My dad just sent me this photo of my brother, sister and me when we were kids. It’s on my bio page, but I don’t think he knows that, so I thought I’d post it here. Yes, that’s me on the left, not Jay Leno. I was always topless in childhood photos. I didn’t think it was fair that the boys in the neighborhood didn’t have to wear shirts in the summer and I refused to wear one until I had almost reached puberty.
We have had a wonderful Saturday. The eyesore is almost done and we’ve been out on the lake all day. For some reason, this little lake house, more than our house that we live in or anything else we own, seems to be almost beyond our wildest dreams and often when we go there, Denis and I end up recalling the months, years ago, when we couldn’t pay our rent and all the debt after the babies were born, the years-long rough patch, and how we ever arrived at this. ”In a million years I wouldn’t have imagined I’d have a boat,” Denis said today. It’s not very big, our boat, but it’s really lovely. What made it lovely today was the way Jack drove us around in it so masterfully with his beautiful girlfriend Amy beside him, and Denis and I in the bow, our scrawny legs soaking up the sun, our toes touching.
Later, when we were docking the boat, we put on quite the comedy show for the neighbors. Jack was tying a bumper to the side of the boat toward the bow and he thought I had tied up the stern, but instead, I was trying to attach the rear stern aft (whatever) bumper and somehow managed to drop the bumper into the lake without fastening it to either boat nor dock and we all lunged for it and then watched it drift away. Then we noticed that I hadn’t tied the back stern of the boat to the dock. Since I was the only one on the dock, I used some quick thinking and ordered my 200 lb son to grab my hand under the fantastical delusion that I would, with one arm, pull him, the others on board and the boat, against the current, back to the dock. Jack grabbed my hand and I did the classic one-foot-on-dock-one-on-boat slow-motion split and then I was in the lake. There are a few houses facing the lake and some runners were jogging past, so I decided to swim off with great determination after the fleeing bumper, so that anybody watching would think that it was my intention to fall backward into the freezing water, in order to retrieve the bumper.
As I swam off after it, my charming family called out, “Get it, Girl!” ”Fetch it!” “Go-o-o-d girl!” “Now bring it back!”
Then they let me do the grocery shopping in my wet clothes.
lololol And nobody had a camera?
Hi the original Kristin!!!
What- no FLIP video handy?????? That’s just not right!
I bet it was refreshing to fall in the lake tho – it would be here – it is 103 here
It IS amazing to realize the blessings we all have from when we were just starting out. Someimes you might have to pinch yourself!
Have a fabulous weekend at the Lake!
I know, it was definitely a Funniest Home Videos opportunity, lost.
Makes me think of “I LOVE LUCY” when I envision this playing out! Well….you guys are OUR Lucy and Ricky!
Your written word takes all of us on the journey with you! BTW – I was cleaning out the storage and ran across a big box of retriever training dummies, orange, white and black ones. Let me know if you need them – they are great to practice the water retrieves, as you can see them well as they float!
Thanks, Ann………..you just gave me a wonderful mental image of all that and I am still grinning and chuckling! I bet the water was frigid. So did you “shake” and splatter the family for treating you like a lab?
No but I snapped at them
You always film everything, but SOMEHOW didn’t catch this one
Happy Weekend! Hope you all have a great time at the lake home. xxoo
You DO look a little bit like Leno
I know. I know.
I knew the photo was of you, but the very first time I saw it I thought it was Denis!
They do look alike – Ann and Denis – don’t they?
Totally! I know they have heard that for years!
Always make it look like you meant it! And leave it to the husband and kids to let everyone else know you didn’t.
And I was with you as a child wondering why girls had to wear shirts and the boys didn’t. Unfortunately, even after puberty hit, I could have went without a shirt. I kind of miss that.
But did they give you a biscuit afterward? lolol Thanks Ann, I needed that.
I thought that you and Denis didn’t care for boats. For some reason I could swear I remember reading that being one of the things you had in common. Maybe I’m crazy, or you’ve just changed.
I’m so glad you can sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor, and look back on the extremely lean times. Too many people don’t get the chance, or they work so hard they never take the time to enjoy it.
You’re right Tracy, I did write in An Innocent, A Broad that one of the many things D and I discovered we had in common was a dislike of boats. Maybe I said fear. For Denis it’s more of a fear thing but for me, it was just something that my family was more into than I was when I was growing up. We had a little sailboat and I hated the rigging and the way the wind was so unreliable. We did have a Boston Whaler for a while and that was a blast. But by the time we met, Denis and I were at a stage where the only way we would be able to be on a boat was if it belonged to somebody else and we both hated/feared being stuck on a boat with others and no access to food when we wanted it and no ability to leave when we got sick of the other people, etc.
I knew I remembered it, thank you. I’m not imagining it, and I haven’t had too many Cosmos yet this evening! ;- )
I forgot to say that I still love this picture of you. I’m with you and Mary Ward, I can clearly remember asking my Dad why I had to wear a shirt and he didn’t. I’ve been racking my brain trying to figure out how old I was, but I haven’t figured it out yet. I can picture it clear as day, we lived in Sterling Park, VA, but we lived there twice, so I can’t say. Now it’s going to drive me crazy wondering about this useless piece of information.
You’re not crazy. I recently read her 1st book (finally!) and she did mention they weren’t boat people.
Thanks for the laugh Ann! Not sure why but you remind me of myself.I was walked into a tree… at least you had a better recover. Can’t really make it look like you meant to walk into a tree.
I got misty reading your recollections of early married life, and then found myself (as I often do when reading your blog) laughing aloud as I pictured you swimming off so earnestly after what was no doubt an entertaining entrance into the lake. Cute family photo. I remember seeing this one before. Please post some pictures of the lake house when it is completed. I love stuff like that.
Ann
I think children are convinced that moms have wonder woman qualities,and that indeed we can do stunts like that. I am glad you did and I hope you changed after grocery shopping…
Where was Denis? In the water, I hope!
I have pictures of myself bare chested as a child, and I am always wearing bedraggled underwear. But, we were poor, so I am not surprised.
Thank you for sharing your memories from the early years in your marriage. I recalled mine as well. Thanks.
Oh, Ann, I loved that post! I can picture the whole situation, as a similar thing happened to me. I did the dock, boat split one time and ended up in the harbor. I’ll never forget the humiliating surprise! I really dislike boats and I think my hubby has had his fill retiring after many years as a merchant seaman, cruises and such are out of the question.
: )
Loved this post! (And I’m with you on the trapped on a boat thing!). Your childhood pic, is of course, priceless!
Great story. It made me think of summers spent at our cottage on the St. Lawrence River many moons ago. It sounds like the Lake house is going to be a place of many happy and amusing times spent together.
Hilarious story. Well, hilarious ending. I like that you’ve both reflected on your humble beginnings, and you both appreciate what you have. I think that that’s what makes it even more special to you. It just goes to show you that hard work pays off.
The way you kept your dignity by going after the float is hysterical. It reminds me of a time, many years ago, when my best friend and I waltzed into a very hip nightclub late one night, thinking we were the cat’s pyjamas. We both strutted past the dance floor to the back of the bar, with the music pounding in our ears. We bumped into two women who, strangely, looked an awful lot like us. We both loudly belted out apologies to the two women, but quickly realized that we’d bumped into a mirror. Humility is a wonderful thing.
Hysterical
I’m in my little attic writing room and there’s a gentle summer rain falling. Soft rumblings of thunder. My little dog curled up next to me. Heaven.
Happy Memorial Day and many thanks and blessings to all those who are serving and have served for our country.
Sorry the lake water wasn’t warmer, but it does sound like you had a terrific afternoon.
We had a nasty storm here this morning. Thunder, lightning, hail and then my children showed up in our bedroom. That’s the signal for ‘WE’RE REALLY SCARED – DO SOMETHING!!!!’ It is beautiful now.
Happy Memorial Day everyone!
Saw the movie “Secretariat” tonight and just loved it.