Grandma and Grandpa’s lake house: a recollection
During the summers, the family drove from southern Maryland to Missouri to visit their extended family. Once they arrived in St. Louis, the children could hardly contain their excitement because they knew that they would go to the lake house in just a short time. The 40-minute drive from the city into the country where Grandpa’s lake house was seemed like an eternity. The children fidgeted and made up games to play in the car’s backseat to pass the time until they arrived at their favorite vacation destination. As soon as Dad’s Honda pulled into the driveway of the house, the kids raced into the kitchen to greet their Grandma and Grandpa. After warm hugs and cups of cold water, the grandparents took the grandchildren on a grand tour of the house, to show them what they had worked on during the winter. After the tour, the children couldn’t wait to run outside with everyone to play in the water, so they dressed quickly in the mudroom downstairs, and flew out the basement door, running down to the water. First, they looked into the murky water. Then a big toe tested the water’s temperature, followed immediately by both feet into the water, up to the ankles. The parents and grandparents looked after the children fondly, sipping iced tea over chitchat, until they were startled by a big splash! They looked over and sure enough, Julie was the first one to jump all the way underwater. Chris would gradually submerge himself, too. The children put on goggles and tried to look for shells under the murky water. They played underwater games with each other, swam, both drank and spat out salty lake water, and tried to see how long they could each hold their breath underwater. Chris always won that contest! The children were most excited when their parents joined them in the water. Their Dad would give each child a turn to be thrown into the air, landing in the water to see who could fly farther, or make the biggest splash. Each child found this game exhilarating, asking Dad for a turn until they wore him out. Sometimes Mom joined them in the water, but she almost never let her hair get wet. She taught the children the side stroke, and Dad, who was a swimmer when he was growing up, taught them all of the other swimming strokes. After a day of sun and exertion in the water, the children became very tired, and the adults all knew that it was time to go inside for a shower, a warm towel, and a good meal. The children really enjoyed these times when they were surrounded by loved ones, and could decide how they would play outside in and around the lake.
