Clear Lake 2012

Spending a week away from a computer (for the most part), then most of the next week glued to a computer (work), makes it surprisingly harder than I expected to sit down and write about my trip to Clear Lake.

I have a better understanding regarding why people don't always update their blogs!  Not that I've been a daily poster myself, of course.  Because sometimes the things I've been up to just doesn't seem even the slightest bit interesting and I can't even comprehend why anyone would want to read about what I've been doing.  And since I started this blog as a way to look back over the things I've done, they don't even seem like something _I_ would want to read about!!!

All that is a whole lot lot of words to say "I just haven't felt like I had much to talk about." :-)

But I did spend the previous week on vacation.  And a relaxing vacation it was, too.  So if you want to learn more, read on.  If not....well, I'll leave it up to you what to do.  :-)

Saturday Afternoon on the Lake

Our annual trip to Clear Lake is (luckily) rarely an action-packed story-filled trip.  It is more about hanging with family and friends in a very relaxing setting (Indian Beach Resort in Clearlake Oaks).

First, the Hounds (and bird):  They are the absolute KING and QUEEN(s) of relaxing.  They've spent their entire lives perfecting the art of relaxing.  They spend the week either sitting in the shade (or sun, if they're in the mood) watching the comings and goings of all of us.  We're very lucky because when both Ken and I are gone - either both out on the water, or one of us in our cabin and the other on the water, or whatever - they don't whine or bark.  At least that is what everyone tells us.  I've heard that Annie will sit up and watch for us, but they don't pester people.  The hardest time we have with them is when one of the other dogs is around.  Angus REALLY wants to play, but you know how Ridgebacks are....they like to tackle each other when they're playing.  And the other dogs are (at most) half their size.  But it all works out.  Our dogs need a chance to relax in the air conditioned cabin as much as we do, so we regularly bring them up there to hang out.  Annie stays in her crate and Angus stays on the sofa (we always bring sheets from home which we use to protect the furniture).  Not bad for a dog's life!

We do a whole lot of this - well, Angus likes to lie on the ground, but the rest of us sit in chairs...

Annie spends a lot of time watching...anything

And this was Angus's nightly spot...always with his ears at attention, sitting at the window, waiting for us to come back to the cabin.  And yes, that's Sydney in her cage next to Angus.

During the days the two dogs vie for a spot on a pad.  They usually get their own, but this time they both wanted the same one!

Now us:  We are also quite practiced at relaxing.  And after 18 years at Indian Beach Resort (we're pretty sure it's been 18 years - we figure it all out by remembering that we had our 1994 Sea Doo up in Glenhaven the first year, and the following year we moved to Indian Beach Resort.  So counting 1995 as the first summer, 2012 would be our 18th....if my math is correct!) we've got it down to an art form.

Arriving on Monday afternoon we unpack (what seems like the entire house) and settle in.  Tuesday usually includes a trip to the local Wal-Mart (not my favorite store, but the most convenient option for those items we "need" to have that we forgot at home - this year included tongs for flipping bacon - yum and  a lei to wear on one of our 'theme' nights - see what I mean...'important' things!).  By Wednesday we've truly settled into the routine which then repeats for the rest of the week:  wake up when we want, eat breakfast, meander out to the beach, ride a Sea Doo, read a book, make lunch, ride a Sea Doo, read a book, decide if it's cocktail hour yet, Ride a Sea Doo again, go out to the Relaxation Station with our first cocktail of the afternoon (at which time we're warm enough to brave a soaking in the cold lake), get sun while on the Relaxation Station, and chat with whomever is out there with you, and then it's somehow time for dinner (it feels like all we do is eat) which is a group event each evening, and after dinner we might start a Corn Hole tournament, a Pass The Pigs game, or just sit around talking and laughing and enjoying every one's company.

Ken's a good sport and lets me take pictures - this was a sunset picture, with me sitting in my chair looking up at him.

Ken in the Harbor master's chair

Self portrait with my buddy

When we all went out on the lake and floated (I'm on the pink floaty)

Ken on the tube

  

A few of us floating freely in the Relaxation Station

The men vs boys water fight

The girls don't do water fights :-)

In case you were wondering what a Cornhole game is...you toss corn filled bean bags (does that make it a corn bag?) trying to make it in the hole (see the white hole at the top of the piece of wood I'm standing next to?).  You get points according to where the bag lands on the board or in the hole.  If you want to learn more about it...Official Cornhole website

As an end to our trip I'll leave you with this idyllic sunset view