Just another day on the lake?

We finally found the time a month ago to try and take advantage of the boat that the practice owns and it turned into a really hot and miserable day. We were so excited to go to the lake and enjoy the boat but after we go it into the water and got out past the no wake zone Alan pushed down the drive and it would not go at all. We ended up drifting over to the marina to see if they had an idea of what was wrong. It took about 45 minutes to get over there and then another 45 minutes to get back to the dock. It turns out that this had been a problem the last time it was taken out and so they took it to the shop but I guess they decided to not fix it. We ended up spending about 4 very hot hours (over 110 degrees outside) just to take the boat back to the shop.

Well a month later we tried again. Full of hopes of good times we once again put the boat into the water but it wouldn't start due to a dead battery. We pulled it out of the water and found that there was also no plug in the boat and that it had filled with quite a bit of water. We could have sunk had we stayed out there for long. We once again went to the marina to see if they could help. Alan purchased three new plugs and a new battery and we were on our way. We had a great day waterskiing and tubing. The kids' favorite thing was just jumping in the lake and swimming around between skiing and tubing. They loved how fast the boat was and we all had a great time.

Right before we were going to go in Alan said I should learn to drive the boat so I followed his instructions carefully and drove Luke around in the tube. I turned it off and we floated around for a while. When he went to start the boat again the drive gear that you push to go just went around in circles and the boat wouldn't start. Of course it had to happen right after I attempted to drive. He messed with it for quite a while and finally got it started and we headed home. The kids were starting to think we were going to have to sleep in the boat. We got the boat loaded up and then headed home. On the way home we had trouble with a latch that had broken and the lid to the engine compartment kept flying up so Alan had to go rig a rope contraption to keep it down. Next we had a flat tire on the boat trailer. Of course there was no star wrench to get the lug nuts off the tire so I got to go find a Checker Auto and bring it back. Then someone tightened the lug nuts way too tight and Alan had to take off another tire on the same side in order to get the other one off. We finally were able to go drop off the boat thinking all the while that we never want to see it again.

Now we understand that people say the two happiest days of your life are the day you buy a boat and the day you sell the boat. Also that BOAT stands for Bust Out Another Thousand$.

I am just so grateful for a husband that can figure out just about anything. He was able to fix the latch and the drive problem the next morning in just an hour. Maybe this boat thing isn't such a perk after all. Boats are so awesome when everything works but a nightmare when they don't.