I only have a few moments to post as I am using my mother-in-laws computer and you just never know when it will quit! Plus she uses DIAL-UP!!!! Yuck!!!

So, this morning we got up, got ready and loaded the party barge and headed off to the lake. It was a beautiful morning with just a slight overcast look to the sky! I'm thinking to myself, I can't wait to get out on the water. I think that's where I belong! On the water or just beside it. Maybe laying on a hammock or on a lounge chair, where you can hear the clap of the water on the shore or the waves crashing as the boats go by and make wake. I can imagine a small electric refridgerator full of iced tea and a couple of Dr Peppers, some snacks and just reading books or working sudoku puzzles or word search puzzles all day! Then in the evening, to sit there and watch the sun set across the water and the beautiful rainbow of colors that come as it slowly awakens the moon for it's shift! The stars are so much brighter there because there are no city lights or chemical plants or such to haze the skies. Oh, sorry, I digress... What I started to say, was that we got to the lake. Let me take one step backwards on purpose for a moment. Last year when my F-I-L purchased this 24 ft. party barge, we took it to the lake with them and my dear husband had to help him get it started and it was very time consuming. That is the only time this boat has been in the water since it was purchased. Ok, so today we get to the lake. They launch the boat and guess what??? It won't start. My FIL, my nephew and now my husband are all aboard trying to get it running while the gals, myself, my MIL, my SIL, and my neice are holding the boat so that it wont ground. No easy task when the water is cold and the waves are just a tad over the "ripply" stage. NO OIL! Apparently the boat has been leaking from the oil tank from day one and he never noticed the oil all down the transom rod, the engine and the boat trailer, nor apparently did he notice the GIANT oil slick in his garage! So.....needless to say the ride and swim out in the lake now shot down, we decided to go around a bit to the swim beach. It looks nice and really looks appealing at this point, just to relax and read, and tan and sunscreen of course! We just get in the water, while FIL stays in the boat on the trailer, attached to the truck and lays down and goes to sleep! haha Thought that was funny? Well, then they decide, only 5 minutes after we've been in the water that it is now 12:45 and they are all hungry. Ok, no problem you think? By the time we get Kaylee out of the water, walk up the beach, across the parking lot, and climb into the boat, most of the lunch meat and bread are gone and I had to eat this ham (supposedly) with little cheese chunks in it! GROSS!! Ok, now picture a beautiful beach, actually sand covered, and here is this group of people hovering in a party barge, under the canopy eating like pigs and the rest of the NORMAL people are spread out on blankets on the beach eating picnic style! Still think it's not so bad?? We get back into the water and actually get to play for about 30 minutes, and all pooky breaks loose! I am in the water facing the beach, the boat and our belongings, and it starts to sprinkle. Then it begins to rain, so I send my nephew up as quickly as possible to put my camera bag under the chair and cover it. As he is swimming to shore, I happen to look up straight into the most beautifully frightening lightning bolt you've ever seen. It ran across the entire sky. Paul says that my face went white and I made some kind of whimpering sound but the look on his face as the thunderboom hit was priceless! Immediately, everyone out there was skimming across the water trying to get to shore. Guess who got there first? ME!!! With 2 rods in my back, I had no desire what so ever to be caught in the water with the lightning. Poor Kaylee, was trying to keep up with me so I grabbed the noodle she was playing with, told her to hang on and started off again. We made it to shore, and the next volley sounded! Ok, now it's getting down right scary! The ones in the boat are trying to get things packed away, everyone is drenced and the whole time we are getting things together, (keys are now in the trunk of my SILs car, the bags of towels are there as well, so my nephew runs back to her car, removes the things we need and runs back to the truck), The skies really open up with a vengence! No Kidding! I couldn't believe the amounts of water hitting us while we are trying to get it all together! Kaylee is in my SILs car and has within seconds, fallen sound asleep! Oh if it were only that easy for me!! Well, it was lots of fun if nothing else but not what we'd hoped for. We laughed alot at all that happened and decided to try again tomorrow AFTER my FIL takes the boat to the dealer and has it fixed! WE HOPE! Hope your day was as fun and wacky as mine!
God bless the souls of the men and women who died for which this day is celebrated. And may all who've lost loved ones, please know the gratitude I feel that they were defending our great nation.
Happy Memorial Day!
Blessings and hugs,
Colleen