A Day at the Lake

It's always a bitter-sweet day to have a Fathers Day party at our buddy Mikes lakeside house. He left this world about two years ago. His wife still lives there and so we returned this year, after a years absense. It feels strange and empty not having him around. He thought he was our brother, and we semi-adopted him into our family. Lung cancer and its complications did him in.

It was still a great celebration. My baby sister turned 50. You know your family is getting older when the baby is 50. At her age...she struggled to blow out the 2 candles. (not really). After dinner, she retired to an outside chair...too exhausted to take a boat ride. (a lie again). We had to slap her awake when it was time for her to go home.(That's my last lie.) She enjoyed her presents...although I thought the wheeled walker was a little over-the-edge.

It was baby Merricks first boat ride. I was in my kayak, and not on the pontoon with the rest of the group. I guess he did real good at first, but then he broke into an all-out crying fit. Evidently, he had his fill of the rocking wave motion. Grandma forgot his pacifier. It was reported that many Bennett Lake home-owners hit their decks to see what was making all the racket. By the time he returned to the dock...he was sound asleep in grandmas arms. That is not his daddy holding him. That is my son Jeff. Merrick loves Uncle Jeff. He makes Merrick laugh.

The picture on the right is my dad. Look at that guy oaring around. The man is 83 years old!!! He took 3 short trips in my kayak. On the last one...he refused the help of getting in and out of the boat. I was hoping that he'd tip the boat over.( That's really my last lie.) He is a closet athlete. I was in the 8th grade before I finally beat him in basketball because he shot a hook-shot with his right hand while knocking me down with his left. He wore that orange shirt today so that when he dribbled the catsup out of his hot dog...nobody would notice. I don't have a before-and -after shot...but he has lost 100 lbs. He has great willpower when he decides to use it. Today, we called him Kenny Kayak.

Speaking of names...on the spot today I changed the name of my kayak. Her original name was Annie Gale. She is now named after a famous and beautiful Mexican actress. Her new name is Salma Kayak. Ooh-la-la.

Last thought...If our idea today was to have an early Fathers Day party...how come there was not one mention...not one word...about fathers? I'm trying not to sound bitter (well...maybe I am), but I think Fathers Day takes a distant second to Mothers Day. Thinking long and hard about it....I think that's how it should be......Mothers are special.