Day 6: Swimming with Mrs Ingalls

This morning I went swimming with the lady in the smock and tevas. She was of course completely mad as a hatter and very hard to communicate with but she's on her own with the kids. Her husband is with her but he's off fishing all the time while she brings six children to swim in the lake aged 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12. That kind of stress is enough to bring me out in a rash but she doesn't seem to mind. Her husband must be elated to have found her.

After swimming we went to get ice cream again and Daniel ate his messily, covering himself and all the cafe furniture and floor and then asking for another. It's a nice shop and unbelievably busy which is amazing in this county. I saw Lake County recently listed as the number 1 ghost town in the USA and I can see why. We think about 80% of the businesses we've seen so far have been closed and there are abandoned houses everywhere. It's heartbreaking what's happening to places like this that relied on tourism.

Anyway, tonight we did our bit for the local economy and went to Ludington downtown festival.

Tomorrow is our last full day and we've got lots planned. Swimming in the morning of course which has been our routine. We're all going to miss that.