Well, since I’ve been on a wet vacation, I’ll do a quick post about the cottage.

For me, Cottages are about many things, but one of them is certainly reading.

Although I did read some brain candy – “Hilldiggers” by Neal Asher- which I enjoyed- among others. 

 I also read a “work related”  book -“Microsoft 2.0 How Microsoft plans to stay relevant in the Post-Gates Era” by Mary Jo Foley“.  I do love the story of Microsoft- and the Love Hate relationships over the years- so I enjoyed it- and it is interesting from a business/industry point of view.

For my Kids the wonderful thing about the cottage is the sugar cereal- (only time of the year any froot loops will be seen anywhere in my household)- and of course being able to live in the water.

But in the end for Dad, going to a cottage (we rent one for a few weeks each year), is all about getting into a separate environment, in a place where just as for the kids “the rules don’t apply”.  One of the things I like most about the lake we go to in Quebec is that I’m out of Blackberry range.  I can broadcast to everyone before I leave “I’ll be out of range” and I get two weeks of freedom from the “15 minute email reply” expectation.  It’s amazing how many of my neurons heal and strengthen in those two weeks- building up the reserves for the rest of the year when our little digital task masters whip us daily, wearing us down so that by next July I’ll need to retreat once again to the quiet, bit-free and extremely analog world of canoes and glorious unconnectedness.