Houseboat bound

On Tuesday EARLY AM we will be loading our sleepy children young men into the Jeep and heading up to Bullard's Bar Resevoir. My Mom and step Dad have had a houseboat on the lake for about 14-15 years now. We go up at least once every summer, more if we can. Both of the boys have literally grown up there. I am including some photos of last year's trip here.

My friends, this is a true vacation. There is nothing to be done but lay around on a "floaty" or a tube listening to tunes (I made a special play list on my iPod this time...a sampling of the tunes is at the end of this post). The houseboat is equipped with a full kitchen and a couple of BBQ's. For breakfast we either do bear claws, fruit, bagels, etc. or sometimes we do pancakes (Jim's grandpa's recipe) or leftovers in a skillet (potatoes, corn, onions, eggs, maybe some bacon or steak).

The more adventurous folks do water skiing, wake boarding, tubing, air-chairing etc. Sometimes we take the ski boat on a trip up the river (Yuba River) where the water is much colder from the mountain run-off. Sometimes we venture over to someone else's houseboat for cocktails or karaoke. This year we will also have some other friends up who will be camping on the shore so we'll be visiting their campfire one night.

The kids have a blast swimming, jumping off the top of the houseboat, looking for frogs on the shore. They eat a lot and sleep a lot. I feel so fortunate that my kids have grown up with this experience year after year.

My grandparents have even come up several times. My grandmother, at the age of 80ish has even taken a jetski ride! A very mild one, but still, quite impressive in my book.

This year on our way up we will be stopping to see my grandparents first (they live about 45 min. away). My grandfather thinks that this is the last time we will see him as his health is ailing fast. We have thought that he was on his last leg for about 5 years now, so who knows. You just never pass up the opportunity to have a "last visit" because you never know when it just might be reality this time.

We will be spending the 4th of July at the boat which I don't think we've ever done before.

I'm personally looking forward to a few naps on a floaty, some skirt steak on the bbq, a cocktail or two, a good book, time with the family and friends, and head start on my Maui tan.

Comments

[GraceD]

Hey doll, 'member me? Sorry to be a lame blogger reader. I'm resurfacing to wish you well on what will be a fabulous vacation. I want a houseboat just as much as I want world peace. Consider me jealous.

Please take many, many pics and post those puppies. I want to see karaoke-on-the-water.

xoxoxo

[Margaret]

It does sound delightfully relaxing. We all need times like those!

[Ann]

Great pics!! And GO Grandma!