July 1, 2009

The Summer of '08

With the stay in place and our appeal to the higher court waiting at the gate, we headed up north. The issue with Stu was behind us and Katy was able to use her allotted time when she chose. They tried to argue she could only use the cottage the "first" week but she'd wanted the 4th of July week. Too bad, so sad. She got the 4th of July week and David's family used the rest of Stu's time. I can only guess that they had some agreement with David that if he "covered" the legal costs to do that, he could "use" their time. Such a nice family.

We enjoyed what would be our last summer in the cottage. Really we did. It wasn't as difficult as the first summer and come on.. how can you not have a great time up there? We were very careful with everything. We'd already been accused (sort of) of making off with Carol's wedding rings. Anything missing would have resulted in another flurry of motions and lawsuits. Very occassionally we'd cross paths with David. He would circumvent the cottage to access his boat like he'd done for years. As far back as when my grandfather was alive and at the cottage, he'd take wide berth. I remember mother calling to him to come over because grandpa wanted to say something to him. He'd just keep on huffing his way to the lake. Never knew why he'd kept his distance from him. Always did though. Was this always the case??? As far back as I can remember, we'd see the Symons family on Christmas morning. Period. When we were little we would occassionaly be at the cottage at the same time, however that was rare.

That summer, David had indicated to mother that he was too busy to work on getting estimates for some of the work that needed to be done. Mother agreed to take care of it. The Pink Bathroom! That bathroom had been on the "to do" list for years. Ranked #1 in our list of "things that needed to be done". Instead, if you'll remember, we got new docks. Yeah. Close huh? So, mother got some bids, worked on a couple of projects, got no support and finally cancelled the work that needed to be done.

In September, the plaintiff filed another motion to LIFT STAY, CONVEY PROPERTY, ALLOCATION OF COSTS, DISTRIBUTION OF PROCEEDS AND PAYMENT OF ATTORNEY
FEES.
This motion followed on the heels of our notice from the Michigan Court of Appeals that stated (again) that they would not hear the case because (again) they felt that without disposition of the cottage/funds/transfer, etc. it was not considered a "final" order. Despite the judges stronger wording of "final", the Michigan Court of Appeals, with a very long backlog still wouldn't let it get past the gate. Game over. (for now).

Katy and Larry and I went up north for a long week in the fall. It was glorious. It was lovely. It was the best time ever. Perfect fall weather, I had the back cottage and they had the front. We went about our days doing whatever we felt like. They did their thing, I did mine.. it was really great. I'll always remember that time as one of the best in my life. Our Christmas trip wasn't so great... more to come...

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Very occassionally we'd cross paths with David. He would circumvent the cottage to access his boat like he'd done for years. "

Can't believe he'd have the audacity to show up to access his boat, in the middle of this ugly lawsuit to swindle your cottage. Would he at least smile or say hello?

Why could't he moor his dinghy near his condo across the lake?

Anonymous said...

So glad you had that reprieve last summer!

Did everyone in camp know what was going on by that point- or were you keeping it under wraps?

Does David actually have any friends in camp?

Anonymous said...

"That summer, David had indicated to mother that he was too busy to work on getting estimates for some of the work that needed to be done."

Why on earth would Josephine contemplate taking on any home improvement projects with David in the midst of this acrimonious court battle for control of the cottage?

Anonymous said...

"As far back as I can remember, we'd see the Symons family on Christmas morning. Period. "

Didn't you ever see the Slymies by chance around Saginaw?

Were the cousins on friendly terms?

Anonymous said...

Curious to know about the other families in Lakeside you are related to.

Have they been neutral, or taken sides?

It must be kinda hard in a relatively small place like Lakeside where lots of the families are related in some way, shape or form.

Anonymous said...

Has the FINAL ORDER been entered yet?

YOU SIMPLY MUST APPEAL!

Anonymous said...

Lovely! Must've been bitter sweet, knowing that that was probably your last summer up there. (At least in your own cottage)

Hopefully you'll be renting this summer and every summer thereafter.

Much to David's chagrin, I'm sure.

He thought it was going to be so easy to get rid of you guys. Guess he didn't know you very well at all.

Anonymous said...

Has the Dining Hall opened yet up there?

Just your under average blogger said...

The option of an appeal is on the table.

Anonymous said...

Appeal you must........

Joey said...

First, David and Carol are much younger than mother. I was on a number of committees with Carol and some of our circles of friends overlapped. That was when I first learned that they had let everyone know that the cottage at Higgins was THEIRS. I had to explain numerous times it was a "family" cottage.

The cousins are all considerably younger and we never really knew them. I baby sat a couple of times when the boys were babies.

We do have relatives up there. The Harbert's cottage was/is owned by relatives. They have been very sympathetic to our situation. I'm not sure David really knows any of them. As far as friends? Don't know any really.

Lastly, it would be hard to imagine that there would be anybody in camp that didn't know what was going on. We sort of got sick to death explaining it all and tried to just change the subject. We have had great support and have many great friends from our years in camp. We plan to spend time each summer there. We will be renting Debbie Cox's cottage and arrive next week! Can't wait.

Anonymous said...

"Why could't he moor his dinghy near his condo across the lake?"

Yeah, Carol's been complaining about that "little dinghy" for years.

Anonymous said...

"I was on a number of committees with Carol and some of our circles of friends overlapped."

In Saginaw, or at Lakeside?

"they had let everyone know that the cottage at Higgins was THEIRS."

So they always viewed the cottage in a unilateral, proprietary sense. They set their intentions to make it a legal reality, and that's just what they did.

For now.

Anonymous said...

"We will be renting Debbie Cox's cottage and arrive next week! Can't wait."

Wonderful! David's really gonna be squirming in the Dining Hall buffet line.

Anonymous said...

That's it!! David did this all to his family over a BOAT and where he could park it?
I had heard thru the grapevine that the condo he owned would not allow boats. Why I don't know.Does anyone know?

Anonymous said...

"David did this all to his family over a BOAT and where he could park it."

Given how crazy that old cooter is, you might just be right!

Anonymous said...

Has David ever directly complained to you guys about RDJ?

This fascinating blog has gotta have embarrassed the hell outta the Slymons family.

Just your under average blogger said...

David does not know how to communicate, had he, we probably would not be having these conversations.

Joey said...

Oh boy.. David sure does know about this blog. He and his attorney tried every which way to take us down. I'll get into it later but it is why we switched to Bill Street as our attorney. He's BIG on civil liberties and he ripped them apart!!!!!

Anonymous said...

"He's BIG on civil liberties and he ripped them apart!!!!!"

David got ripped a new one over the RDJ's right to exist.

Love it!

Joey said...

Oh yeah. It was hilarious. Bill Street rocked!!! They about sh*t their pants. Stay tuned..it'll be the best of the best of all posts!!!

Anonymous said...

"They about sh*t their pants. Stay tuned..it'll be the best of the best of all posts!!!"


OMG! Can't wait!!!!!

Anonymous said...

seems as tho the condo where slymons moored his boat came up with a rule that no boats could be moored in front of the condo. They must have made that rule when ole slymie brought his boat over. It's nasty blue. We should have the same rule but just for his boat. Also no dogs in camp during season. Get out slymie!!!!