Bittersweet

Labor Day weekend symbolized many things for me at the Aqualand Ale House. My husband, the main thrust behind the Aqualand Ale House since it's opening in May, took his first weekend off to attend an annual Army buddies reunion. This meant our son Dan and I had to be on duty to resolve every issue that the holiday Thursday through Sunday might hold. The biggest changing of the guard this weekend was saying goodbye, good wishes and much love, to our remaining student staff members and to our awesome chef John, who is headed onward towards his dream of a four year hospitality degree this fall at UW Stout- our own alma mater. We welcome some great new faces, but cannot help but look backwards to those who helped us birth this baby known as the Aqualand Ale House. Like soldiers in the trenches during time of war become very close very quickly, we have become fast friends and family with our original cast of characters. It has been a successful summer- we are humbled by all our many new friends. I quickly noticed this weekend how many of the faces are familiar to me now. A wave and a nod, a "heh" and "how are you", were as commonplace this weekend as initial conversations and new acquaintances. Many of our new friends were disappointed that they would not get a chance to say goodbye to my husband before heading south for the winter, or, in the case of many camp counselors, back to school and on to other lives. By Sunday I carried with me many names, notes and good wishes to pass on to my pony-tailed prince when he came home. Our staff had said early goodbyes to him, but it was bittersweet to be his proxy in those last minutes, during the last glances, hugs and stray moments where we all had "something in our eye". We had opted to be closed on Labor Day proper, and my son and I drove home late after closing so that I could have a true day off with my just returned spouse- a day that would be the sum total of our personal summer vacation. Monday was spent visiting some other folks taps, trying some other friends food, and napping, hot tubbing, napping again and sitting together on our porch swing for the first time of this most busy summer of our lives, recapping the highlights of our new life. This morning, fall could be sensed in the air. A cooler night was followed by a cool day. While I couldn't do it this weekend, today we definitely saw that it was time to tap Oktoberfest- at least one of the three specials that my husband has already gathered in addition to Pumpkin Ale and Dead Guy Ale- all fantastic treats for our very first Colorama season. I found myself looking forward; full of energy for planning a special fall event. Our kick off and the first of what we hope will be regular tasting events. A Chilean wine tasting we are planning for September 12th was the catalyst for a new Pinterest page full of decorating ideas, invitations and props. I love the fall in Northern Wisconsin- I love Boulder Jct and I love decorating for a party. I think that for this first special event with our new staff and a new season, I will choose to decorate with bittersweet- as a nod to those who we know we will miss who are off to new or other places,as a symbol of this season of harvest, and to be an early bit of orange inspired by the turning of the maples, oaks and tamarack. I hope those of you who travel north regularly, those who call the north home and those who are planning your very first trip will grab your flannel and come raise a glass with us from 5:30 to 7:00 pm on Thursday, September 12th. My husband and sons will post official invitations and notices within the next few days, but I just cannot contain myself- I am excited to try some new events and so I am spilling the news early- We need to have you RSVP for this one, so we know how much wine and snacks to have on hand. If you want a seat at the table, which will be under the canopy of the breezeway between the Ale House and Frog House, which will be embellished with little white lights and deck heaters, a fire bowl, miscellaneous decorations and some very good wine, let me know- I would love to have the table filled with friends before my husband can even blink an eye! A bittersweet season, maybe, but still there is nothing better than Northwoods air when it begins to bite and the harvest moon peeks pregnantly atop the pines. Come toast it with us- Please say you will!