Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Lakeside revelations

I've discovered that I now divide the nation/world into regions by bloggers that I know. For instance, my dad is in North Carolina this week. North Carolina is (a) Sage's old stomping grounds and (b) near Pia. I refer to this as Geoblography. And that is the end of the Geoblography part of this post.

In other keeping-tabs-on-my-parents-until-God-help-us-all-they-start-tweeting-someday news, we got Mom moved into a house a couple of weekends ago. It's funny, had I typed "home" there in place of "house" that would have had a whole other connotation, even though it is her home. Anyway, we had five men of the Bone extended family on hand for the proceedings.

There was my cousin's husband and me; my sister's husband, who'd just received a cortisone shot in his back the previous day; my uncle R, who had back surgery earlier this year; and my fave aunt's 72-year-old husband, which I know makes him my uncle, but as it's her second husband I guess I'm slow to acclimate, even though they've been married for fifteen years. With a crew like that, who needs Two Men & A Truck?

After all that heavy lifting, plus the added pressure of Blogust and the general stress of just being me, I decided to take a three-day weekend this past week. And I spent much of it near, on, or in the lake. Which makes me think of a joke I heard on the radio recently:

What's the difference between a pond and a lake?

If cattle relieve themselves in it, then it's a pond.


So this was definitely a lake. I hope.

One highlight of the weekend was getting to drive/ride around on this little two-seater motorized mini-catamaran-like watercraft. I had never seen anything like it, and apparently a lot of other people hadn't either, as it seemed to be the talk of the lake. We got a "That's pretty cool!" and a "What is that thing?" or two.

At one point Saturday, this pontoon boat slowed down and waved us by, then one of the guys yelled, "Where do you buy something like that?" At first, I thought they were talking about my trusty gray Gilligan hat, but no. Later, when we docked to have lunch at a lakeside restaurant, one guy quipped, "That's all motor, no boat." There's no comeback for that. I spent a good ten to fifteen minutes trying to decide if "all motor, no boat" could possibly be a euphemism, but was unable to come up with anything.

Recounting other less exciting events, I managed to not roll the jet ski, and I may or may not have fallen asleep on the boat, but most likely did. You put me in the sun and stop talking for about twelve seconds, I'm gone.

There were a couple of points where the lake houses and noisy jet skis gave way to quiet, narrow channels. These no-wake zones were lined with trees, wildflowers and more lily pads than I have ever seen. We also were fortunate enough to see a couple of blue herons perched along the banks. I thought of the oil spill.

All in all, it was a super relaxing weekend, letting nature fill my senses and having no other place in the world to be. I'm pretty sure my blood pressure dropped about fifty points, if blood pressure is even measured in points.

I'm also pretty sure I realized that a sparrow and a robin are the only two birds I can identify for 100% certain. (I thought the blue heron was a crane.) Maybe a cardinal, unless that's different from a redbird.

The lake isn't quite the beach. (It also isn't a pond, but that's neither here nor there.) But it's still water, and there's still a breeze. Sitting on the pier in the evening, watching the sun reflecting across the water until the very last sliver dips below the horizon, there's nothing quite like that.

After all, we only get so many sunsets.



"Stars are dancin' on the water here tonight. It's good for the soul and there's not a soul in sight. This boat has caught its wind and brought me back to life. Now I'm alive, and well..."

16 comments:

  1. "And the general stress of just being me"

    ROFL

    How is it that even on serious, beautiful posts, you still manage to be hilarious, too?

    I love the line -and photo!- about only having so many sunsets. Sad, but true. We should spend as many as possible enjoying their beauty with those we love.

    Sounds like a perfect weekend, Bone.

    I have to say -again- that Blogust is fantastic. Any chance we can get you to keep going straight through Blogember and back into Blogtober?

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  2. Had I been you, I would have required a little Jimmy Buffett music. That would have made it perfect.

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  3. You wrote: "motorized mini-catamaran-like" and I rad "Beer Barge"

    Funny post; it's nice seeing you getting a little closer to nature!

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  4. It looks beautiful.

    I like the geoblography... I do that too. The relevant bloggers are pretty much the first thing I think of when I hear something about a place. Maybe if I tried to find a blogger from every part of the world, my geography would improve...

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  5. TC - Hey, it takes a lot to walk around as me :)

    Well, as I never seem to make it up for very many sunrises, I try and cherish the sunsets even more.

    Thank you.

    Ed - Definitely. I had actually thought of putting a line about Jimmy Buffett into this post. Something along the lines of "No wonder I like his music so much." But somewhere between start and publish, I forgot.

    Sage - Ha. That's pretty good. You'd be surprised (and possibly alarmed) at how often I see a bird or tree and think, "Sage would know what that was."

    J Adamthwaite - Yes, it could be a sort of Applied Geography. I wonder if most bloggers do that. Or just us? lol

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  6. The sunset was gorgeous. The post was hilarious
    I can't decide what part i like the best--maybe the men in the extended Bone family; maybe the lake

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  7. So... Yes to Blogtember and Blogtober, then?

    "I don't make it up for many sunrises"

    When's the last time you made it up for one? LOL Sadly, I am up in time for them almost daily, but never get to see them. I need a skylight in the shower or something.

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  8. I sure wish that someone had explained THAT difference between a pond and lake to me as a kid. I cannot tell you how many ponds I have gone swimming in. ewwwe! I don't remember of my parents made me shower off afterward either. shudder!

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  9. I miss the old "lake" days.

    Love the photos.

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  10. Geoblography...love it!

    "And the general stress of just being me"...this made me laugh as well. Is it really stressful being you, because it's sure stressful being me. :)

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  11. Pia - Thanks. The men of the Bone Family have collectively decreed that we will no longer be moving anyone in cases where more than four stairs are involved.

    TC - Blogtember? That sounds like wood that came from a blog tree :) I'll consider Blogtober.

    Well I've probably seen more sunrises before I've gone to bed than after I've woken up. But I've not done that in years, either.

    Renee - Hahaha. I don't think I've ever swam in a pond, or if I have I've chosen to block it out. But I have been in a creek, and depending on its location that might not be much better.

    Soccermom - Thanks. I actually thought about maybe using the first one in my blog layout somehow. But as I haven't updated my blog layout in four years...

    OK Chick - Is it really stressful being you

    Oh, you have no idea. Most of it self-inflicted :)

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  12. Everyone is at the lake today and I am not! It sucks!!!!
    I have a lot of fun memories of the lake- learning to ski, bonfires, camping, fishing - just summer fun!

    Glad you had a good time!

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  13. Great photos Bone.

    I am fond of Blue Heron.

    Geoblography great term wish I had thought of it first.

    I like lakes, though it's been awhile since I've spent any time at one.

    I understand the hesitancy to call the aunts second husband uncle. I still think of m aunts first long gone husband as my uncle call him tio to this day whenever I happen upon him - which is usually never but still. Whatever comes first seem more legitimate somehow.

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  14. I'm in NC now too! :)

    Love the pics!

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  15. Great photos.

    It ought to have been:

    "And the general pain of just being me"

    *grin*

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  16. Daily Panic - You get to go to the beach like every weekend! So I don't wanna hear it :)

    Cooper - Thanks. I still associate you with New York for some reason. Gotta update my (mental) maps :)

    Yep, same here. Once an uncle, always an uncle.

    Kontan - Cool. I'll add you to my blog atlas.

    Gautami - Yeah, that would have worked as well. Pain... stress... either one :)

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