Most of us are aware of the meaning of the word Leelanau – the “Land of Delight.” And that it is! However, for our family, Leelanau has become the land of the “fidgets.”

So, what is a fidget? You won’t find it in the dictionary; it is a made-up word. Some of the older folks might remember a show called The Little Rascals on television. There is an episode where a group of midgets who are crooks pose as toddlers and babies at a garden party. When the finely attired ladies “ooh and ahh” over them and pick them up, the midgets steal their jewelry. Only Buckwheat has suspicions about the midgets and is worried about them. Buckwheat can’t pronounce “midget” so he calls them “fidgets.” For our family, fidgets has come to represent little people (but not necessarily crooks!).
THE ORIGINAL “fidgets” enjoy a treat, including (from left) Sarah Marinetti, Michael Marinetti, Taylor Buchanan, Amber Buchanan and Daniel Marinetti.
For over 15 years, my two sisters and their families have come to our cottage on Lake Leelanau and spent a two-week vacation with us. They have five children between them who have grown up making Leelanau memories every July. They were coined as the “fidgets” when they were small. They would run out of the cottage, in a line from oldest to youngest, and onto the dock to greet their fathers as they came in from fishing. The name stuck, and the five of them will forever be known as the fidgets.

There is plenty to do and explore in this land. The fidgets have never lacked for activities. A favorite is a day trip to Lake Michigan. There, they would collect rocks and Petoskey stones and bury each other in the sand. There have been trips to Northport to walk the nature trails to the big lake. Uncle Jim would collect salamanders from under old logs and put them in his sock to bring home. Visiting Fishtown with a promise of a souvenir is an annual affair. The parade in Leland and the fireworks on the beach was a hit as well. A trip to Wares Brothers for ice cream is a frequent request. Climbing the sand dunes and tubing down the Boardman River were always grand fun.

We made plenty of memories at the cottage as well. It was here that Grandpa Bob taught some to swim. Uncle Jim taught them to catch fish out in the boat and crayfish off the dock. Each summer brought new activities. We made strawberry jam, made personalized stepping stones for the garden, told progressive stories at the campfire, and made s’mores. Annually, we invited any family member that could come and Uncle Jim would fry fish. Then the older cousin Russ (who was older and not officially a fidget) would organize a soccer or softball game. Water fights were always a hit.

The fidgets are teenagers now; Michael will be off to Michigan State in the fall. But they still enjoy their vacation at the cottage. Every year brings new adventures and fun activities. The older cousins (my two children) are having babies now, so a new group of fidgets are in the wings. Leelanau is indeed a land of delight, but more importantly to our family, it is the land of the “fidgets.”

By Cindy Kacin