In January 2004, my then wife Mary and I purchased a three-bedroom year-round cottage in the municipality of Dunham, Québec, about a one-hour drive east of Montréal. The cottage has a wrap-around deck adjacent to an above-ground swimming pool and is surrounded by 12 acres (5 hectares) of pines and hardwoods. Mary I and spent weekends there and had many visits from friends, family (especially the children) and my graduate students. We also befriended a local farmer family. After Mary died in 2011, my children thought I might sell the cottage. Happily, I did not do this, and my wife Janet and I have been able to spend a great deal of time there. We have also hosted the visits of family and friends at the cottage. In addition, we have enjoyed cross-country skiingCross-country skiing, cyclingCycling, walking in the woods, swimming in the pool, dining in fine restaurants, wine tasting in the vineyards, and summer outdoor concerts. We also do minimalist gardening. We are lucky to have help with maintenance work for the cottage and surrounding forest. As long as we can drive and cook our own meals, we will continue to spend at least half of our time at this oasis.