Little Fingerprints

Jessica, Melissa – 

“Little fingerprints,” that would be my buddy Al’s assessment of little Jessica and Melissa’s visit a number of years back, I concur wholeheartedly.  Now in each of the past two summers I have recognized a new set of smudges on that big sliding glass door at the lake, the newest set always a little lower than the first – this summer was no different.

Wyatt, Rylie, James

In January we added James to the fingerprint roster which appears to put us right on track for next years fingerprint parade, which is fine of course and seems only right – seeings how their moms were the ones that Al once so eloquently described.  Its simply like the many intricacies along one of those rivers “just a part of it” – another neat part within the grand scheme of it all………

Myron and Jessica ( + Rylie, Wyatt) came in from Colorado, JP and Melissa (+ James) drove from Charlotte, and Gray and Licia flew from San Diego – all the kids close at hand, all at the same time – for one short week.

Awning for boathouse

Gray made it a week early which provided some ‘comfortable’ time to do some ‘fixin (last visit the Crab-shack) – today a neighbors paddle-boat then the construction of an awning (or ‘bonnet,’ or ‘bill,’ or roof extension) for the boathouse to protect the pontoon a little more – we had that pre-assembled to put up for when the time became ‘right.’  The extended time also gave him some time to visit with some hometown buddy’s up in NC – it all fit in well, work, swim, fish, – and visit.

Diouscie Mae Long

It was the perfect time to make a trip to my 92 y/o aunts home in Georgia sixty miles away (road time) to retrieve a one-ton granite picnic table, yes one-ton! (2000#).  She had given it to me months earlier after it sitting in the barn for several years, now with Bill running the tractor and Diouscie Mae supervising, Gray and I completed the task of loading it into the trailer.  It was special to return with Gray to my Dads birthplace and ‘stomping grounds,’ even for a short trip like this.

One of Gray’s buddy’s (Eric) came to the lake for a night too, this gave us time to think about where we would put, er, ‘plant’ the heavy table – the two paddled, swam, and caught fish throughout the day – even floating into to wee hours of the night around the dock.

Catfish

‘Golden Buffalo’ (carp)

Through this period we came up with a workable spot to plant the table, hated to think of leaving it in the trailer or laying it aside, this thing had to be put in place – once!

we accomplished alot this day,

the following day we slapped the awning structure on the boathouse while hoping help would arrive from somewhere to ‘set’ the final granite piece (top) of the table – it happened (neighbors), and took five of us to ‘heft’ it into place.

from there the Holiday was close at hand, work was complete, time to really ‘put our feet-up.’

the calm before the ‘fourth!’

The ducks were the first to move

and then the crowds became a little more real

July 2011 was ‘on’

Rylie

Wyatt and Rylie

The Carr’s arrived late afternoon – and Rylie and Wyatt quickly filled the void that the ducks had vacated – the kids were in the water until dark, and then 12-solid hours the following day…. little toes looked like raisins but they didn’t let-up one bit..

we had a meeting and set the rules, ok, no rules…

and we had discussion committee’s

and time for some to perfect their casting

and catching skills.

Wyatt even directed excavation of the sand pit…

well, Rylie took over when Wyatt was busy goofing off

and Licia took her turn as well

There were the Crab-shack swings

the optional water park (s)

Driving range

and ‘country-house,’ I think I heard JP singing some John Denver while in the shower (“thank god I’m a country boy”).

of course the afternoon showers came leaving time to huddle in the cabin

or play dough on the porch

even Great Gma Marie figured in.

The rain would leave as quickly, room for a pontoon ride or two

James was our newest tadpole to torment…

some took a moment to ‘surf”

as others took to the tree swing

Myron and Gray taking a tube ride

There was a day to appreciate our country’s heritage, A’mmmmmerica – ‘mmmmmeat!

and a time to feed the fish.

Little fingerprints survived a bee sting (“shake-it-off buddy”), swimming, simplicity, and leftovers

Because on this week, it was all about ‘chillin at the lake…

Thanks guys for a great week at the Crab-shack, thanks Mom, Kristi, and John for your efforts and fine food while sharing the 4th with us, (Janis and Richard) and the adults effort for taking a week off of their schedules to simply ‘put their feet-up’ along side the ‘sand-kids.’

Proud of you guys….

(I got fingerprints to clean)