Boats & Bites

With a working teenager in the house and a hubby on third shift, family outings can be a bit of a scheduling headache.  We end up making the most of moments that we find in each week, between the comings and goings.

But at some point this weekend, once realizing the beautiful weather forecast for Sunday, we decided to make an impromptu trip to Kentucky Lake.  It's one of Noah's only for sure days off, as the restaurant is closed.  And while Tim normally goes in on Sunday night, he was able to shift some things around.  It was a good thing since we didn't roll in last night until almost 10 pm!

Oh, what a beautiful day it was!

I'm always at peace on the water but Kentucky Lake is one of my favorite destinations.  It's about as close to a beachy/ocean feel as this bluegrass girl can get to without a full day's drive.

We spent Saturday getting everything prepped so that we could head out quickly Sunday morning.  Of course, we didn't get out the door quite as early as we'd like, due to our not-a-morning person teen we love.  Since he was our driver, we needed to ensure he was fully awake!

It was his first time pulling the boat such a distance and he did amazing.  Although we made a little game of counting the road kill along our trip, I was silently praying all wildlife stay clear of the interstate.  But enough about all that....let's get back to the lake.

My hubby would say would there are no bad days on the boat but I'm a little high maintenance.  (Don't tell him I just admitted that!)  I want sunshine...but not too much, so I don't sweat.  I want clear-ish water and snake-free zones, so I don't hyperventilate.  Beautiful views are a bonus.  And a nice cool breeze doesn't hurt.

I'm happy to report we achieved all of these yesterday.  The water was sparkling, as the sun stretched its way across the lake.  Just as we'd begin to get a little heated, God would send us a cooling draft of air.  My views weren't obstructed, so I could scan for slithery things and take in the sailboats.  We floated and fished, being rocked by waves.  Our Sunday even included having "church" on the boat, as ours offers a podcast so we listened from our phone.

The only problem was the fish weren't really biting.  Despite the terrific fishing forecast, they more nibbled than bit.  Tim won our regular bet of "who catches one first" with the first and only good catch of the day.  I had the best fight but it was a trash and toss fish.  And poor Noah had zero luck.  Of course, it didn't help that part of his time was spent snoozing and the other on his phone!


More than anything, we just shared a wonderful day together.  Lots of laughs.  Great moods. Good tunes. Yummy food.  In fact, our food was the best "bite" of the day!


We picnicked under the bridge for shade.  Well, really we grazed all day.  I've become pretty good at packing a boater's lunch with a few year's practice now.  What I've learned is that nobody wants a big heavy meal all at once.  Instead, I pack cheese and crackers, fruits and veggies, and meats to snack on throughout our day.  Even with that simple selection, Noah invented a new culinary masterpiece - cheese Pringle, square of cheddar and pepperoni.  That boy...

By late afternoon, once my hubby realized the fish just weren't going to participate, we opted to hop over to Patti's for dinner.  Noah didn't remember the restaurant at first, as it is a splurge and one we don't get to do often.  After perusing the menu online, he knew what he wanted and was eager to get the boat on dry land and food in his belly.

After the sampler platter, two flower pots of bread and strawberry butter, salads, so much dinner we all needed doggy bags and a massive ice cream dessert, I remembered why we don't eat out often.  All kidding aside, it was fun watching him enjoy every morsel.  And he was so appreciative he offered to help pay!  We told him to save his money for the fudge and gift shop.

      

We arrived home a little burnt and a lot tired but so thankful for the blessing of a family day.  God is good.  All the time.  But maybe even more so on a sunny, family-filled day at the lake!

Summertime Smiles

Our official ringing in of the "unofficial start of summer" wasn't as planned, but as the Blair's always do, we improvised and made the best of it.

Originally, we wanted to take advantage of the long weekend and camp.  Time and money got away from us (still saving for Florida!) and as the week approached, we'd not even begun to clean the camper, pack/prepare, or reserve a spot anywhere.  I was also worried about the weather, which ended up being absolutely perfect...cool nights, breezy/sunny days...NO rain...sigh.

In the midst of our unorganized attempt at spontaneity though, we opted to postpone the trip. 

Yes, I see the humor in that sentence, but unlike my husband who really would just backpack it wherever, I can't rough it without a plan!

Another big deciding factor for our change of plans was an impromptu decision by Tina to enter the Jr Miss pageant at our local festival.  As this was way out of character for her, but we're always ones to encourage growth, we told her to go for it.  This added shopping, beauty routines, practices and the actual pageant to our weekend schedule.  But it was worth it to build up her confidence and see her smile....

 And....she placed 1st runner up.  Way to go, Tina!

Sunday, for what we thought was a "skip day" at church, turned out to be just as busy.  I helped sub in two classes and provided some yummy grape salad for Tina's, who had a breakfast planned for their seniors.  That evening we got a call to keep a sweet baby overnight.  I was pleasantly thankful he slept through the night, so I didn't have to see how my body did with up and down feedings! 

As Tim and I were playing with him in our bed, it brought back such sweet memories of our boys at that age.  Hard to believe that was 13 and nearly 19 years ago.  My how time flies...

Noah spent every minute and saved dollar he could at the said festival, enjoying all day arm band rides and the flock of girls that seemed to flitter wherever he went.  I think I could've just let him camp out there for the weekend and he would've been content!

All weekend, what I had left on my hopes list was to go boating. 

Once our itty bitty company left, we found ourselves with the bulk of a holiday afternoon free, so we packed up and headed out.  Loading the truck, we were all a bit surprised at the sudden heat wave and wondered if we'd regret being on water that was really still too cool to take a dip in, but we went anyway and hoped for the best.

Boy, are we glad we did!  An hour later we were lazily floating along the chocolate river with the intoxicating scent of honeysuckles drifting by and a baby blue slightly overcast sky above.  The cotton ball clouds kept Mr. Sun at bay so it made it de-lightful to be outside.  Donning my big floppy beach hat and barefoot toes, I lounged and finished my first of many summertime books, while chatting with Noah.  Tim and Tina bonded on the back fishing.  Though she'd been a couple times, she enjoyed her first actual catch (of many) that day and was beyond excited.  Every time she'd reel one in, she'd squeal and say, "Take a picture!"

And, of course, Austin said hello with a happy yellow butterfly and a soaring eagle during our outing.
It was a pretty perfect afternoon.

Maybe Tina summed it up best with a "greatest day ever!" as we were packed for the ride home, still smiling from ear to ear. 

...grateful for the blessings and the memories.  sweet summertime.

Fish Bait

We've discovered several nooks and crannies of Kentucky Lake this summer and I haven't found a part I don't love.  For this last vacation, we chose a section of the lake nestled on the Tennessee side.  (More than anything, it was due to finding a pet friendly cabin, so our little doggies could join us.)  It was a very quiet and peaceful part of Kentucky Lake and we're thankful we discovered our little cabin in the woods and this area.

We're fortunate to have a boat that can handle everything we like to do on the water, from fishing, to racing down the waterway, to tubing.  The cove and area we stayed was perfect for all three, especially since the traffic was almost non existent during the week.  We felt safe letting Noah take his hand at the driver's wheel, as there was no worry about oncoming traffic.  The calmness (and cleanliness) also made it ideal for tubing - Noah's favorite water activity.  I wonder if those in the area overheard the joyous shouts he made while zig-zagging across the lake!  And swimming was nice as well, especially once we discovered the sandy private beach. 

We were able to dock our boat at a marina just up the street from our cabin.  This made boating easy and gave us the convenience of going in and out of the water anytime we wanted.  Tim could sneak out in the morning for a fishing trip while watching the sunrise.  We could come in for lunch to cool off and nap in the afternoons - or drive the boat to a nearby resort for a quick bite.  If Noah wanted to tube awhile, we just loaded in the float, tossed our fishing gear on the nearby dock, and headed back out.  The best part of having the boat docked though was that when we wanted to swim, we weren't stuck in wet bathing suits the rest of the day.  Once we were finished, it just a hop, skip and jump back to the cabin to shower and rinse the lake off us.

This was especially helpful the day we decided to take the dogs for a swim.  Now most dogs love water and jump in paws first with joyful excitement.  Chihuahuas...not so much.  Already cold by nature, being wet just adds to their shaking!  Our oldest, Patch, loves boating; he just prefers to stay inside at all times.  As Suzie is still a puppy, we'd hope an early trip would teach her to love it.  Not the case.  They both shriveled up and scampered to the top of our heads, racing for the highest point of dry land.  Being so close to our dock and cabin, we wrapped them in a towel and took them back to the cabin for a quick bath and the safety of their kennels.

Of course, after Tim's scary experience later that day, while swimming in the lake, he probably wished I'd done the same for him.  Our first day out we began scoping the best spots for swimming.  Even though we have a ladder on the back, it's nicer when you can wash ashore and find a spot of private beach.  We noticed a long piece of shoreline that boats seemed to frequent and, finding it empty the next evening, decided it would be our swimming hole for that day. 

This section was actually a small island in the center of the lake.  It was a bit rocky to start with but my waterproof shoes got me to the mud before I tossed them aboard.  The water was cool, even though it registered in the 90s.  I guess when the temperatures are 110 in the shade, water feels good regardless!  With the radio in the background, we splashed around and enjoyed the afternoon.  After a short while, a pontoon approached and sadly interrupted our private retreat.  We chatted for a bit with our new neighbors and then waded out a little further, hoping for some solitude. 

Yelping, Tim let out an ouch, but I figured he was just trying to spook me.  Seconds later a louder "OUCH!" as his body literally jumped out of the lake.  This time, I paid attention, all the while swimming backwards to the shore.  I'm screaming, "What!" while he's explaining he just got bit by a fish, and we're both splashing our way back to the boat.  Noah's looking on like we've both gone nuts, and from the side, I see the pontoon group chuckling. 

Thoroughly freaked out, but in the safety of knee-high water, I decide I can now check on my dear husband.  He's rubbing his chest, somewhat laughing, somewhat disturbed, as he explains that a fish took a nibble on his nipple.  The first time was a taste test I guess and nothing more than an annoyance.  The fish must've  liked the sampling though, as upon his return, the second bite was more forceful. 

"I heard him chomp!" Tim exclaimed. 

At this point, Noah and I are rolling in laughter, as is the group beside us.  All at once the men stand displaying their floats strategically placed to cover their nipples.  The older man shouts, "Did you think we were wearing these because we couldn't swim!" 

Surprisingly, Tim did get back in the water after his encounter, though not without an arm or float protecting his chest (thanks for the tip pontoon guys!).  It was certainly one of the funniest moments of the trip, even if Tim might not agree.  While it was humorous to us, joy-filled for Tim it was not!  We've managed to continue to laughter even at home, as Tim's since been nicknamed "Fish Bait" to honor the memory.  I'm sure it doesn't help that Noah and I don't just call him that....we also tweak his chest and then quickly run away!

Even though he tries to return the ribbing, by reminding me of my squeal when I tried to un-fish my hook, or of Noah's somewhat girly scream when we circled the 50 pound dead catfish while he was still on the tube; it just doesn't compare to his fishy adventure!