booze, bikes & books are essential. Ha. The 3 B’s. Also flip flops and shorts and such. Audio tapes for the car ride there. Then a hammock would be nice. Enjoy! Maybe even a camp fire or fireplace too.