Is A Lake House A Beach House?

My husband and I have been having this debate for years. It goes like this: Ted: "When I was a kid, I spent my summers at our beach house." Ronnie: "That's not a beach house because it's on a lake." Ted: "Well, it's got a sandy beach, waves, and as far as you can see there's water." Ronnie: "But, I grew up near the ocean and beach houses are situated near ocean beaches, not lakes."

We could go on and on, but I think you get my drift.

A few years ago we rented a boathouse on Lake Rosseau in the Muskoka region of Canada. I fell in love with the area. In many ways, it's similar to the Adirondack Mountain region of New York State. The natural beauty of the landscape is highlighted by Muskoka's culture of pristine lakeside living. There's no mention of beach houses in Muskoka. The folks call their homes "cottages" (like the one above).

Maybe you can help settle this friendly marital debate. Is a lake house a beach house?

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