Hi Daniel,
Thanks so much for inviting Sam and me to your family's cottage for the long weekend in August. We'd love to come. I've already asked for the Friday off, and my manager said yes, so we can leave the city right after lunch instead of sitting in the evening traffic.
You mentioned that the cottage has only one bathroom and that the water pump can be unreliable. Please don't worry about that for us. We went camping last summer with no running water at all, so a cottage will feel like a hotel. What I am a little worried about is Sam's allergy. He reacts badly to cats, and I remember you said your parents sometimes bring their cat up for the summer. Could you let me know whether the cat will be there? If it is, Sam can take his medication, but he'd rather sleep in our tent than in the house.
As for food, we'd like to bring something. Sam makes a great vegetable lasagna, and it travels well in a cooler. Would that work for Saturday dinner? I can also pick up groceries in town on the way if you send me a list. I know the general store closes early on the holiday Monday.
Finally, I haven't been in a canoe since I was a kid. Is there a life jacket we could borrow, or should we rent our own?
Looking forward to it, Priya