We went to the lake today, and it was great… (can I end the blog there? I’m tired. No? Details? Oh, oh yeah…writing for pleasure…I know how to do this…)
You’ll have to forgive me…I’m taking 12 units online and it really sucks. I’m trying not to resent it too much, because all teachers in California have to do these units, but, seriously, when I do the reading and answer the questions I’m left with an overwhelming feeling of ‘Why am I wasting precious computer minutes doing this again?’. Book people, I have to tell you, it’s seriously cutting into my writing time–I’m only at pg. 475, and I’d hope to be to pg. 500 by now. (In case that sounds joyless, I actually have plot points in my head instead of page numbers, I just don’t want to give too much away…I don’t really count pages as in ‘I did that!’ I count pages as in, ‘I’m getting closer to this part I really want to write…’) I have to give a shout-out to Samurai for being my interview guinea pig–she’s been awesome. (She may not realize it, but she doomed herself to my harassment by her profile–‘Culture shock doesn’t even come close’–I saw that, and was asked to interview someone about culture and she just popped into my mind.)
Now where was I…oh yeah… the lake. You’ve all heard the Johnny Cash song, “Folsom Prison Blues”, right? Well, right by Folsom Prison is Folsom Lake–I’ve been going there since I was very little, and anywhere between one time and twelve times a summer, we pack up the whole famn damily and go out to the water. Last year was the exception–Ladybug was really bug-sized last year, and between the flaming red hair, blue eyes, and lizard-belly white skin, we assumed she would burst into flame when the sun touched her. After a month of playing naked in the kiddie pool, we came to the conclusion that a little bit of sun-block and a hat would kind of fix that whole ‘combustible baby’ problem, and the spf swimshirt helped. She’s lying on our bed right now, sucking on her thumb and telling the world that she’s not really ready for bed, she just looks half dead with exhaustion. That’s what happens when you take maniac babies to the beach and they have a great time. Cave Troll doesn’t look quite so tired…but he is being awfully mellow. (He saw Surf’s Up for the second time this weekend while I distributed bookmarks–he can say the word ‘Spectacular!’ followed by “aaauuuugghhhh!” and for those of you who have seen the trailers for the movie, this is freaking hilarious.)
But back to the lake. I didn’t realize when I was a kid, but it’s where poor people go to party in the summer. The funny thing about this is that it’s in the middle of some of the most expensive homes in the state–and that includes L.A.. The beach is decomposed granite, with lots of nickel sized fools gold floating around to step on, and the floor of the man-made lake is…well, it’s full of holes and squishy sand and considering the number of kids running around in diapers you can only hope it’s sand and driftwood and what have you. June is like the only month to go, because too early and it’s colder than a brass monkey’s blue balls, and too late and all the water has been let into the American river and you have to brave meat bees and three football fields worth of stinking hot sand in order to swim in turbid water if you’re willing to brave the stanky knee-high squish before you get there. But today, it was perfect–the water was a little low, the weather was a little cool, but the cave troll played in the sand and the baby played in her ‘boat’ and then the baby flopped on us and laughed in the water while the Cave Troll played in the boat, and the big kids played with their brother and sister and then frolicked like fat and sleek river otters in the crowded lake. Dad spent part of his time in the water, and a whole lot of time sitting on the beach going ‘ahhh…I’m not in a cubicle’.
We had a good time.
Now, I have some thanks that are overdue, but I do have a reason–I wanted to post the picture with the thank you because the picture ROCKED and the person who made it rocks harder and I’m so grateful… but I’m also hopelessly inept, and my computer time is so limited… so I’m going to give Needletart a shout-out for sketching Cory’s tattoo… she did a fabulous job, and I’m thinking about having book plates made up with her exact design. If nothing else, I WILL figure out how to post the darn thing on the blog so you all can see it. Thank you, darling, a thousand times thank you…it was really wonderful to see, and even more wonderful for you to do…you guys, I’m gonna figure out how to show it to you, I promise!
We live 30 minutes from a lovely lake (Atsion Lake in the pinelands of nj) and try to make it down there several times in the summer. There is a pool in my yard but at the lake, I HAVE to relax because there is no laundry, dishes, vaccuming or other housework nagging at me. We are fortunate that the lake has a wonderful sandy beach and is a sandy bottom lake. As for all the babies in diapers, etc., I try real hard not to think about it. My children grew up at the lake and have fond memories of long sundays there.
That’s the way to do a day at the lake! And boy, did you ever deserve it. So glad the ladybug is not combustible. so glad the cave troll and the kids and the mate all had good times. I’m hoping it was a pleasure for you as well. Bravos and thanks for posting!
That sounds heavenly. I’ve lived here for damn near a decade and never been to Folsom Lake. Sad, no?
Do you have a scanner? If you do, just scan the sketch and then post it like you do your other photos on here. If not, I have one and I can do it for you.
You may want to wait until next year, when the little tadpole has some mobility… they have more fun when they can toddle a little and dig in the sand.