Happynest provides an unsurpassed vacation experience. Below are some excerpts from our customers' thank you notes and e-mails. Below that you will also see their full messages, including the photos that they have sent to us.

The best of our six bi-annual Family Reunions - by far! A delightful week.	It's Paradise!	Our two families have vacationed together for 7 years in a row and Happynest has been by far the best.	11 out of 10!!	I'd just like to spend another week in this beautiful, quiet, tranquil, comfortable place
spotless and spacious	so much nature, loons, loons with a baby, a gorgeous blue heron	such a relaxing and peaceful place	Your website, while being engaging and thorough, does not do this place justice.	privacy and beauty was overwhelming
perfect winter wonderland!!	lovely time	never seen soooo many stars!	our deepest gratitude	the expressions on the faces were unbelievable
everything we expected and more	exactly what we were looking for	We all had a great time	our trip up to the lake was so amazing	very relaxing
everyone had an awesome time	the perfect retreat	absolutely great here	a wonderful time	couldn't have been any better
I'll keep the happy memory forever	the stories are still pouring out every day	an absolutely great time	nothing beats a nice sit in the sauna and hottub	a really amazing time!
website is true to its advertisement	clean, cozy, warm, and very private	the pictures on the web site don't do it justice as you can't imagine how beautiful it is until you are up at the lake	pristine setting	her expectations were far exceeded
a wonderful little piece of nature	we couldn't help but enjoy the beauty of it all	The sauna was fantastic	our kids had the time of their lives	a great time!
My children and grandchildren are still talking about it	hospitality was outstanding	such a wonderful experience	a marvelous two weeks	everything we expected and more
great boat tour	a great view and a wonderful swimming area	a great reunion	marvelous memories of a beautiful area	Sooooo quiet and pretty here

Scroll down further to see the original customer comments and their photos.

Dear Bob,

We are now back in Durban (temperature today a moderate plus 28 Celsius) and we wanted to drop you a note to thank you for looking after us and our family over New Year. We all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves at Happynest.

Everything was perfect.

With kind regards,

Sean and Jean

e-mail from Sean Minogue
Morningside, Durban, South Africa, 4001
January 13, 2010

Hey Bob,

Just wondering if you could send me a flyer for your cottage. I do have a few patients that are retired and into snowmobiling, I suggested they take a trip to Happynest!! But I thought it would be a good idea if I hang it in my office as well, and then I will make copies to hand out to patients if they are interested. It is always such a nice time when we visit and I think everyone should come to Happnest at least once in their lives!!

Hope you and Marsha are doing well!! Talk to you later.

Rhonda

e-mail from Rhonda Wendekier
Patton, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
October 16, 2009

Dear Bob,

Just wanted to tell you and thank you for the good vacation we had at your cottage this summer. Really appreciate the attention you gave to details (i.e. driving instructions, etc. etc.) You responded quickly to all e-mails and all requests during the week of our stay, and I thank you for that!

Your cottage worked well for our needs, and the area was just fantastic! We have some wonderful memories.

Hope the rest of the year is successful for you and your family.

Perhaps we will meet again some time!

Regards, and all the best,

Willy & Lydia Schulenberg

e-mail from Willy Schulenberg
Toronto, Ontario
September 30, 2009

Hi Bob,

Firstly, just wanted to say what a fantastic time the girls, myself and Sadie had while staying at your cottage for 4 days during March Break. The girls especially enjoyed the crisp snow, hot tub, and roasting marshmallows in the fireplace. Sadie and I enjoyed taking the girls on some nice long walks!

Secondly, can you please let me know how much it is to rent the cottage for a week during the summer - I have my parents coming over from the UK, and my brother and I would like to arrange a family holiday.

Thanks again

Julie

e-mail from Julie Brown
Caledon, Ontario
March 31, 2009

Dear Bob and Marsha,

Life has been crazy with seeing off our relatives from South Africa and getting back to work – so it has taken me a while to send this mail.

We ALL want to thank you for your very warm hospitality while we stayed at Happynest. The cottage is delighful and the setting is quite superb. We all had a wonderful time and the highlight was definitely skating at night on the floodlit rink on the lake!! Thanks for all the trouble you went to to make this a most memorable holiday. I hope we can make this an annual event!

Best Regards

Ilse and Julian Joubert and family.

e-mail from Ilse Joubert and family
Toronto, Ontario and Johannesburg, South Africa
January 18, 2009

Dear Bob and company,

We just wanted to say thank you for allowing us to enjoy your wonderful home this weekend. We all had a fantastic time and have lots of funny stories and fond memories to share :-) Your campfire song was awesome!

Thanks and Smiles from:

Rebecca :-), Jamie, Erin, Nader, Thanks for the song! - Nikki, Blair, Nick, Emily, Danny :-), Dora :-), Craig, Tim :-), K Mum, Mifflesplix

e-mail from Student Council,
Victoria College, University of Toronto
July 5, 2008

Bob and Marsha,

Thank you so much for making our stay such an enjoyable one.

You guys are awesome!

We will send you pictures.

We will be in touch soon.

Annie, Ryan, Steve, Virginia and Arden

e-mail from Annie Smith
Toronto, Ontario
September 8, 2008

Dear Bob,

Thanks!

We had such a great time! It was so hard to come back into the city and sit in traffic! Your cottage was the perfect getaway for us and dogs! We will pass along the word to our family and friends! We are already trying to plan when we can come back!

Take care!

Sarah and Billy

e-mail from Sarah Kubisewsky-Young and Billy Young
Toronto, Ontario
October 29, 2007

Dear Bob,

Thank you for the nice time in your cottage and for the good help you gave to us. We really had a good time and we will think about it for a very long time.

We wish you all the best and lots of good times in this beautiful area.

Hopefully we will see you again soon..............

Vicki - Hamilton, Ontario

Adan - Saarjemundes, France

Michaela, Christian and Nathan - Trier, Germany

Bernie and Conny - Trier, Germany

e-mail from Victoria Marchewka
Hamilton, Ontario
October 2, 2007

Hi Bob and Marsha,

Remember when I told you I was looking forward to a return trip? Well, last weekend turned me into an honest man after all. My second trip to your cottage brought back all the pleasant memories of the first.

This time, we did even more fishing, cliffdiving, and even waterskiing, thanks to the convenience of the several onsite boats available to us. And we REALLY made good use of the kitchen and BBQ this time around – some of the best meals of my life.

Well, thanks again for everything! If I was a rich man with no job, I’d be there every week, but since I’m not, I’ll just have to look forward to our next trip back.

Sincerely,

Steve

e-mail from Steve Grey
Toronto, Ontario
July 13, 2007

Hi Bob,

Hope you’re doing well and enjoying the fabulous (but very hot) weather we’ve been having. I can feel the lake calling to me!

Thanks so much for your hospitality! We had an absolutely amazing time. So good, in fact, we want to try coming up one more time at the end of summer.

Thanks so much again Bob and have a great day!

Jeanne S. Yim

e-mail from Jeanne Yim
June 26, 2007

Hi Bob,

Our families had an awesome time, enjoyed the swimming and fishing and the boat ride you took us on it was WILD. We would love to book the cottage again next year but will need a little time to work out everyone's schedules (five teenagers after all).

Thank you again for a wonderful week.

Laura & Stuart and Family.

e-mail from Stuart Day
September 11, 2006

Dear Bob,

We cannot thank you enough for the wonderful time we had while we were at Happynest. Everyone enjoyed themselves so much. We have attached some of the photos which we took for you. We are looking forward to coming again next summer if all goes well.

Please feel free to use the pictures or the message. Happynest was everything we saw on the internet and more. Sabina and Julea did not want to come home and Rob & I wished the week had never ended. Once again thanks for a lovely holiday.

Once again thank you so much!!!!

Rob, Lynn and Family

e-mail from Lynn Burtch
August 15, 2006

Hi Bob,

I am sorry it took so long to send the pictures. My family had a great time up at your cottage. The whole experience was wonderful. I enjoyed my time fishing off the dock. The kids enjoyed a lot of first time experiences. Thank you for the tour of the lake and for taking it easy on me while I was tubing.

Thanks again,

Jason, Ruth, Grace and Nicholson Rawsthorne

e-mail from Jason Rawsthorne
August 1, 2006

Dear Bob,

Thanks for all the hospitality and we really appreciated the time you spent with the kids--they will never forget driving the boat or tubing. Hailey asked me when we are going back to Bob's--you left quite an impression. We really enjoyed our stay and the area--what a beautiful spot and such a warm lake. Evan's thrill was catching 14 fish--something he had never done before. We look forward to more stays in the future. Thanks for everything and say hi to Marsha for us.

Kim and Mike and family

e-mail from Kim and Mike
Toronto, Ontario
July 25, 2006

Dear Bob and Marsha,

Garrett and I along with Sandra, Kim and Garrett and of course the 4 legged children would like to thank you both for a wonderful week. We all enjoyed our stay and without a doubt, wish we were able to stay on for at least one more week.

We hope to return next summer and we will definitely be in touch with you to make arrangements. Enjoy the rest of the season.

Yours Truly,

Carla Olivier

e-mail from Carla Olivier
Mississauga, Ontario
July 7, 2006

card and photo from Julia, James, Jason, Gill, Jacky, Alisha, Ivan, Lindsay
Toronto, Ontario
May 22, 2006

Marsha and Bob

Our trip home was uneventful. Rhonda and myself would have preferred not to leave for a couple of more days, but we needed to get back.

We enjoyed our stay very much, as did my parents. Rhonda and myself have never felt so much at home anywhere else that we have travelled to before. It is so nice to meet such kind and caring people as yourselves.

You can bet that no matter what the rest of the family does, you will see the two of us at least once a year. Rhonda has been talking about the snowmobiling since we left, and I am actually going to look at buying a snowmobile for her. As a matter of fact, my father is hooked on snowmobiling also, and even called me on Sunday morning to see if I wanted to do a long weekend of riding up there. I don't think that will happen though, since we all have enough work to last until the next vacation in the summer, and then some.

Sincerely,

Rhonda, Raymond, Mary Ellen, and Ray.

e-mail from Ray Wendekier
Patton, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
March 6, 2006

Raymond and Rhonda enjoyed their stay in March tremendously as did we. Each time we come up we feel like we are at home and wish that we could be there more often.

Your hospitality and Marsha's is always greatly appreciated and enjoyed. We look forward to seeing you all in July.

Sincerely,

The Wendekiers

follow-up e-mail from Ray Wendekier Sr.,
Patton, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
March 22, 2006

Dear Marsha and Bob,

Greetings from Napanee!

One week post vacation and already the stress level is rising and the shoulders are creeping up towards the ears. Memories of Happynest remind us to slow down the pace and breathe deeper.

Sending you our warmest wishes.

Sarah and Dan

e-mail from Sarah Moss
Napanee, Ontario
February 4, 2006

Dear Bob,

I know you see this every morning but not here in Waterloo.

I am a country girl at heart and really enjoyed my walk on the lake this morning as the sun was rising. I will send you a picture or two.

Thanks again for your hospitality.

Marie

e-mail from Marie Hardy
Waterloo, Ontario
January 9, 2006

Hi Bob,

Just to let you know that we had a wonderful stay at your cottage. It was a lovely time of year and certainly quiet and beautiful. I really am amazed how friendly everyone is in those parts. Thank you for renting it to us, and we certainly look forward to visiting again. Feel free to use our comments.

Katherine

e-mail from Katherine Perdue
Toronto, Ontario
October 27, 2005

Hi Bob and Marsha,

I would just like to thank both of you so much for our wonderful stay at your stellar cottage this past Canada Day weekend. It made a great venue for Derek's quiet stag weekend and I was surprised to find how easily it was able to accommodate all 13 of us! (We could have easily fit several more people there also.)

Your having a motor-boat available to us was especially convenient and helpful; it allowed all of the fishermen to do what they love most, and it provided me with transportation to my favourite activity of the weekend: CLIFFDIVING! Moreover, the signs you've posted almost everywhere were really a big help.

In all seriousness, though, we all had such a phenomenal time. I know that Derek's stag weekend will stay amongst our fondest memories forever. (It was a recurring topic for all of us at the actual wedding a few days ago!) I'll continue to recommend your cottage to everyone I know, and I'll look forward to the next time I plan a return trip, hopefully sooner rather than later. Thanks again!

Sincerely,

Steve

e-mail from Steve Grey
Toronto, Ontario
July 28, 2005

Dear Bob and Marsha,

Thanks so much for a wonderful weekend at your beautiful cottage. The venue was spectacular, the housekeeping immaculate, the boats were very very enjoyable, the view was unbelievable and the natural beauty of the cove was beyond our expectations! We thoroughly enjoyed swimming in the lake on our wonderfully hot Saturday and your relaxing and very informative boat tour of the lake. The dock was a perfect T- shape to accomodate all of us and the bbq was great as was the camp fire.

It was a perfect venue for us ten friends to enjoy ourselves and have one of the most memorable weekends for many years to come! Thank you so much for your hospitality and kindness.

We'll definitely be making plans to come again later in the year.

All the best and take care.

Zainab and Kamal Jabbar, Shermeen and Udit Gambhir, Maryah and Murtaza Agha, Murtaza Waliany, and Saima Achria.

e-mail from Zainab Jabbar
Toronto, Ontario
June 21, 2005

Hello Bob and Marsha,

Thanks again for an amazing weekend and it was too bad we did not get to say goodbye.

We had a great time and never before have I encountered such an organized and clean cottage. What a beautiful place. The beds were comfortable and the signs definitely made it easier. I personally enjoyed the smoking sign on the patio door by the BBQ.

I have attached a couple of photos (a group shot on Sunday and the Charlie Thompson picture).

I do hope all is well and I will pass your e-mail to individuals looking for an amazing cottage to rent from wonderful people.

Thanks for everything,

Ron

e-mail from Ron Savas, office group organizer
Toronto, Ontario
June 3-5, 2005

To Bob and Marsha Laing,

With thanks for your hospitality.

It was a pleasure to spend time with you and to be made so welcome, too!

Thank You So Much for a wonderful weekend!

Our family had a wonderful, fantastic, relaxing time.

All the best from the Byers and Baker Families.

P. S. The hot tub was very relaxing - just what we all needed.

Thank-you card from Jennifer Byers

Hi Bob,

Sorry it is taking me a couple of days to respond back to you. I am still trying to recover from such a wonderful peaceful weekend. Thank you for all your help and kindness you showed towards my family. It was refreshing to have that level of customer service when renting a place from someone. It is truly a peaceful paradise what you have. We all cannot stop talking about the place. We had a lot of laughs.

We are already planning on visiting again next year in the winter to your cottage. So you will definitely be hearing from us again. I will forward your advertisement around the office and will be giving it rave reviews, for anyone else who would be interested.

I will also send some photos if you would like to use them.

Again, thank you so much for showing us a wonderful weekend, we won't forget it!

Till we speak again,

The Byers Family!

E-mail from Jennifer Byers
Toronto, Ontario
March 21, 2005

Dear Bob,

We had a delightful weekend; in particular, the girls enjoyed the snowmobile ride; it was top of their list of the best part of the weekend. Thanks so much.

Many thanks.

Louise

e-mail from Louise Milligan
London, Ontario
February 7, 2005

Hi Bob,

Thank you very much for the photo! Our Canadian holiday concluded a week after we left the cottage. We had difficulty leaving and could have easily stayed another two weeks. The colours were dripping off the trees and the weather could not have cooperated more. In all, a perfect holiday.

Feel free to use any of our photos on your website. I may still add more in the coming days.

I should get back to work. St. Gallen is cold, wet, and foggy. A typical autumn day in this little Swiss town.

Please extend our greetings to Marsha. All the best,

rahel & chris

e-mail from Rahel and Chris Meyer,
St. Gallen, Switzerland
October 26, 2004

Dear Bob and family,

Thanks for a marvellous time at Lake Kawigamog. Such a treat for me to relive happy summers. I love your Canadian weather. I hope "the barn" building progresses nicely.

Sincerely,

Billie Winkler

Hi Bob,

Thanks again for the wonderful week at Happynest. It sure felt good to slow down for a week in "Kawigamog style". We were glad to arrive to such a clean cottage. Believe me, we have stayed in places whose house keeping was questionable.

The children had lots of fun outside in the woods! Thank you!

Wishing you a great summer season,

Anna

e-mail from Anna Belov,
Toronto, Ontario
April 16, 2004

Hi Bob,

Just wanted to thank you for the lovely time we had at the cottage. The weather was wonderful and we really enjoyed ourselves.

Please find a picture attached to this e-mail.

Thank You

Max & Anna

e-mail from Max Karlin,
Toronto, Ontario
February 22, 2004

Hello Bob,

We just wanted to thank you for making our stay at Happynest a perfect winter wonderland!! Everything from skating on the lake, to the long walks both during the day and night. I have never seen soooo many stars! Here is our picture of the gang playing a game of cards "spoons", after the babies were off to sleep!

Once again, thanks for everything.

Marta & the gang : )

e-mail from Marta Moreira,
Toronto, Ontario
February 10, 2004

Hi Bob,

I hope you received the picture by the Happynest sign we sent a couple of days ago. Sorry we took so long sending it but things have been pretty busy since we came back. Anyway, just wanted to say thank you for a great New Year's mini-vacation, everyone had a great time and would like to come back sometime in the summer if we could get everyone together like that again. Once again, thank you and we look forward to seeing you again.

Regards,

Tatjana, Sasa, Mitar, Biljana, Doug, Mira, Pedja, Milena, Miso, Suzy
Toronto & Mississauga, New Year's 2004

e-mail from Sasa Pavlovic,
Toronto, Ontario
January 17, 2004

Bob,

On behalf of my family and fellow cottagers, I'd like to express our deepest gratitude. We had a wonderful time this past weekend. Happynest was everything we expected and more. Please also send along our thanks to John, Karen, and Chris. They helped make the weekend that much better.

Thanks again for all the hospitality.

Regards,

Jaime

e-mail from Jaime da Silva,
Woodbridge, Ontario
September 2, 2003

Dear Bob,

Our two families have vacationed together for 7 years in a row and Happynest has been by far the best.

Tim and Joan

Hi Bob,

Here are some photos for your collection. We all had a great time at Happynest.

Donovan and Janet

e-mails from Tim and Joan Edginton, and Donovan and Janet Gray
Toronto, Ontario
August 27, 2003

Dear Bob,

Your cottage was exactly what we were looking for.

Regards,

Wilhelm

e-mail from Wilhelm Roeben
Oldenburg, Germany
August 21, 2003

Bob & Marsha,

Thank you so much for everything you did for us.

Our vacation was very relaxing and we had a wonderful time thanks to you. We hope you both have a great summer, and we hope to see you next year.

The Birminghams

Hallmark e-card from Therese-Leigh Birmingham
Toronto, Ontario
August 11, 2003

Subject: Thanks for a Great Weekend!!

Hi Bob,

I just wanted to write and thank you for all your help in making our trip up to the lake so amazing. The cottage was great and everyone had an awesome time. We will definitely be returning to Happynest!!

Take Care,
Sheri Roberts

e-mail from Sheri Roberts
Toronto, Ontario
June 15, 2003

Hey Bob,

Just like to say that we had a wonderful time up at your cottage even if the weather wasn't at its best!

Much appreciated,
Steven, Edward

e-mail from Steven Javor (Toronto) and Edward van Hage (Netherlands)
June 12, 2003

Hi Bob,

I just wanted to thank you very much for everything you did for us over the weekend. We had an absolutely great time. We all really enjoyed listening to your stories on the boat ride you gave us.

Thanks again :-)

Baharak Yeganeh
McMillan Binch LLP

e-mail from Baharak Yeganeh
May 7, 2003
[This was the third or fourth group to visit us from their company]

Bob & Marsha,

The best of our six bi-annual Family Reunions - by far! A delightful week.

Here's the photo, taken by famed photographer Bob Laing.

All the best,
Bill

note from Bill Goetz
Linden, Alberta
September 25, 2002

Hi Bob,

Here's the group picture (top left to right) Greg, Shoa, Sabrina, Chowsky, Damian, Asha, April, Brett, Mair, Devers (bottom left to right) Matt, Kenjamin, Shant, Chris

Thanx again for the hospitality. Definitely will give you a shout for next year.

Chris Oxford

e-mail from Chris Oxford
May 20, 2003

Hello Bob,

We wanted to thank you for a great "girls" weekend away. Your cottage was the perfect retreat from our everyday lives, and we couldn't have been in a better spot for the snow we had on Saturday, it made everything even more peaceful.

Wendy Bernier and the Girls.....

e-mail from Wendy Bernier
April 10, 2003

Bob, Marsha and Alice

It was absolutely great here - now I know what 4 feet of snow really looks like!! Thanks for everything - my stay couldn't have been any better and I'll keep the happy memory forever.

Hope I will be back soon,

Love and best wishes,

Paul

e-mail from Paul Griffiths
Scarborough, England
March 14, 2003

Bob & Marsha,

Thank you for letting us stay at your cottage. We've had a great couple of days and made a bunch of great memories.

You've got a beautiful place here. We'll be sure to mention it to our friends.

It's almost been a week since we left and the stories are still pouring out every day! I would just like to say thank-you again for all your hospitality! We had an amazing time and would love to come back again in the future. Your cottage is beautiful! I can tell you that nothing beats a nice sit in the sauna and hottub after a nice long day in the snow! The toboggan run was great, we spent at least half a day just preparing it to make it perfect and it did not let us down!

I have enclosed a group picture of the 7 of us for you.

Thanks again for everything! We had a great time!

Katie & Rick, Bryan, Erin, Sarah, Amanda, Lindsey

e-mail from Bryan McGann
March 18, 2003

Hello Bob!

just a quick note to say Thanks! We all had a wonderful time and a lot of fun.

You never know, we may just make it an annual event... or a winter & fall event.

:-)
Thanks again!

-Keri, Keith and the gang

e-mail from Keri Conwell-Farrington
February 26, 2003

Bob

We wanted to thank you both for making our first vaction, in a long time, a great one. We're not really looking forward to leaving such a relaxing and peaceful place. We hope we will be able to visit again.

Brendan & Nicole

note from Brendan & Nicole Burke
(left with a gift - a box of chocolates - Thanks!)
February 14, 2003

Hi Bob,

Just want to thank you for offering us your facilities this weekend! Our group had a really amazing time! The website is true to its advertisement. The place was clean, cozy, warm, and very private. We really enjoyed the hospitality given and wish to extend our compliments and thanks.

Anyways, thanks again. We as a group just wanted to let you know we had a really good time!

Justin

e-mail from Justin Lau
February 18, 2003

Hi Bob,

Thank you so much for hosting our Happynest Weekend. Your website, while being engaging and thorough, does not do this place justice.

What a find!

Please say thanks to Marsha and a great big thank you to you yourself. You were the consummate host in this pristine setting.

We would all really love to come back to Happynest in years to come and relive it all.....

You'll be hearing from us!

Carol
(the birthday girl)
P.S. This place made turning 30 the sweetest passage ever.

Carol, John, Cat, Terry, Jen, Scott and Ethan

e-mail from Carol Bell
January 27, 2003

Bob,

It was absolutely our pleasure to be your guests for the weekend. I know that Carol was very much looking forward to this special weekend, and her expectations were far exceeded. You truly have a wonderful little piece of nature, and we are lucky to have found it.

Thank you for your kindness, and your hospitality, and I hope we can be guests of yours again soon.

jD

e-mail from John Dranski
January 27, 2003

Hi Bob,

Thanks for being so accommodating during my vacation. My friends and I had a very relaxing time at Happynest.

I look forward to spending more time up on Kawigamog Lake.

Best Regards,

Marko

e-mail from Marko Jurisic
November 19, 2002

Dear Bob:

We just wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed our vacation (September 27-29, 2002) at your cottage. The cottage was very comfortable and very clean. We appreciated that the table was large enough so all could sit down together and enjoy a meal. The view of the lake from the living room was beautiful. Thanks for the boat tour, all enjoyed the outing. We have all agreed that we have found our family vacation spot (finally) and hope to return next year.

Again thanks for letting us vacation at your beautiful cottage.

Sincerely,

• Ian & Elaine Brereton
• Vic & Jo-Anne Johnston
• Vince & Jeannet Johnston, Victoria & Anthony
• Stewart & Kim Johnston, Kirkland
• Buddy (the dog)

e-mail from Elaine Brereton
October 3, 2002

Hello again to all of you,

We very much enjoyed ourselves. Your cottage and Lake Kawigamog are very beautiful, we couldn't help but enjoy the beauty of it all. This is the first time that we have ever tried a cottage! Usually we camp together, and we were actually planning to go up to Killbear Provincial Park for a few nights. The nice thing about the cottage was still having the "comforts" of home, especially if it rains!

You do an awesome job of respecting your visitors' privacy, we mentioned that to each other a few times, and we did really appreciate it, as we really needed some time to just be together with our family and enjoy time with each other which we certainly did! It would have been nice though to have had the chance to get to know you a little better - maybe next time?!

At night it is pitch dark out there. We slept with the blind up and when the lights were out, we would open our eyes, and couldn't see a thing!!!! COOL!!

We saw so much nature, loons, loons with a baby, a gorgeous blue heron, we laid on the dock and watched the stars, even saw some shooting stars one night.

On the way back down Highway 522, we saw a male moose!! We backed up and he was standing there in all his majesty - seeming a little curious about what we were doing there. When he turned to walk away, Otto made a loud sort of MOOO-ing sound and he slowly turned his big head with those gigantic funny ears and stared at us once more - we got him on video.

Thanks again for everything, we really had a good time. It must be hard to know what kind of people you are getting when you communicate only through phone, e-mail, and fax. It was hard for us too, wondering if there really was a cottage when we deposited the money! Interesting how we can now both look at it from the other side and it almost seems funny! It was great to meet you and to enjoy the beauty and tranquility of your cottage.

Take care and keep in touch,
Say hello to everyone and we will talk again sometime

Thanks again,
Gracia, Otto, and "the gang"

e-mail from Gracia and Otto
August 10 - 17, 2002

(Here it is from the perspective of a 12 year old, Tom, as related by dad Chris, referring to Jon, our Happynest summer student helper...)

Bob,

We had a great time at Happynest last week. I thought you would appreciate young Tom's perspective:

I was saying to my wife, Judy, that Jon seemed to like working there in the summers. Tom, overhearing, said, "yeah, duh?" When Judy and I asked what he meant by that he said, "It's Paradise!"

Chris

e-mail from Chris Gorman
July 8, 2002

Dear Bob,

The gang and I (June 14-17) would like to thank-you for a beautiful weekend at your cottage.

Your cottage was like a home away from home, it was very comfortable and had the most amazing view of the lake. I have been to many cottages but I have to say yours is by far the best!! I'd rate it 11 out of 10!!

I have not stopped talking about your cottage since getting back. Let's just say you'll be booked solid for next year!!

We'd like to thank you for your hospitality and attentiveness.

Sincerely,

Jennifer B

e-mail from Jennifer B
June 19, 2002

Hi Bob and Marsha.

Just like to thank you again for a great time last weekend. Everyone had fun. I can imagine what the cottage would be like in the summer. It is a beautiful area. I am very interested in renting again for a week in the summer. I know you said that you were booked for the entire summer, with the exception of the last two weeks in August. Perhaps you could let me know if there have been any cancellations or if those two weeks are still available.

Anyway, just a quick note to say thanks again and maybe I'll see you soon.

Sincerely,
Brian L.

e-mail from Brian L.
March 31, 2002

Hi Bob,

I just wanted to thank you for the wonderful few days we had up there. The sauna was fantastic. It had been a while!

I definitely plan on coming again - and I told my sisters about the sauna and they want to book a visit right away. Also - I met this wonderful dog while I was up there. I think your wife said that he belonged to some of your neighbours down the lake. We went for long walks in the woods every day and he was there every morning. He was just beautiful - and it made my stay even that much more special!!

Thanks once again for the memories! I'll be booking another stay soon!

e-mail from Irma H.
February 7, 2002

Thanks Bob! We had a great time!
Cheers,

Billy & Robin

note from Billy & Robin, January 20, 2002
left with a gift - a bottle of wine - Thanks!

Date: January 6, 2002
Subject: we had a WONDERFUL time this weekend!

bob

brad and i just wanted to thank you once again for letting us rent your cottage this past weekend! we had a really fun time on the toboggans, in the spa, and just relaxing indoors! the surroundings of the cottage were beautiful! we would definitely love to check it out sometime during the summer for a different view of things!

brightest blessings!

lisa

e-mail from Lisa and Brad

September 17, 2001

Hello Bob & Marsha,

I'm writing to thank you for the use of your cottage last weekend. We had such a great time, and it was all thanks to your hospitality.

I also wanted to thank you for my birthday gift. That was a very generous gesture, and I appreciated it very much.

Your knowledge of the lake and the town the cottage resides in, made the boat tour that much more interesting.

We'll definitely keep you in mind when we're looking to rent a cottage again.

Take care,

from Leonora, Margeret, Natalie, Carly, Catherine, & Kari

September 15, 2001

Hi Bob and Marsha and family.

I am really sorry that it has taken me so long to send a message to you. We really enjoyed our vacation at your cabin and your hospitality was outstanding. My children and grandchildren are still talking about the week we had there.

It is too bad that we could not turn back the clock to several months ago when we were in Canada and enjoying such a beautiful vacation with all of our loved ones and some very wonderful newfound friends like you.

We have discussed the possibility of having another family journey to your beautiful cabin in the near future.

Please let us know how you and your family are doing.

God bless you.

Mary Ellen, Ray and family
Patton, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

August 3, 2001

Hi Bob & Marsha,

Well we've all returned home safe and sound.

Thank you very much, we all had a great week. It was a great place to get together and the weather was wonderful. I came home happy and well-rested with lots of office work waiting for me.

Please say hi to all your family and thank you all once again.

Sincerely,

Céline

July 24, 2001

Dear Bob,

We'd just like to let you know that ourselves and the ladies from Balkan had a great time at your cottage and we'd just like to thank you for your hospitality and kindness. We all especially enjoyed your boat ride!

Thanks again,

Kay, Tracy, and all the ladies at Balkan.

July 9, 2001

Hi Bob,

Just wanted to let you know that our kids had the time of their lives at your cottage. I really appreciate your patience with us, we have never felt so comfortable in any other cottage but yours, thanks for lending us your boats and giving us the lessons, I'm pretty sure no one will forget driving your boat! We hope to come visit your cottage again soon, Thanks for the memories!!!!!

Thanks from Mary and Family!!! :-)

June 8, 2001

Hi Bob,

It's Mark D. It's about 11am and we are heading out. Had a really great time, appreciate everything, enjoyed our time here. Everything was great. Thank you for your hospitality and boat tour and everything. It was a pleasure meeting everyone.

Thanks,

Mark D. (by voice mail)

December 2, 2000

Dear Bob & Marsha,

Thank you very much for this wonderful week. You have a beautiful cottage on a lovely lake.

Just thought I'd share with you that we got engaged last night!

Maybe we'll come back here and have our wedding down by the lake.(=

We will definitely tell all our friends about this place.

Thank you again,

Laura & Moe

From: MAIRI & BRYON KEATS
Sent: Wednesday, October 04, 2000 6:14 PM
To: bob@cottage.ca
Subject: Re: Oct 2/00

Dear Bob:

Our visit to Happynest was such a wonderful experience. The privacy and beauty was overwhelming. We thoroughly enjoyed the boat tour and Bob is a wonderful tour guide. You made us feel totally comfortable and at ease and our stay in the beautiful cottage is one we will definitely do again.

We have rented many cottages and have never been in such a roomy, clean and well supplied accommodation. It is just such a shame we didn't book for a weeks stay instead of a weekend. We will definitely be booking for the winter season. The beds are super comfortable and all the appliances look and work like brand new. I can't wait to see our pictures. We have highly recommended Happynest to all of our friends and fellow employees. We actually think the pictures on the web site don't do it justice as you can't imagine how beautiful it is until you are up in Lake Kawigamog. Our stop at the Restaurant was a pleasant one with great food and perfect service. We greatly appreciate all the information you sent in such detail as it made the travelling up from Mississauga a fun one and without a chance of getting lost.

Thanks to you and your wife for arranging and preparing everything. You are indeed special people to allow strangers into your lovely getaway location.

Thanks so much and we will be up again soon!!!!!!

Yours truly, Mairi and Bryon

e-mail from Mairi and Bryon Keats who visited during fall colours 2000

Hello Bob, It's Allan Jacks at Happynest. It's 4:30 on Wednesday. I'd like to rent the place for another week if you haven't already rented it. So I expect to see you on the weekend, I guess Saturday, and I'll have the money for you then. OK?

Everything is well. I enjoyed your sauna. It's helped my cold and I'd just like to spend another week in this beautiful, quiet, tranquil, comfortable place.

See you in a few days. Take care.

phone message from Alan Jacks, February 1995
(this message was recorded after four days at Happynest)
(Alan stayed for seven weeks)

(the following set was from a group of teens who came to Kawigamog as a reward for a hard summer of volunteering at a summer camp for other kids.)

Bob & Marsha, What can I say, it was the weekend of my year. The combination of your hospitality and your interest in making this weekend a memorable one for myself and the others were greatly appreciated. The drive was fantastic and the expressions on the faces of the youths were unbelievable. Thanks a million and I'm sure we will be seeing you in the new year. -Mario

What I liked best about the cottage was the boat ride and riding on the paddle boat. The place was beautiful and so was your cottage. I really enjoyed the whirlpool and the sauna. -Steven

Thank you for your kindness in letting us use your cottage. I appreciated your generosity in showing us around and bringing us on your boat ride. It was a great weekend and I hope to return some time soon. -Jennifer

I really liked driving your motor boat and the paddle boat. I also liked your sauna and whirlpool. Your cottage was nice but I like being on the boats most. That was the best part of the cottage. I hope we can go back in the summer so that we could go water skiing. I would also like to drive your boat again. -Ryan

I really enjoyed the cottage. I had lots of fun driving the speed boat. I hope that the Kawanis Club can go up there again. Thanks. -Scott

I had a really fun and relaxing time. It was a good experience for me and my fellow friends. Also I will never forget that I drove a speed boat and watched the stars from the dock. I did not try the whirlpool but I am sure it was very relaxing because I could tell by Ryan and Steve's face. Thank you. -Tabitha

My time at the cottage was wonderful. I had a great time. It was fun riding the boat. Although I am not a water and boat person, because of you I am over my fear of boats. I enjoyed our campfire and next time I will try the sauna and whirlpool. Thanks for everything. It was Fun, Fun, Fun. -Nicole

The cottage was a great experience that I will never forget. The boat ride was so fun and wet. When night came it was very scary and dark but was great for our campfire and marshmallows. Thank you so much for an incredible weekend. -Valerie

I had a great time. My favourite parts were the boat ride and sauna. Everything else was great as well. I really hope that we go up again soon. -Jeff

Dear Bob & Marsha, Our time at Happynest Vacations was great as was the atmosphere, the hospitality and the location of the cottage on Lake Kawigamog. The boat ride and access to the paddle boat was very exciting for the teens. Also, for many of them they had never experienced a sauna and whirlpool. Thank you for the great weekend. -Anna

- T. P. Loblaw Toronto Kiwanis Boys and Girls Club

I just want to let you know that we had a marvelous two weeks up there and your family was very very accommodating. You made us feel very comfortable while we were there, we really appreciated it and just want to thank you very much for letting us rent your cottage. If you ever need a referral on how nicely you treat the tenants, please use me as a reference. I would gladly pass on the good word.

note from Greg Mitchell

Rob and I would like to thank you for a great weekend.

note from Sandy and Rob

Bob, Thank you very much. We enjoyed the weekend. You have a very nice place here. I'm sure we will come back this summer for another weekend.

note from Sam

Dear Marsha, Bob, Karen & John, It was great spending time with you all! Your warmth, humour, and kindness were very much appreciated. It was comfortable and cozy in the cottage. Sooooo quiet and pretty here. Thanks for everything. Stay well and best of luck with all your plans.

note from Alan

Thanks so much for a terrific week. I am leaving a cheque for the canoe etc.

note from Dr. Karen K.

Thanks so much for the nights stay. The cottage is really nice, excellent view. We wanted to also thank you for the great boat tour. Julia enjoyed the water. Thanks again.

note from Lino, Tina & Julia

Dear Bob, Thanks again for the use of the cottage. The family enjoyed themselves thoroughly.

note from Doug

Dear Bob and Marsha, Thanks again for your wedding cottages and your photography. It was a great reunion for both families. Here is our new address. Love, Barb, Paul and Emily

thank you card from Barb and Paul, a couple that got married at the cottage

Bob, Enjoyed the cottage. The cover for the couch is in the washer. Thanks

note from Pat

This has been a wonderful holiday. The house has been very comfortable and all the boats, canoe etc. have given us a memorable holiday. Bob has been the best possible host - always helpful and going out of his way to ensure that we enjoyed ourselves. We are taking away marvelous memories of a beautiful area, and the nicest possible Canadians as personified by Bob and his family. Thank you so much.

Blair and Jill Agnew, Blair and Kate Agnew, (Calum, Alisa and Skye Agnew), Nick & Caroline Browne and all the gang (Alexander, Jasper, Tamara, Benedict and Jonty Browne) and Angus Agnew

Letter from the Agnew and Browne family reunion
from Toronto, London, and Scotland, August 23, 1997

Fax Cover Page

Bob, Had a great holiday at Happynest July 27 - Aug. 2/97. We will mail the photos this weekend.

Comments

Bob, Just a note to let you know how much we enjoyed our weeks holiday at Happynest. The cottage was everything we expected and more. Christina and Ben certainly enjoyed all the room to move around and play their games. The cottage was spotless and spacious, with a great view and a wonderful swimming area. Hope to send you some photos this week.

Ron and Jennifer Gooding, Christina and Ben <phone number>

P.S. Please feel free to use us as a reference at any time. R.G.

Fax from Ron and Jennifer Gooding

Bob and Marsha Laing

E-mail: click here

Telephone: 705-757-3030

Postal mail: 34 Derwyn Road

Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4J 4M9

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