Sinclair Cottage- The Goodness of All Together

“Because Lake Lanier is getting too crowded”, my paternal grandparents, Beck and Ruby, purchased a lake property on Lake Sinclair in 1973.  I was 3.  There are only a handful of photos of my brother and me as “littles” at the lake. Mostly, we have ones of our parents slalom skiing {with only a ski belt} and lounging on and around the dock and the photos begin again sometime in middle school.  But as far back as I remember, “going to the lake” was the highlight of our summer and we went often for days on end and never wanted to leave. 

There were 2 structures on the property at 110 Mosley Ave—a little 800 square foot cabin {and that’s debatable} and a boathouse -- meaning there was an efficiency apartment and large screen porch over the dock.  Oh, and a VERY IMPORTANT DETAIL, the cabin had an outhouse with a functioning toilet.  For bathing, the lake worked for us just fine and Ivory served as soap AND shampoo.  Yes, we did—in our swimsuits.  Everything on one side of us was thick woods, even out to the now beautiful peninsula.  The Mosleys {Mosley Ave} were our neighbors on the other side.  Mrs. Mosley wore a holster with a pistol -all the time-  “for snakes”.  She was a foreboding character in the imagination of a 5 year old. 

If 800 square feet wasn’t tight enough for a family of four we almost always invited the Bowers, a family of 5, to squeeze in with us. I hardly remember going without them.  There are photos of those days of 80’s wonder in a collage frame behind the laundry room door.  

The fondness I have for the little cabin is hard to describe.  The tiny kitchen and den were separated by 2 itchy army blankets so the kitchen would stay cool while our parents played bridge all day—and night.  This is NO exaggeration.  A few pieces of well-worn furniture from previous homes and really, who knows where, indoor outdoor carpet, an attic fan, a black and white tv that never worked {oh, but we tried every summer!} adorned our little cabin.  I think the best thing I can say about it is-- it was cozy.  We all woke up together, all ate our meals together and all ended the day together and for a girl growing up, these were good days strengthening a good foundation.  I needed the “all together”.  

Proof of the attic fan-- note the boom box

Playing spades on the cooler

As grandparents and parents have entered into the Lord’s presence, my husband and I are just so grateful to keep it in our family.  In the early 90’s, my parents built a new house where the cabin sat.  It was a simple Southern Living house plan that caught mine and mom’s eye and daddy said yes.  A year later the boathouse finally was taken down.  I am pretty sure any neighbor in eyesight threw a party when that happened.  My husband and I have spent the last year or so giving it a little love- inside and out, making it personal for our family and getting it to a place that others can enjoy it too. 

Many things in the house are “storied”—my favorite way to do things—

The art in the front bedroom- the screen door….to this day, I love sound of the screen door clapping shut unhindered—this is how kids do with a screen door—throw it open and get in quick before it snips your heel.  The orange life jacket… all the straps we never secured because who really knew how to put them on correctly?  Those I will never forget—and the way they smelled after being stored all winter and wondering if they really would keep me afloat!   The old skis in the bunkroom… we ALL learned to ski on two.  Our generation didn’t use the ski belt but it’s there as a memory of the fun days my young parents had here.  The plates on the wall in the dining are--these represent all the women who helped make memories at the lake—their dish patterns representing my “maw maw”, my Aunt Nancy, my mom, Mrs. Bowers, Brenda and my niece.   The kitchen floors are from the ceilings of a tobacco barn in Soperton, Georgia, where my brother and I grew up. Many of the kitchen things were my mom’s – a revered cook in her parts.  If you ever visit, enjoy her dishes and things.  She sure did.  

With mom and dad circa 1984 on the deck of the boat house-- my guess is that daddy had driven from work and mom's housecoat was just lakewear.   I'll call my get up lakewear as well. 

There are books throughout that were of interest to someone in the family.  My dad and brother’s love of fishing and hunting is represented in several places.  Some of my mom’s beautiful things from our childhood home are spread about.  There are hints of my parents’ childhood in Conyers {Rockdale County} and then their move to Soperton in 1971.  My mom and dad opened a pharmacy which is now run by my brother and his son who are also pharmacists.  {There are six pharmacists in our family, including me.}  The “big city that feels like a small town” - Fort Worth- is significant in mine and my husband’s story.  Our stories are woven throughout. 

We can’t believe it’s still ours. The memories there are strong and good.  We love it and love most sharing it with people ---- and, of course, being all together.   

 

The sunsets can be spectacular.