Eight Point Lake '19, Pt. I

With three kids, a dog, and all of our collective crap, we were packed to the brim.

What's up, Internet.

Well, it's that time again - third week of July, hilt-deep in the middle of Summer Vacation - time to shed civilization for the rural splendor of Eight Point Lake.

Had to get creative with the seating, for sure.

Taking our cues from last year, we decided this year to a.) spend a shorter duration of time at the Cottage, and b.) allow Alayna to bring a friend up.  As she gets older, and acts less and less like an elementary-aged kid and more like a middle school-bound, tween shit-storm, Alayna gets easily bored with things like 'swimming,' and 'playing outside.'  Last year we had to deal with her 'I'm bored' grumblings from Day One, and we sure as hell didn't want to have to deal with that this time around.

Alayna asked her friend, Christina, to come up for our four-day/three-night stay at the lake, and this helped things out immensely.  Sure, there was occasional bouts of grumbling, but with tweens you're going to get that regardless of where you are and what you're doing.


Christ, we had our fair share of that crap on our Florida Vacation.


Anyway, we left today as soon as Kris got home from work - she worked a half-day, so we were on the road and northbound by 12:30pm.  The weather was perfect, and we spent the majority of our first day at Eight Point Lake enjoying dad's new Pontoon boat and plenty of sun.

Here's a crap-load of pictures for you.  Enjoy.

Day I

"Establishing Headquarters"

The Houghs - plus a stowaway - rolling down North Shore Drive.

Ready for a brief stint away from city life. . .

The Cottage.

Dad's new pontoon boat - which was going to be getting plenty of service this year - and Brian White's old reliable.

Dad starts blowing up all the obnoxious floaties my kids brought with them this year.  These things, oddly enough, would play a central role in our stay here this year.

The old yellow swimming platform was water-logged and moldy, and so was no longer in active service.  They had this quasi-portable, roll-up, Lily Pad swimming thing up there, though, which the girls thoroughly enjoyed.

Kris, scratching her ass, classy as always.

Watson gets to work stinking himself up for the week.

The bros, back at it again.

Eight Point Lake.  It was a little cloudy when we arrived, but was scheduled to clear up right away.

Our dog attempts to warn the children about the dangers of splashing water around.

Christina's Flamingo, almost ready to roll.

The Cannonball and her Swan.

Lastly, workin on Abby's Donut. . .

Happy girls.

Beauty and the Beast (from left to right.)

First Bloody Mary of the Year

In the afternoon, Dad and I took the girls out for a quick lap around the lake so they could try out the new pontoon boat, which dad acquired by trading in the old, red SeaDoo jet boat.

Abby and Christina

Kids like to throw this sign around a lot these days. . . as if these little bastards know anything about Victory. . .

On our way back from our quick trip around the lake, we stopped off at the Sandbar so Christina could see what it looked like (more or less.)

Hugs.

We didn't stay long at the Sandbar, deciding instead it'd be cool to bring everyone and more supplies up there in order to do it proper.  We came back to the Cottage so the girls could get a snack and we could load up some coolers (and dogs.)  While there I gave my nephew Jax a quick tattoo, something I'd be doing semi-regularly throughout the next few days.

Rolling up the Lily Pad to take with us.  Had to learn the hard way that you couldn't simply drag this thing behind your boat, but whatever.

An aux-in on a pontoon boat?  Yours Truly is more than happy to oblige. 

The gang all here.

Some spill-overs on our now-secondary boat.

Kids and dogs, kids and dogs.

Another old people selfie.

Keeping Watson snuggled up, as if he suffers from a lack of these or something.

Duke is slightly obsessed with our dog, for whatever reason.  Watson ain't having it.

Again with the damn Victory signs. . .

Sun's out, guns out.

 

 

We contemplated buying a life vest for Watson, too, but he doesn't try to jump in the lake like these two.  Homeboy doesn't want anything to do with water in the slightest.

Talkin' jams.

Pulling up to the Sandbar

Some pissed off dogs, not wanting to get into the water.

The adult boat.  No kids allowed.

I don't think this tree is long for this world.  It's roots are totally exposed now, as the water level was about a foot or two higher this year than last year.  There was no beach to speak of.

The dogs jumped down onto what little grass (but mostly mud) there was above water. . .

Stupid dogs.

Moved the boat closer to the pontoon once our family scared away another boat that was previously in that spot.  Don't put it past the Houghs to creep out their neighbors.

Dogs, marking their territory.

Watson is not happy.

He definitely wasn't a fan of this, but at least the dude could touch.

Jill, Chelsey, Bryan and Kris

After his traumatic experience in the shallows of the lake, Watson sunbathes.  He was pissed.

Collecting 'clams.'

After an hour or two, we rolled up the Lily Pad the girls had been swimming on and prepared to head back to the Cottage. . .

Those were some smelly-ass dogs, let me tell ya. . .

Coming into the inlet.

Putting the Brians to work at the grill.  As usual.

Dad gets pretty OCD with the coolers (Thou Shall Not Put Beers in the Designated Water Cooler, etc. etc.)  Bryan Rowley says otherwise. . . 

Always fishing. . .

This is how the girls would stow their floaties when not in use, which we thought - at the time - was a good idea.  This would prove otherwise in the coming days.

Bradley is currently obsessed with magic tricks he's learned off of Youtube, so that was his big thing this year.  You couldn't pass him in the Cottage without him taking out a deck of cards and asking you to pick a card.

First bonfire at the lake. . .

Jill and Chelsey, hard at work.

Dad, Cindy, Kris and I took the girls - and dogs - out for an evening sunset cruise. . .

Rock and roll.

Hoodies and fleece blankets (courtesy of Aunt Jill.)

Abby, feeling pensive.

Kris and Bailey.

Watson and Cindy.

Captain at the helm.

This is a pretty popular vantage point for the dogs.

Sunset pics are required by law on all evening cruises around the lake.

Watson enjoys cruising slowly around the lake.  Just so long as he doesn't have to be in the lake, he's good.

So at this point in the cruise, people decided to start taking pictures of other folks on the boat.  So here's Dad and I. . .

. . . and one with Abby and I.

. . . and one with Abby and Cindy.

. . . .and one with Alayna and Kris.

. . . and one with Christina and Alayna.

. . . and one with Abby, Nana, and Alayna.

. . . aaaaand, finally, one with Kris and Abby.

Alayna channels Kate Winslet in Titanic.

More sunset pics. . .

Sisters.  Currently not fighting.

Coming into port.

An evening swim brawl.

Keeping our Bloody Maries patriotic.  'Cause Freedom.

Uncle Bryan makes himself another late-night snack. . .

This kid and her f***ing s'mores. . .

A rare Blood Moon this evening. . .

My bed for the next four days.  Kris and Abby shared a bed in our usual middle room, with Alayna and Christina getting the other, so I crashed out here for our stay up here this year.  Livin' the High Life. . .

(to be continued. . .)

- Brian