Vacation 2003 |
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We have just completed our annual pilgrimage to Bowie, Texas. This was not a religious journey, but a well-needed vacation. Bowie is our favorite destination spot--in fact, Lovely Family and I have gone there each of the past 18 years.
Bowie, Texas is the home of Lake Amon G. Carter and is the occasional summer residence of much of the Winfrey clan (Lovely Wife's side of the family). In fact, Lovely Father-in-law built "The Cabin" with his father in the late 50's. The relatively simple two-bedroom brick "Cabin" has, over the years, evolved into a four bedroom, four bathroom lake house (although still referred to as "The Cabin"). Actually, evolved is a poor choice of words, for it connotes a certain passivity: "well, we just built this one-room cabin, watered it a bit, waited 36 years and 'voila', it's grown into a house".
In reality, there was much hard work and sweat-equity. The Winfrey clan, especially patriarch Lovely Father-in-law, are extraordinarily industrious and resourceful. In addition to the house, they also built the adjacent tennis court, including lighting for night play. They fashioned the docks and included an electric boat-lift. We are most fortunate that we are able to spend time here and that Lovely Daughter and BoyHead have a lifetime of joyous summertime vacation memories of the lake.
Fun on the Water
Lovely Daughter was the Queen of the Lake. She is quite a graceful skier. She puts the rope between her knees and then does this lovely waving motion. BoyHead, on the other hand, tends to attack the wake and tries to get some air. Both styles have their virtues and are fun to watch.
Speaking of virtues….no, forget that. Speaking of fun to watch, nothing could compare to watching Lovely Daughter and BoyHead together in the inner tube. They had smiles of absolute joy on their faces. When kids are young, you get those smiles all the time. As they grow older, however, times of glee become more fleeting. I’m not sure why. Perhaps they’re not as impressed with a shiny dime, or their fingers or a butterfly as they once were. Perhaps they’re more self-conscious and don’t want to seem like a little kid—they want to be cool. Maybe it’s a little of both. Whatever, all I know is that I truly relished our time in the ski boat watching them in the tube.
Fun on the Courts
I didn't get many tennis pictures because mostly it was BoyHead and I playing (So you'll have to settle for an out-of-focus, grainy picture of Lovely Daughter). We played tennis nearly every day. He was especially fond (perhaps too fond) of his pink wide-brimmed tennis visor. The time is coming soon when BoyHead will be able to beat Sir at tennis--but not yet! (Someone mentioned that they loved the names Lovely Wife, BoyHead and Lovely Daughter, but the question arose: what do they call you? The answer: Sir).
The rest of our time we spent eating (sorry, no food pictures), playing cards we played lots of cards, swimming, playing shuffleboard, birdwatching, visiting with friends and family, going into town for provisions (flour, sugar, salted pork--you know, staples). Enjoy the pictures. We'll do it all again in 11.5 months.
