Houseboat!

A few weeks ago we realized a long-held dream of Jason’s, which was to rent a houseboat.

 

How their insurance company lets them rent double-decker houseboats to amateurs who have never before operated any watercraft after briefly pointing out the controls and saying “You’ll be good,” I have no idea.

Captain Jason at the helm

Among the few bits of information we understood and remembered the guy saying was, “Aim for the orange dot when you go under the bridge; it’s the only spot where there’s enough clearance to get the boat through. And if you’re on the upper level when you go under it, duck.”

He was NOT kidding.

After [barely] making it under the bridge without mishap, Captain Jason was able to transfer himself to the controls on the upper deck and better enjoy the view.

The weather for our weekend could not have been more perfect.

We motored as far as we could before dark and dropped anchor in a deserted inlet, thereafter named Miller Cove. There we spent the evening, until after the stars came out, swimming, floating, jumping off the upper deck, and going down the slide. 

The water was delightfully warm and clear.

Nobody slept particularly well, despite having two private rooms with bunkbeds and a pull-out sofa for me and Jason. But we got up in the morning to a gleaming sunrise.

From there we hauled anchor and motored farther up the lake.

The place we anchored for the day was a bit choppy, being more on the open water, so after swimming around for a while, we set sail again to seek out another cove.

Dear boat insurance company, Jeddy didn’t sign the papers. But he is over 18 and also holds a license to drive a land vehicle. Two, actually, if you count a forklift certification.

We couldn’t get over how fun it was to do house-y things like eat pizza, play board games, or drink beer while traveling. I even walked in from the front porch at one point when Jeddy was driving to see the steering wheel abandoned and Jeddy in the kitchen making a sandwich.

The top speed of our houseboat was not particularly fast.

In a lot of ways it was like a beach house (always in your swimsuit, lots of swimming opportunity, no shoes necessary), but better (no walking; we’re already on the water); and like a cruise (moving across water, seeing different scenery while you eat a snack at the window, open air breeze), but also better (we go wherever we want! And no customs or passports).

Eating ice cream and doing Mad Libs while Jeddy drives us to Miller Cove 2.0:

Pets and birthdays and swimming and pirates

Lizzy’s pet-sitting business is still in operation.

Some clients from last month

Caleb celebrated a birthday, turning 12, which is the closest I’ll ever come to having four teenagers at once.

Ada finished quilting a blanket for a friend’s baby shower, which turned out beautiful.  

Lizzy swam in the champs swim meet the day after VBS ended. It was impressive she could still do anything—especially since the next day she headed off to camp for a week with a friend.

Two days after Lizzy got back from camp, we headed out to visit the family.

Nostalgia Night, wherein Nana challenges the grandchildren to identify their own baby pictures.

Uncle Doug called all pirates to gather for a treasure hunt.

I had the soundtrack from Clue running through my head the whole time I was watching them run back and forth on the scavenger hunt.

At last they located and dug up the treasure—$2.60 in small coins and a well-sealed soda bottle planted by a forward-looking older cousin last year.

Caleb couldn’t open it.

Natalie couldn’t open it.

Kevin couldn’t open it.

Evie couldn’t open it.

Only Nana,

the truest pirate of them all,

could open it.

Inside was a map of the property and a random local brochure. Arrrrr!

The next day we kayaked and swam in the river 

before heading home.

Lizzy got in a couple more quick gigs before school started. Below, another pair of satisfied clients.

 

Desire of nations

Come, Thou long expected Jesus,

Born to set Thy people free;

From our fears and sins release us,

Let us find our rest in Thee.

Israel’s strength and consolation,

Hope of all the earth Thou art;

Dear desire of every nation,

Joy of every longing heart.

~Charles Wesley, “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus”

The Olympic Opening Ceremonies are always neat, right?

Inevitable controversies notwithstanding, I love watching the Parade of Nations.

All those flags representing all the different peoples, coming together.

President of the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee Tony Estanguet agreed:

What a sight it is to see you all parading together! What a rare and precious moment you have given us!

And even though the Games cannot solve every problem,

Even though discrimination and conflicts are not about to disappear,

Tonight you have reminded us how beautiful humanity is when we come together.

And when you return to the Olympic Village, you will be sending a message of hope to the whole world: that there is a place where people of every nationality, every culture and every religion can live together. You’ll be reminding us: it is possible.

The start of the Olympics came right on the heels of our Vacation Bible School, Building the Body.

Using a construction theme, we taught the kids about the Body of Christ—the Church. We learned about how the Church welcomes ALL kinds of people from ALL nations to worship Jesus as one unified body, and how the Church waits excitedly for Jesus’ return when He will bring about the culmination of all things.

God bless the members of the body who provided meals all week for us. Below, three worn-out crew leaders enjoy such a meal in front of the Olympic ceremonies after a very long week.

So these refrains (Who is one body? THE CHURCH! Who waits for Jesus’ return? THE CHURCH!) were fresh on my mind.

You’re right, M. Estanguet. The Games cannot solve every problem. But your speech and the pageantry in front of you movingly articulate the desire of nations: that there is a place where people of every nationality and every culture can live together. 

There is an Answer to that desire. 

And that place of eclectic inclusion is open not to those who, like elite athletes, strive and work and sacrifice themselves… that place of peace and glory hangs out a welcome sign to those who merely trust and believe in the One who already did it all.

By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations.

Revelation 21:24-26