Although we never saw the Decker Brothers again, we did receive a few letters,
mostly from Stanley, the youngest of the group. Because I am “The Queen of
Clutter” they are still in a box or bag somewhere in my house. I promise I will
look hard to find them for you! (especially you, my kindred spirit, Victoria).
Some people question why I would write a story like this when ten years after Lyle Decker, I met and married Bob Buchner (September 18, 1971). This year we will be celebrating our 47th Anniversary. The truth of the matter is that writing memoir and telling stories is like an itch that I must scratch. It doesn’t mean I love Bob any less. Neither do I regret a long ago summer romance or wish it had ended differently. I guess I write because I assume others can relate to my feelings and experiences. After all, movies such as Grease and Dirty Dancing were wildly successful for a reason. It is also fun to relive my younger days, now that I am a 73 year old Grandmother.
Believe it or not the immediate nudge to write this little story, came directly from my husband. The 3rd week in July we rented - last minute, spur of the moment decision thanks to my cousin, Judge Marty, - a small cottage on the immensely beautiful and pristine Lake Oquaga. Although the summer weather had been gorgeous up until this point, it began to rain as soon as we arrived at our Lake Rental and it continued to rain the entire week except for one glorious day. We also expected to see and visit a lot of family members while we were at the Lake but that didn’t materialize either, therefore one evening after a simple, quiet dinner for two at the cottage, Bob announced that he had a little “surprise” for me. He had researched on the web and looked up a local map of the surrounding area. “I am taking you for a little ride in the country”, he said. It was a dreary evening, enveloped in fog which made it all the more exciting. Investigating in the mist is a bit surreal, and since the entire experience was a bit surreal, it added to our adventure. We headed up the road toward the Guestwood Ho Campgrounds ( the campground sign was approximately where the Decker Brothers “picked us girls up” 57 years ago). Shortly after ascending the hill, we saw the sign for Blueberry Lake. Bob had heard the legend of the Hillbillies recanted many times by family members so he was aware of the key names in the tale. We turned down Blueberry Lake Rd in spite of a warning sign that said “residents only” and I had the chance to return to 1961 and a long ago ride around the lake. Not a lot had changed in all these years; the road was still pretty much undeveloped and Blueberry Lake was only slightly visible at the bottom of a thickly treed sloping hill. What was different, however, was the fact there were some rather expensive looking homes and cottages spaced all around the Lake Ridge. Not sure where the owners hail from since the Main Street in Deposit, NY (the closest little town) appears to be as depressed as they come and looks like a scene out of Deliverance. After the jaunt around the lake, Bob tells me, “the surprise isn’t over yet “as we proceed down another country road.
To be continued.....
Some people question why I would write a story like this when ten years after Lyle Decker, I met and married Bob Buchner (September 18, 1971). This year we will be celebrating our 47th Anniversary. The truth of the matter is that writing memoir and telling stories is like an itch that I must scratch. It doesn’t mean I love Bob any less. Neither do I regret a long ago summer romance or wish it had ended differently. I guess I write because I assume others can relate to my feelings and experiences. After all, movies such as Grease and Dirty Dancing were wildly successful for a reason. It is also fun to relive my younger days, now that I am a 73 year old Grandmother.
Believe it or not the immediate nudge to write this little story, came directly from my husband. The 3rd week in July we rented - last minute, spur of the moment decision thanks to my cousin, Judge Marty, - a small cottage on the immensely beautiful and pristine Lake Oquaga. Although the summer weather had been gorgeous up until this point, it began to rain as soon as we arrived at our Lake Rental and it continued to rain the entire week except for one glorious day. We also expected to see and visit a lot of family members while we were at the Lake but that didn’t materialize either, therefore one evening after a simple, quiet dinner for two at the cottage, Bob announced that he had a little “surprise” for me. He had researched on the web and looked up a local map of the surrounding area. “I am taking you for a little ride in the country”, he said. It was a dreary evening, enveloped in fog which made it all the more exciting. Investigating in the mist is a bit surreal, and since the entire experience was a bit surreal, it added to our adventure. We headed up the road toward the Guestwood Ho Campgrounds ( the campground sign was approximately where the Decker Brothers “picked us girls up” 57 years ago). Shortly after ascending the hill, we saw the sign for Blueberry Lake. Bob had heard the legend of the Hillbillies recanted many times by family members so he was aware of the key names in the tale. We turned down Blueberry Lake Rd in spite of a warning sign that said “residents only” and I had the chance to return to 1961 and a long ago ride around the lake. Not a lot had changed in all these years; the road was still pretty much undeveloped and Blueberry Lake was only slightly visible at the bottom of a thickly treed sloping hill. What was different, however, was the fact there were some rather expensive looking homes and cottages spaced all around the Lake Ridge. Not sure where the owners hail from since the Main Street in Deposit, NY (the closest little town) appears to be as depressed as they come and looks like a scene out of Deliverance. After the jaunt around the lake, Bob tells me, “the surprise isn’t over yet “as we proceed down another country road.
To be continued.....
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