The Life and Lake Experience!

First of all . . . I have some really great pictures of Rick roping, kids swimming at the "Cowboy Country Club" (our pond), me and Les at the lake, and my kids knee boarding - BUT for some reason, the only computer that I can upload pictures from is my laptop and it is NOT letting me get into Blogger. SO . . . no pictures! :(

But let me just tell ya what life has been like around the Broken Y. B & B are still schooling, working two or three lessons a day in each subject - doing their best to get the stuff done so they can have at least a month off before starting their next year. The K's have learned how to get out both back doors and it seems I am constantly stepping out the back door doin the "Country Holler". I did win a contest on one of our local radio stations on what was called "Call for your kids" - if my kids are on the south back 40, they need to hear me holler! They can! I did - on the air, and I won!

We went to the lake over Memorial Weekend and hung out with the Brazles and their camping cohorts. We took our $.50 garage sale tent and put it up in the middle of all the nice air conditioned RV's. We were told by the experienced campers there that we got a good deal on our tent as it probably would sell for about $250 - it would easily sleep 6-8 people!

Let me tell ya . . .it can withstand a pretty good driving wind and rain. About 2:00am, we got hit with some wind . . . I couldn't find my shorts . . .the howl woke everyone up . . . and the rain started! I still couldn't find my shorts, I was starting to get nervous, I don't to be caught unprepared! I found my shorts, loaded the K's in the back of the van, Rick and the B's were going to tough it out in the tent, ran back to the tent fighting the Kansas wind, grabbed a sleeping bag in the tent, tripped over the edge of the tent, landed flat on my face in the wet grass, managed to get up and get back into the van with the crying K's. Get all settled down . . . and my cell phone rings . . . it's Les . . .she doesn't want to get wet . . . she's in her air conditioned RV . . . she's dry . . .well . . . she can't get her door open because of the horrendous wind! She's looking at the radar on her TV - should move by pretty quickly she says, as she sits in her dry, air conditioned RV, fretting about her poor, pitiful friend in the near tornado weather, not able to get the door open because of the horrendous Kansas wind! JB, on the other hand, admitted he wasn't gettin up, he was comfortable, and he had to be up at 5:30am. He's camped in a tent before and its kinda a "right of passage". Where is the love?

The thunder is booming, the lightning is constant but the K's finally fall asleep, only to have the van door slide open at 3:30am and Princess climbs in . . . "Mom, if it wouldn't be any trouble, would you drive me to the bathroom . . . I've been holding it for 3 hours!" - In the pouring rain and wind! I get up and get in the drivers seat and take her to the bathroom, only to have to unload the K's for a potty stop also. We're soaked, get back to camp, and she jumps out and heads back to the tent . . . crazy.

By 6:00am, the quickly moving, slowest storm of my life drove my adventurous three-some to climb into the van - soaked because the ground was so saturated all the sleeping bags on the tarp got wet. They were ready to head home, get warm, and take a nap! We slept until 9:00am, fed horses, and headed back out.

The wind was miserable most of the day so we fished, hung out, talked, fished some more, then went to the swimming area for a dip. By evening the wind had died and we got the boat out for a trek around the lake. That night we spent about an hour on the lake and had such a good time . . . used minimal gas and were excited for the next day! Living 20 minutes from the lake gave us the luxury to head home Saturday night for a good nights sleep!

Coming back Sunday morning (yes . . . we jipped church) refreshed and ready for some boating action . . . we climbed in and were off! The B's learned how to knee board and did a pretty good job of it! I have pictures! Came back around lunch time and Rick looked at the gas tank that said almost empty. That is crazy, he said, we haven't used a full tank of gas . . . tap, tap, tap . . . the gage must be stuck. We ate lunch and headed back out. . . only to run out of gas in the middle of the lake! A good Samaratin towed us in after I (and those daring enough to get imbarressed) did the "Help Us, Save Us, We're Going to Drown" wave!

We were camped close to the docks so I ran up and asked JB if he had some gas . . . sure nough, he had two BIG cans full . . . I told him I thought someone helped themselves to our gas the night before . . . Dad Brazle thought someone got into his also . . . all the while, JB's BIG gas cans sat right there for the taking.

The no-good thieves took about 3/4 of our tank of gas . . . I wished all kinds of evil and peril on them . . . extreme sunburn . . . dead engine . . .broken wake board . . . tornado . . . sleepless night . . . but then I remembered the Lord said that vengeance was His! All was not lost, we had an excellent time with the Brazles . . . jumped on a jet ski, swam some more and then headed for home. Been so busy since we got home . . . haven't even had a chance to talk to Les or update my blog! When I met Les about two years ago . . . I felt she was a kindred spirit . . . I know she is . . . especially since she worried so for her friends safety in her nice, dry, air conditioned RV. Oh yeah, she couldn't get the door open because of the horrendous wind! JB on the other hand . . . thank goodness he had gas!

That was our Memorial weekend! Now . . . stay tuned! The long awaited closing on our old home is taking place on Friday! Glory BE! Talk about being put through the fire . . . I'll give more details on that later . . . for now . . . laundry, house cleaning, garden work, real estate, more laundry . . . you know the routine!

Blessings~

P.