I am building a treehouse in the maple tree in my yard.... the part my ex calls "the lower 40".
I don't have 40 acres. I have two lots, because the house and garage were built in 1930. The garage is on the property line with the neighbor and the garage also extends five feet onto a second lot. That lot is laid perpendicular to the one the house is on, so the whole thing is L shaped.

We work on the treehouse every Sunday. I was not sure what it is for until this week. My maternal family has cabins, 1930s and 40s and 50s cabins on a lake in Ontario. Shacks that we attempt to maintain. We love them. We are imprinted on the lake. I have been going there since I was 6 months old. It is hard to get there from the Pacific Northwest. My cousin says he's never moved from Michigan because he is only one day away from the lake.

But.... there have been lawsuits nearly continually since my sister died, within the maternal side. Lawsuits and anger and grief and rumors.

I am building a shack in a tree. Six by ten feet and 9 feet up. We make it up as we go along. We installed an attic ladder two weekends ago, and an old RV window that opens last weekend. We have a solid platform and walls. Today we may put on the roof.

As a physician I do believe anyone can heal. Healing doesn't mean you don't die. Part of healing is acceptance. I am losing hope that my family will heal. I am building my healing place at home.

I will still go to the lake. But only when what used to be my family is not there....

BQ 299